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Title: A Fine Tuned Cosmos: Illusion, God, or Multiple Universes David Heddle Christopher Newport Universit


1
A Fine Tuned Cosmos Illusion, God, or Multiple
Universes?David HeddleChristopher Newport
UniversityThomas Jefferson National Accelerator
Laboratory
If there is only one universe, you might have to
have a fine-tuner. If you dont want God, youd
better have a multiverse. (Bernard Carr)
2
Outline
  • Introduction
  • Fine-Tuning
  • Cosmology
  • Big bang, Cosmological Constant
  • Fine Tuning Examples
  • Other Possibilities
  • Tie Breaker?
  • Conclusion

3
What is Fine Tuning?
  • Fine Tuning Observation that complex life of any
    kind would be impossible anywhere in the
    universe if the values of physical constants
    differed by small amounts.

Example If the universe expanded faster, stars
could not have formed. If slower, the universe
would have recollapsed. No stars means no life of
any kind.
Based on the modest assumption that life of any
kind requires stars to produce heavy elements,
and that complex life requires water.
4
A preview (from the Discover article)
  • Had matter in the universe been more evenly
    distributed, it would not have clumped together
    to form galaxies. Clumpier, and it would have
    condensed into black holes.
  • If the nuclear force (which holds nuclei
    together) was slightly stronger, protons would
    have paired off and there would be no hydrogen,
    which fuels long-lived stars. Water would not
    exist, nor would any known form of life.

5
Just to Ponder Amazing Water
Anomalous properties
Effects
  • High latent heats
  • High specific heat of water
  • Ices low thermal conductivity
  • Great ability to dissolve
  • Expansion on freezing
  • High melting/boiling points
  • High surface tension
  • Thermal stabilization of cells, organisms, Earth
  • Chemical weathering (rocks broken down into
    nutrients)
  • Chemical reactions (especially with carbon
    chemistry)

6
A remarkable fact Ice Floats
  • One of only a few substances that floats in its
    own melt
  • If water didnt float
  • Rivers, lakes, etc. would freeze from bottom up
  • All marine life would die
  • Climate on earth altered so radically that
    complex life would be unlikely

7
Who Believes in Fine-Tuning?
  • Everyone. Virtually all physicists of agree that
    the universe is fine-tuned.
  • There is no testable explanation for fine-tuning.
    Theism is one (untestable, supernatural)
    explanation. Multiple universes (multiverse) is
    another (untestable, naturalistic) explanation.

Although most would argue that the fine-tuning
is apparent. That is, the universe was not
actively fine tuned by an intelligence.
8
The Possibilities
God
One universe or many universes?
everyone accepts this
We are lucky
There is only one universe
Our Universe is fine-tuned
Its an illusion
Many universes (multiverse) each with different
constants
Our universe appears fine tuned because if it
werent, we wouldnt be here
9
Fine Tuning is related to sensitivity, not
improbability
  • If some constant has to be close to its actual
    value for life to exist we have fine tuning
    regardless of the improbability of the value.
  • In fact
  • The is no way to calculate the a priori
    probability
  • Multiverse theories in fact predict our constants
    are low probability
  • Opposite what most ID proponents suggest,
    fine-tuning (sensitivity) plus high probability
    (fundamental theory) is the strongest case for a
    designer

10
Quotes on Fine Tuning
  • Youll see quotes from world-class physicists
    throughout this talk.
  • All view it as an interesting problem that
    demands an explanation
  • Some view it as evidence for multiple universes
  • A few view it as prima facie evidence for an
    designer

11
My Perspective as Christian and Scientist
  • The bible and science cannot, ultimately,
    disagree.
  • When theologians and scientists disagree,
    scientists are often right
  • Galileo is still a good example.
  • But for the question of a beginning of our
    universe, theists were there first.
  • Homosexuality nature or nurture?

That is, the original autographs. We affirm
biblical inerrancy along the lines of the
Chicago Statement.
12
For anti-Science Christians Consider Special
and General Revelation
Scripture
Special Revelation
Fallible Translations
Fallible Exegesis
Theology
We should not make snap judg-ments about which
side is wrong
As a result of human error on either/both sides,
these can be in conflict
Cannot be in conflict
Fallible Interpre- tations
Science
Fallible Observations
General Revelation
Creation
13
My niche ministry, such as it is
  • To proclaim the necessary compatibility between
    science and the bible/Christian Faith
  • Opposition
  • Militant atheistsseek no reconciliation
  • My fundamentalist brothersview science as evil
    and in opposition to the Truth
  • Support
  • Mainstream scientists
  • Mainstream Christians

14
Fine Tuning Poker Analogy
  • Suppose I take a deck of cards
  • I tell you that unless I shuffle them and deal
    you a royal flush of hearts (one try) youll die
  • And then I do just that

Three competing explanations
  • Blind Luck.
  • (Naturalistic) There are an infinite number of
    universes, in most of them you died.
  • (Design) I cheated.

