Posted by Walker on July 14, 1998 at 17:22:53:
In Reply to: Article on beginning of universe posted by Carlos on July 14, 1998 at 15:36:57:
What came before creation? BY GREGG EASTERBROOK
"Researchers have calculated that after a big bang, unless the ratio of matter and energy to the volume of the universe (a value researchers call "omega") was within one-quadrillionth of 1 percent of the ideal, runaway relativity would have rendered the cosmos uninhabitable: either too scrunched and distorted for life, or too diffuse for stars to form.
Other natural constants that trace back to the big bang also seem fine-tuned in favor of a universe amenable to living consciousness. Had gravity been only slightly stronger, stars would burn through their nuclear fuel in less than a year."
I wish they’d show some of these calculations. Star mass can as great as 100 times our sun; yet such stars don’t burns their fuel in 1 day. How do two hydrogen atoms on the verge of fusing know whether the universal gravitational constant has increased or they’re near a lot of mass? He must be referring to the gravitational attraction between sub atomic particles; but that is almost zero relative to other forces. Hmmm.
"Sadly, that optimistic prognosis is all conjecture. Much of the mathematics of the big bang is based on hypothesis. Assumptions about unobservable regions are subjected to pages of number-crunching, creating the quasi result in which fuzzy notions and highly formulations are combined, leaving everyone unsure about whether the final product owes more to precision or guesswork."
Well, this sounds familiar.
Scientists and Theologians Discover Common Ground
This column suggests that the rift between them was caused by the Scientists’ view that the universe would end [I don’t believe that was ever their consensus] It states that now theologians and scientists can be friends since scientists are discovering that "the stars will shine forever."
If there is a God and s/he is all knowing, done everything, why would s/he want to continue? Wouldn’t s/he get bored silly? We’re talking billions of years. Even D&D doesn’t stay interesting that long.