Page 52 - All About Space 68 - 2017 UK

ASTRONOMY DEEP SPACE
Why do some astrophysicists

think the universe is unnatural?

Gary Kist The problem is that the universe nuclear reactions to produce energy.
In this context, unnatural does seems remarkably fine-tuned to One explanation is that we exist in a
not mean artificial. Here it means support stars, planets and life. If multiverse of infinite universes, each
instead of tumbling naturally out of the mass of the proton were a little with different laws of physics, and
You can be knowledgeable in astronomy mathematics, there seems to be no heavier, atoms could not form we just happen to be in this Universe
without ever looking at the night sky good reason for why the fundamentals molecules, or if gravity were slightly because we couldn’t exist in a
What's the of the universe are the way they are. weaker, the stars could not instigate universe with different properties. SA
difference
between armchair DEEP SPACE
astronomy and Can any life
observational forms exist in the
astronomy?
vacuum of space?
Shannon Green Henry Miles
Armchair astronomy is being very To survive, life forms would need to do
knowledgeable in astronomy, whether three things: survive being in a vacuum,
it’s reading books or watching deal with extremely low temperatures,
TV shows; whereas observational and cope with high levels of radiation.
astronomy is heading outside to Complex, multi-cellular life wouldn't
observe the night sky, taking in all the be able to survive in a vacuum, but
wonders of the cosmos. microbes might. Microbiologists have
Observational astronomy ranges discovered extremophiles – microbes
from watching the night sky with a that can survive in extreme conditions
pair of binoculars, to controlling an – such as Deinococcus radiodurans,
enormous telescope in a professional which can survive high levels of
observatory. No-one regrets making radiation, as well as a vacuum, a lack
the leap from armchair to outside, and of water and cold. Microbes have been
it is a continuous source of inspiration known to survive journeys into space.
to enthusiasts of the universe. It is possible that 377 bacterial strains
Nonetheless, armchair astronomy were accidentally taken to Mars on the
is still entertaining and educational. Curiosity rover, although no-one knows
There are many astronomy-related if they survived the trip. One microbe
programmes, and All About Space that did survive a trip into space was
review plenty of fantastic books that Some microbes have Streptococcus mitis, which hitched a
detail everything from our Solar survived the harsh ride to the Moon onboard Surveyor 3
System to the general universe. LC conditions of space before being brought back to Earth by
astronauts on the Apollo 12 mission. JB

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