15
14 Billion Years Ago The Big Bang
  • Was not an explosion that hurled matter into
    pre-existing space
  • Was an expansion of space occurring everywhere at
    once

time
Furthermore
  • The observable universe was tiny at the big bang,
    but perhaps not the entire universe
  • Because of expansion, the farthest visible object
    is not 14 but 46 billion light years away
  • God cannot put us in the center, because there is
    no center

16
Fine TuningCarbon Production
  • No other element equals its ability to form large
    molecules needed to store information (for
    complex life.)
  • Water fits carbon chemistry H20 is liquid over
    the range of temperatures at which carbon
    chemistry is most active.
  • Non Carbon-based life is probably science
    fictiononly Silicon and Boron based life is
    possible, and their chemistry is not as rich as
    Carbon nor as synergetic with water.

17
Water and Carbon
Despite our best efforts to avoid chauvinism
and to seek out other chemistries for life, we
are forced to conclude that water is the best of
all possible solvents, and carbon compounds are
apparently the best of all possible carriers of
complex information. John Lewis, Planetary
Scientist (Univ. of Arizona) If you want
physicists (or any other life forms) you need
carbon. Robert Dicke, Astrophysicist,
(Princeton University)
18
So it would seem
  • We (minimally) need Hydrogen, Carbon, and Oxygen.
    Where do they come from?
  • The Big Bang produced a universe which at first
    had only Hydrogen and Helium (and a little
    Lithium)
  • Where did the heavier elements such as Carbon and
    Oxygen get made?

19
We are made of Star Dust
  • Big-Bang ? Hydrogen and Helium
  • Inside stars, heavier elements (e.g., Carbon) are
    manufactured through nuclear fusion
  • Stars explode (super novae) seeding space with
    these life-essential elements
  • Other stars, planets, and humans are made from
    this star dust

20
Anthropic Principle (Barrow Tipler)
  • (Weak) The observed values of the physical
    constants take on values restricted by the
    requirement that there exist sites where
    carbon-based life can evolve.
  • (Strong) The Universe must have those properties
    which allow life to develop within it at some
    stage in its history.
  • To paraphrase we can use the fact that we are
    here to guide predictions. Science need not
    ignore the obvious fact of the existence of
    humans.

21
Anthropic Prediction (Hoyle)
Carbon is made inside stars. One way He4 He4
He4 ? C12 Unlikely (3 He have to
meet.) Maybe Step 1 He4 He4 ? Be8 Step
2 He4 Be8 ? C12
C
22
But Wait, theres More
  • Short lifetime of Be8 (10-17 s) prevents runaway
    fusion. Be8 instability leads to stellar
    stability.
  • So two fine-tunings short life of Be8 and the
    lucky level of C12 that together allow Carbon
    production at a fortuitous rate.
  • But wait Two more coincidences (1) The lack of
    a similar state in O16 prevents all the C12 from
    converting to O16 and (2) A conservation law
    prevents O16 from being easily converted to Ne20.

C

Be
C
Net Result Carbon and Oxygen produced
abundantly, and in comparable amounts
23
From Hoyle, an anti-theist
  • A superintellect has monkeyed with the physics,
    as well as the chemistry and biology.
  • Fred Hoyle, Astrophysicist, The Universe Past
    and Present Reflections", Ann. Rev. Ast. and
    Astrophys. 20, 1982, p. 16.

Hoyle also reported that his atheism was greatly
shaken by the discovery that carbon just manages
to form and then avoids complete conversion into
oxygen.
24
Recent Discoveries
  • The Universe is Flat (Normal, High-School
    Geometry works!)
  • After a period of slowing down, the expansion of
    the universe is now accelerating. It will not
    bounce back and start over.

