Have you ever wondered what makes life possible on Earth, or how the universe works?
A group of scientists from Queen Mary University of London may have brought us a step closer to the answers.
Their study, which was published in the scientific journal Science Advances, talks about how basic rules or ‘fundamental constants’ in physics might be more flexible than we thought.
This could impact everything, from how water flows to how life operates in our cells.
What are Fundamental Constants?
When we talk about ‘fundamental constants,’ we mean specific numbers or values in physics that we think never change, no matter where you are in the universe.
These constants affect everything around us, like the mass of an electron or how atoms stick together.
These numbers are vital for all the things that make life possible, but we don’t really know where they come from.
Water, Viscosity, and Life
Two years ago, the same team of scientists discovered that how ‘runny’ or ‘thick’ a liquid is, known as its ‘viscosity,’ is also set by these fundamental constants.
Now they are saying that this discovery is also crucial for understanding life itself.
Think about it: life as we know it depends on the flow of liquids. Blood flows through our veins, and water moves in and out of cells.
All these flows have to be just right. If they’re too slow or too fast, life couldn’t exist as we know it.
Professor Kostya Trachenko explains that even small changes in these constants could make liquids behave differently. Imagine if water were as thick as tar! Nothing would work as it should, and life probably wouldn’t exist.
Constants and the Universe
Here’s the kicker: These fundamental constants might not have been set up for life from the beginning.
Billions of years ago, when stars were forming, these constants got set in a way that allowed stars to produce heavy elements.
Life as we know it didn’t even exist back then, so there was no ‘need’ for these constants to also support life. But here we are, and it turns out these numbers are just right for life too.
The scientists are also thinking about whether these constants might have ‘evolved’ over time, much like animals and plants do through natural selection.
Could it be that nature, over a long period, tuned these numbers to make sure they could support life and a stable universe?
Why This Matters
Understanding how a simple thing like water flows in a cup is tied to big, cosmic questions. The properties of liquids like water or blood are connected to these mysterious numbers that rule the universe.
And if we can understand better where these numbers come from, we might get closer to solving some of the biggest mysteries of life and the universe itself.
So, the next time you pour yourself a glass of water, remember: you’re not just looking at a drink, but a tiny window into the deepest questions about our universe and existence.
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