This is a continuation of my discussion of the book Why the Universe is the Way It Is by Hugh Ross of Reasons to Believe. The questions dealt with in the book are:

• Why such a vast universe? – This was the topic of the first post.
• Why such an old universe? – the topic of the second post.
• Why such a lonely universe? – the topic of the third post.
• Why such a dark universe? – the topic of the fourth post.
• Why a decaying universe? – the topic of the fifth post.
• Why a realm beyond this one? – the topic of this post.
• Why this particular planet, star, galaxy and universe?
• Why believe the Bible?
• Why not a perfect universe?
• Why these physical laws and dimensions?
• Why two creations?
• Why is the new creation better?

The next two chapters of Hugh Ross’ book explore the Anthropic Principal in a little more detail. The Anthropic Principle, a term first coined by Brandon Carter in the early 1970s. This principle essentially states that the universe has been finely tuned with properties that support the development and sustenance of advanced life and that these properties took a very long time to achieve the necessary values which are in turn sustained for a relatively short period of time.

In other words, the universe appears to have been made just for us. And this lends itself as evidence that something exists beyond the universe. Hence the reference in the title of the current chapter to “a realm beyond this one.”

Dr. Ross uses this chapter to describe 6 specific anthropic indicators:

Earth’s rotation rate

When the Earth first formed, it rotated at a very high speed. When the moon formed (from a collision with the Earth by a Mars-sized object which threw off much of the lighter surface material and helped concentrate the denser iron-rich core of the Earth), the Earth was rotating at a rate of only 2 to 3 hours per day. Since then (over almost 4.5 billion years), tidal forces from the Moon’s gravitational pull has consistently slowed the Earth down to the present rate of 24 hours per day. In another 100 million years, it will be 25 hours per day.

The 24 hour day that we’re used to is actually pretty optimal for human existence. Shorter days means less temperature variation from night to day. Less transfer of heat from the tropics to the poles. Less biodiversity from the equator to the poles. Storms which focus more on particular regions rather than traveling further abroad. And less ability to produce what human economy requires to thrive.

Conversely, longer nights and days mean more temperature extremes and more extreme storm patterns. It seems that we live at just the right moment in Earth’s rotation time.

Fossil Fuels

Much of the fossil fuels in existence were formed from the biomass that developed during or shortly after the Cambrian explosion of life (about 543 million years ago). It has taken that much time for these fuels to develop. Also the accumulation and trapping of these fuels is driven by tectonic movements in the Earth’s crust. While it has taken a significant amount of time for these conditions to ripen, if we were having to wait much longer (geologically-speaking) the fuels would decay and/or disseminate through leakage to the point that they would no longer be available to us. We are here at just the right time to utilize them.

Solar Stability

Our sun is at the point in its life cycle that is the most stable. We know from our observations of other stars at various ages in the universe that there is significantly more flaring (and thus local surge patterns of radiation) in stars that are older and younger than our sun. The sun (like the earth) is only about 5 billion years old, and this period of stability only lasts about 100,000 years. We are living right in the middle of this period of stability!

Solar Luminosity

A star like our sun continues to brighten as it ages. Our sun’s increasing brightness over the past 3 billion years has been offset and balanced by the increase of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere produced by the increased biodiversity of the Earth. Its projected remaining increase in luminosity will eventually outmatch the ability of plants to keep up and will eventually allow the sun to become to bright and hot for life to continue (after several million more years). We’re living at the right moment to enjoy the sun’s brightness and simultaneously enjoy the fruits and byproducts (fossil fuels) of a green planet.

Perfect Eclipses

Eclipses don’t directly impact life on earth, but they have enabled us to learn about our home. Since the Moon’s distance from the Earth allows it to perfectly match the apparent size of the much more distant Sun, we’re able to learn about the Earth’s and Moon’s geometry and about the Sun’s corona (atmosphere). However, the Moon is steadily getting further away from Earth. Just a little before humans were created, the Moon was larger than the Sun (in its sky appearance) and in only a few million years it will be too far away to fully block the sun during an eclipse. It’s only during human history that eclipses were perfect enough for us to learn as much as we have from them.

Plate Tectonics

We tend to think of volcanoes and earthquakes as dangers (which, of course, they can be), but plate tectonics is responsible for building the land masses in the size, shape, and elevations that Earth has. These forces are driven largely by heat from trapped radiation in the Earth. The continents, according to some research referenced in the book, are optimized for human technological success. Had we come on the scene much sooner than we did, the earthquakes, volcanoes, and radiation would have been much more detrimental to us than they are now. And, we would not have the derived benefit of nutrient-rich volcanic soils which cover much of the agricultural parts of the world today.

One of the complaints that people use to argue against these Anthropic assertions is that it doesn’t make sense for someone (e.g. God) to expend so much time and energy to achieve such a narrow window of opportunity for human life to thrive. But, you see, that’s exactly the point. It wasn’t just in the 1970s that people started to notice this. David wrote about it about 3,000 years ago (Psalm 8:3-9).

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!