The Little Princes universe is not flat
25
Best Evidence Cosmic Background Radiation
3000 K
hot
c o l d
3 K
  • When the universe was 0.3 My old atoms formed,
    decoupling light from matter (universe no longer
    opaque)
  • Temperature is related to the wavelength
    longer wavelengths ? lower temperature
  • As the universe expands, the wavelength
    increases, so the temperature drops (has expanded
    by factor of 1000)
  • Today, the temperature (nearby) is about 2.7 K

OK, thats debatable. The other two best
evidences for the standard Big Bang model are
Hubbles Law and the abundance of light elements.
26
Background is not perfectly uniform. Cosmic
Background Explorer (COBE) 1992
Background fluctuations account for galaxies
(with fine-tuning of 10-6) This is a picture of
the universe when light separated at 0.3 Million
Years
Problem Such uniformity requires superluminal
communication. Solved by introducing cosmic
inflation1050 size increase in 10-32 s
27
Implication The Universe, began
  • The best data we have (concerning the Big Bang)
    are exactly what I would have predicted, had I
    nothing to go on but the five books of Moses, the
    Psalms, and the Bible as a whole.
  • Arno A. Penzias, Nobel Laureate
  • (Physics), and co-discoverer of
  • the Cosmic Background Radiation

28
The Big Bang was Resisted by Some
Philosophically the notion of a beginning of the
present order is repugnant to me. I should like
to find a genuine loophole. I simply do not
believe the present order of things started off
with a bang the expanding Universe is
preposterous it leaves me cold We must allow
evolution an infinite time to get started.
Sir Arthur Eddington, astronomer
29
The Cosmological Constant L
  • L measures the energy and pressure of empty
    space. It causes an anti-gravity stretching.
  • Observation The universes expansion is
    accelerating. A nonzero L can explain this
    observation.

In 1998, the Cosmological Constant was awarded
the breakthrough of the year by the journal
Science.
30
Constituents of the Universe
Dark Matter passed a recent experimental test
(2006)
Dark Matter 26
Normal Matter 4
Dark Energy (L) 70
Dark Energy (L) explains the universes flatness.
It must be comparable to the matter contribution
(it cant be too small) If L is too big, space
would be too curved and stars and galaxies would
not exist (expansion too fast)
Not to mention we would all be vampires.
31
The Greatest Fine Tuning Problem
Best Calculations L 1
Some unknown fine-tuning gets us from here to
here
Observed L 0.0000000 01
to here
120 zeroes
Unacceptable L 0.0000000 10
without stopping here (notionally)
Unacceptable L Exactly Zero
or proceeding to there
32
On The Fine-Tuning Problem of L
  • Our current understanding of gravity and quantum
    mechanics says that empty space should have about
    120 orders of magnitude more energy than the
    amount we measure it to have. That is 1 with 120
    zeroes after it! How to reduce the amount it has
    by such a huge magnitude, without making it
    precisely zero, is a complete mystery. Among
    physicists, this is considered the worst
    fine-tuning problem in physics.
  • Lawrence Krauss, Cosmologist, Sci. Am., Aug.
    2004, pp. 83-84.

33
Fine Tuning Number Of Dimensions
  • String Theory Universe is 10 or 11 dimensional
  • At 10-43 seconds six of the dimensions stopped
    expanding1, leaving us with three (expanding)
    space dimensions (length, width, depth) and one
    time dimension.
  • Exactly three expanding space dimensions is
    critical for life
  • Resulting force law (r -2) is necessary for
    stable planetary and atomic orbits.
  • Only 3D universes allow for transmission of high
    fidelity signals2.

1 The details of these six dimensions determine
the physical constants 2 J.D. Barrow,
Dimensionality, Phil. Trans. Royal Soc of
London A310 (1983) p, 341
34
Coincidences
  • The possibility of life as we know it depends on
    the values of a few basic physical constants and
    is, in some respects remarkably sensitive to
    their numerical values. Nature does exhibit
    remarkable coincidences.
  • Martin Rees, Cosmologist, Cambridge University

35
Strong Nuclear Force
  • Binds neutrons and protons in the nucleus
  • If weaker, then fewer stable nuclei. (50 weaker
    reduces number of elements to 20 no iron,
    iodine, molybdenum) Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen
    probably radioactive.
  • Other calculations suggest that if the strong
    force were stronger or weaker by as little as
    0.5-2, life would be impossiblee.g., the
    effect on Red Giant stars1,2 and on the diproton
    catastrophe.

