Design and Universal Constants

I was much struck by this article on the 13 Most Important Numbers in the Universe. And it makes me realise how beautifully fine-tuned this universe is. So fine-tuned, indeed, that some look to the concept of multiple or even infinite universes to try and explain why this is a Goldilocks Universe. As we have left behind the idea that this particular place and time is God-favoured, we seem to have gone from a geocentric model of the universe to a heliocentric one. But beyond heliocentric, we are now rejecting a  cosmocentric one - even this entire universe is not particularly special.

But still, I'd like you to consider the way that the constants that drive our universe are just the right numbers - and the way reality would change (and the universe even cease to be) were they slightly different. It makes you think.

If the efficiency of the fusion of Hydrogen were just 10% lower, the sun would never have got properly started and the evolution of life on Earth would have stopped at round about Millwall fans. If 10% greater, it would already have burnt away, but on the bright side we'd all have fantastic suntans.

Planck's constant determines the size of quanta of energy. If h were just 20% smaller, the acting in Eastenders would be 3-dimensional.

If π were 3.3, circles would never be truly circular.

Hubble was wrong. All the other galaxies actually are just running away from us. They're trying to outrun the radio waves carrying Fame.

If the Speed of Light were just 5% faster, male drivers would beep their horns to complain you were hanging around at junctions, before the traffic lights had even changed to green.

If the Universal Gravitational Constant were 40% higher, fashion models would be a healthy weight.

If Boltmann's Constant were negative, teenagers would have the tidiest rooms in the universe.

According to the Theory of Relativity, if a space traveller left the earth travelling very fast on a return voyage, when they returned they would think very little time had passed - while on earth, ages could have gone past. This is why when somebody preaches on something that has no connection to earthly life, the preacher thinks the sermon's flown past and everybody else think it's lasted forever. In fact, unknown to all concerned (or possibly not that unknown) the preacher has been on another planet.

Absolute Zero is claimed to be an unreachable universal constant. A bit like the perfect amount of time for neighbours to stay round of an evening. But it can be achieved under very rare circumstances - such as on the surface of a middle-class mother whose daughter brings a Goth home. If it were possible to find temperatures colder than Absolute Zero, Anglican Church-goers would need to wear more vests in the winter.

If Avagadro's number were 20% larger, there would be even bigger mounds on my croquet lawn.