Our Finely Tuned Location In The Universe

We Really Are Special

As we’ve seen in the Laws of Nature material, our universe since the Big Bang is impossibly finely tuned to exist and function as it does.  The only viable source for such fine tuning is God.

Now let’s look at the next set of facts and evidence for the existence of God – our place in the universe.  Specifically, is the earth’s location in the Milky Way galaxy and within our solar system merely just so or is there something special about it?  As you might expect, there’s actually something special about it.

Key Conclusions From The Video

There are several key factors for where a planet is located within a galaxy in order to support life

1. The planet must be located 1/2 to 2/3 away from the center of the galaxy.  This is where there’s sufficient material to support life
   • The planet should not be any closer to center of the galaxy or it will experience either collisions with roaming stars or excessive radiation
2. The planet should be located between the spiral arms of the galaxy, not on the arms themselves
   • If located on the arms of a galaxy, there’s again an increased chance of collision, excessive radiation or even annihilation from a nearby supernova
3. The planet must orbit the center of galaxy in a near perfect circle.  This is required to stay away from the dangers of the spiral arms
4. The planet must orbit the galaxy aligned with the galaxy’s disk.  This is for maximum stability and to ensure there’s sufficient material to support life

This set of constraints defines the Galactic Habitable Zone.  As expected, the earth and our solar system are located in this zone.

Our Position In The Solar System Is Also Finely Tuned

Next let’s look at our position within our solar system for more evidence of fine tuning.  Here’s a short subset of characteristics about our place in the solar system that support life as we know it:

• The sun –  is stable so it’s heat, gravitational force and radiation are consistent.  That’s as opposed to 85% of the other stars in the galaxy that are less stable and thus more hazardous to life
• Jupiter, Saturn and the other large planets – act as cosmic vacuum cleaners by attracting wayward comets, asteroids and other damaging objects
• Our location in the solar system – is often called the “Goldilocks Zone” because we are close enough to the sun to maintain a constant, life supporting temperature but far enough to avoid being scorched
• The moon –  slows the earth’s rotation and maintains its constant tilt both of which contribute to a more stable environment for life
• Earth’s orbit –  is nearly circular allowing life on the planet to avoid temperature extremes