1 Barrow and Tipler, The Anthropic Cosmological
Principle. Oxford Univ. Press, (1986) 322. 2 H.
Oberhummer, A. Cst, and H. Schlattl, Stellar
Production Rates of Carbon and Its Abundance in
the Universe, Science 289 (2000) 88-90.
36
More on Fine Tuning
  • The present arrangement of matter indicates a
    very special choice of initial conditions The
    really amazing thing is not that life on Earth is
    balanced on a knife-edge, but that the entire
    universe is balanced on a knife-edge, and would
    be total chaos if any of the natural 'constants'
    were off even slightly.
  • Paul Davies, Professor of theoretical physics,
    Adelaide University

37
Gravity
  • If stronger, stars would be hotter, burn up too
    quickly and unevenly
  • If weaker, stellar nuclear furnace would not
    ignite, so no heavy elements
  • If gravity/EM was changed by 1 part in 1040, then
    no life-sustaining stars like our sun1
  • A star of the right mass, color, and life cycle
    that, allows a planet to get close enough for
    liquid water not so close that the planet phase
    locks has a very stable luminosity period etc.

1 Related to convection/radiative heat transfer.
Balance related to (a/G)20. B. Carter, Large
Number Coincidences and the Anthropic Principle
in Cosmology, M. S. Longair, ed., (1974) pp,
291-298.
38
What does one part in 1040 look like?
  • Suppose you win the lotto on Monday
  • Then you win it again on Tuesday
  • And again on Wednesday
  • Now suppose that to collect your money you had to
    close your eyes and, with one try, select the
    only red grain of sand in the world.
  • Your chance of doing all this is about one in
    1040

39
More on Fine Tuning
  • The remarkable fact is that the values of these
    numbers seem to have been very finely adjusted to
    make possible the development of life.
  • Steven Hawking, A Brief History of Time, 10th
    ed., p. 129.
  • The universe, in some sense, must have known we
    were coming
  • Freeman Dyson, Theoretical Physicist, Princeton
    Institute for Advanced Studies

40
Electron to Proton Mass Ratio
8
? (electrons become nucleus)
10
Unstable relativistic atoms
No Ordered Structures
me/mp
1
0.1
We are here
No Stars
0
0
0.1
1
10
8
Electron charge
41
Matter/Anti-Matter

For every 10 billion antiparticles created by the
big bang, there were 10 billion plus 1
particlesthis minute excess of particles
accounts for the matter in the universe. If the
excess was smaller not enough matter in the
universe larger too much radiation trappedno
stars (and diamonds arent forever)
matter and antimatter annihilate, producing
energy
42
Neutron Mass
  • The neutron is 0.14 more
  • massive that the proton.
  • After the Big Bang, there were
  • about seven times as many protons
  • If the neutron were about 0.1 heavier, there
    would not be enough of them to make the nuclei of
    heavy elements
  • If the neutron were 0.1 lighter, protons would
    transform into neutrons so readily that stars
    would collapse into neutron stars or black holes

43
Lunar Fine Tuning
  • Generally, the greater a planets gravity and
    distance from the sun, the thicker its
    atmosphere. Earth violates this rule, with an
    atmosphere 40 times lighter that Venus.
  • Usually moons are much smaller than the planet
    and are formed of the same material. Earth has a
    huge moon which is not made of the same material
    as the earth.

What happened? An object the size of Mars
collided with the young (250 My) earth, and
mostly absorbed into the core. The collision
blasted most of the original overly-thick
atmosphere into space. The cloud of debris
coalesced into the moon. Belbruno and Gott, The
Ast. J., 129, 1724-1745, 2005
44
The Collision
  • Destroyed a thick, poisonous atmosphere.
  • Increased in the earths mass just enough its
    gravity can retain water vapor (18), but not
    ammonia (17) or methane (16).
  • Boosted iron content of the earth (magnetic
    field) and made the oceans nutrient rich.
  • Slowed the earths rotation rate, which
    stabilized weather patterns.
  • Because the moon is big, its tidal effect cleans
    coastal waters and replenishes ocean nutrients.
  • However the moon is not too big no excessive
    erosion, no excessive alteration of earths
    orbit.1
  • The moon also stabilized the tilt of the earths
    axis, preventing climactic extremes.

1 A new calculation shows that if the moon were
slightly bigger, the earth-moon system would go
unstable. See Dave Waltham, Astrobiology 4, No.
4 460-468 (2004)
45
What else could explain fine tuning?
  • Luck? If we only had to be a little lucky, then
    this would be viable. But 25 or more fine
    tunings makes this untenable.
  • Fundamental Theory? No fine tuning is not an
    artifact of not knowing how to calculate the
    constants, but of lifes sensitivity to their
    values.
  • Multiverse? Yes, this explanation of fine tuning
    competes with design. If there are an infinity of
    universes, then we would show up in one of the
    lucky ones.

