Evidence
for the fine-tuning of the galaxy-sun-earth-moon system for life support
(Adapted
from the author's books, The Fingerprint of God (second edition, Promise
Publishing, 1991) and The Creator and the Cosmos (second edition, NavPress,
1995). References may be found in both books.)
1. Galaxy type
if too elliptical: star formation would cease before sufficient heavy element build-up for life chemistry
if too irregular: radiation exposure on occasion would be too
severe and heavy elements for life chemistry would not be available
if too large: infusion of gas and stars would disturb sun's
orbit and ignite too many galactic eruptions
if too small: insufficient infusion of gas to sustain star
formation
2. Supernovae eruptions
if too close: life on the planet would be wiped out by
radiation
if too far: elements ashes which are not heavy enough would tend to
form rocky planets
if too infrequent: elements ashes that are not heavy enough would tend to form rocky planets
if too frequent: life on the planet would be annihilated
if too soon: elements ashes that are not heavy enough would tend to form rocky planets
if too late: life on the planet would be wiped out by radiation
3. White dwarf binaries
if too few: fluorine which is pivotal for
life chemistry would be insufficient
if too many: planetary orbits will be disrupted;
life on planet would be wiped out
if
too soon: heavy elements would not be enough to made efficient fluorine production
if
too late: fluorine
production would be late for incorporation in protoplanet
4. Parent star distance from center
of galaxy
if farther: quantity of heavy elements would be
insufficient to make rocky planets
if closer: galactic radiation would be extreme; stellar
density would disturb planetary orbits
5. Number of stars in the planetary system
if
more than one: tidal
interactions would disturb planetary orbits
if
less than one: heat
produced would be insufficient for life
6. Parent star birth date
if
more recent: star would
not yet have reached stable burning phase; stellar system would contain too
many heavy elements
if
less recent: stellar system would not contain enough heavy elements
7. Parent star age
if older: luminosity of star would change swiftly
if younger: luminosity of star would change swiftly
8. Parent star mass
if greater: luminosity of star would change hastily;
star would burn very fast
if less: planet distances for life to exist would be limited; tidal forces would disturb the rotational period of life planet ; uv radiation would not be sufficient for plants to make sugars and oxygen
9. Parent star color
if
redder: photosynthetic process would be disrupted
if bluer: photosynthetic process would be disrupted
10. Parent star luminosity relative to speciation
if
increases too soon: runaway greenhouse effect would develop
if
increases too late: runaway glaciation would develop
11. Surface gravity (escape velocity)
if stronger: too much ammonia and methane would hold in planet's atmosphere
if weaker: too much water would lose in planet's atmosphere
12. Distance from parent star
if farther: planet would be too cool for a stable water
cycle
if
closer: planet would be too warm for
a stable water cycle
13. Inclination of orbit
i. if
too great: Extreme temperature
differences on the planet would happen.
14. Orbital eccentricity
i.
if
too great: seasonal
temperature differences would be too extreme
15. Axial tilt
if greater: surface
temperature differences would be extreme
if less: surface
temperature differences would be
16. Rotation period
if longer: perpetual temperature differences would be
if shorter: atmospheric
wind velocities would be
17. Rate of change in rotation period
if longer: surface
temperature range necessary for life would not be sustained
if shorter: surface temperature range necessary for life
would not be sustained
18. Age
if too young: planet would rotate too rapidly
if too old: planet
would rotate too slowly
19. Magnetic field
if stronger: electromagnetic
storms would be too severe
if weaker: ozone
shield would be inadequately protected from hard stellar and solar radiation
20. Thickness of crust
if thicker: too much
oxygen would be transferred from the atmosphere to the crust
if thinner: volcanic
and tectonic activity would be too great
21. Albedo (ratio of reflected light
to total amount falling on surface)
if greater: runaway
glaciation would develop
if less: runaway
greenhouse effect would develop
22. Asteroidal and cometary collision
rate
if greater: too many
species would become extinct
if less: crust
would be too depleted of materials essential for life
23. Oxygen to nitrogen ratio in
atmosphere
if larger: advanced
life functions would proceed too quickly
if smaller: advanced
life functions would proceed too slowly
24. Carbon dioxide level in
atmosphere
if greater: runaway
greenhouse effect would develop
if less: plants
would be unable to maintain efficient photosynthesis
25. Water vapor level in atmosphere
if greater: runaway
greenhouse effect would develop
if less: rainfall
would be too meager for advanced life on the land
26. Atmospheric electric discharge
rate
if greater: too much
fire destruction would occur
if less: too
little nitrogen would be fixed in the atmosphere
27. Ozone level in atmosphere
if greater: surface
temperatures would be too low
if less: surface
temperatures would be too high; too much uv radiation would be at the surface
28. Oxygen quantity in atmosphere
if greater: plants
and hydrocarbons would bum up too easily
if less: advanced animals would have too little to
breathe
29. Seismic activity
if greater: too many
life-forms would be destroyed
if less: nutrients
on ocean floors from river runoff would not be recycled to continents through
tectonics.
30. Oceans-to-continents ratio
if greater: diversity
and complexity of life-forms would be limited
if smaller: diversity
and complexity of life-forms would be limited
31. Global distribution of continents
(for Earth)
if too much in the southern hemisphere: seasonal differences too severe for advanced
life
32. Soil mineralization
if too nutrient poor: diversity and complexity of life-forms would be
limited
if too nutrient rich: diversity and complexity of life-forms would be
limited
33. Gravitational interaction with a
moon
if greater: tidal
effects on the oceans, atmosphere, and rotational period would be too severe
if less: orbital
obliquity changes would cause climatic instabilities; movement of nutrients and
life from the oceans to the continents and vice versa would be insufficient;
magnetic field would be too weak
34. Jupiter distance
if greater: too many
asteroid and comet collisions would occur on Earth
if less: Earth's
orbit would become unstable
35. Jupiter mass
if greater: Earth's
orbit would become unstable
if less: too many
asteroid and comet collisions would occur on Earth
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