46
One Multiverse Cosmic Landscape
  • There are 101000 String Theory solutions each ?
    a different universe with different constants
  • Like most multiverse theories, our universe is
    (apparently) fine-tuned because it is one of the
    few habitable universes
  • Not testable (its leading proponent suggests that
    we may have to give up sciences scared
    testability requirement)
  • No hope for a fundamental theory explaining the
    constantsthis, along with the previous point,
    means that physics is dead

47
It really is ID or Multiple Universes
  • Q If we do not accept the landscape idea are we
    stuck with intelligent design?A If, for some
    unforeseen reason, the Multiverse turns out to
    be inconsistent - I am pretty sure that
    physicists will go on searching for natural
    explanations of the world. But I have to say that
    if that happens, as things stand now we will be
    in a very awkward position. Without any
    explanation of nature's fine-tunings we will be
    hard pressed to answer the ID critics. One might
    argue that the hope that a mathematically unique
    solution will emerge is as faith-based as ID.
  • Leonard Susskind, Physics Professor, Stanford
    University, author of The Cosmic Landscape.

48
Another Possibility Cosmic Evolution
  • Black Holes create new universes with similar
    constants
  • By Darwinism, universes with many black holes
    would be selected
  • The same kind of universe (with stars) that
    produces black holes are also life friendly
  • Advantage habitable universes common
  • Disadvantages No testable reason why black holes
    produce similar universes. (No proof that black
    holes produce universes at all.) No way to detect
    other universes. Where did the first universe
    come from? What if it had no black holes? If it
    was from a multiverse, then the whole theory is
    superfluous.

49
Tie Breaker?
  • If neither a designer or another universe is
    detectable, is there any additional evidence that
    favors one view?
  • Maybewhat if our location is not just fine-tuned
    for life, but also for scientific observation?
  • Ironically, the IDers who propose this view
    (Gonzalez and Richards in the Privileged Planet)
    also neuter it (they argue that habitable planets
    are necessarily good observation
    platformsobservability is not an extra miracle.

50
Observability Coincidence 1
Is the universe also fine-tuned for doing
science? Because of accelerated expansion, were
in an era of maximal observability. Distant
galaxies will begin to blink off their light
will no longer be able to reach our telescopes.
This is the first time in cosmic history that
light from the most distant galaxies has reached
the Milky WayG. Veneziamo, Sci. Am., May 2004
51
Is Our Galactic Location Mediocre?
  • Safe between spiral armsaway from stars that
    would disrupt the suns orbit, and away from
    radiation.
  • Also, the sun stays between the arms requiring
    a special rdistance from the galactic center.
  • Observability coincidence 2 Location gives us
    a window to the heavens. In an arm, interstellar
    dust would make it impossible to see outside the
    galaxy. In the bulge, theres no night.

No our location is privileged.
52
Observability Coincidence 3
Our moon (at this moment in history) provides for
almost perfect solar eclipses. Solar eclipses
provided the first test of General
Relativity. Study of the chromosphere, made
possible by solar eclipses, has benefited our
knowledge of astrophysics.
The moon is 400 times smaller than the sun. It is
(presently) 400 times closer.
53
Observability Coincidence 4
The suns spectrum peaks near yellow Evolution
explains why our eyes are most sensitive to
(near) yellow It does not explain, however, the
lucky coincidence that our atmosphere is also
(narrowly) transparentwhich permitted the
development of science
Our atmosphere is transparent in the narrow
visible range, where the suns intensity peaks
54
Conclusion
  • There are really only three choices
  • We are the lucky beneficiaries of amazingly
    fortuitous coincidences.
  • There are many parallel universes, mutually
    inaccessibleand most are sterile. We obviously
    live in one of the lucky ones, otherwise we
    wouldnt be here to talk about it.
  • God (or someone god-like) designed the universe
    for the purpose of supporting life.

55
A Final Quote
  • For the scientist who has lived by his faith in
    the power of reason, the story ends like a bad
    dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance
    he is about to conquer the highest peak as he
    pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted
    by a band of theologians who have been waiting
    there for centuries.
  • Robert Jastrow, astronomer, in
  • God and the Astronomers, W. W. Norton, p. 116,
    (1978).

56
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