Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD

Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD

Get unlimited access to 10,000+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just

$149.99
 
$74.99/Year

Try GOLD - Free

HOW UNLIKELY IS OUR UNIVERSE?

BBC Science Focus

|

December 2025

Our understanding of the Universe has revealed that its existence, and indeed our own, relies on a particular set of rules.

- Dr Alastair Gunn

HOW UNLIKELY IS OUR UNIVERSE?

RUSSELL SPARKS, VIA EMAIL

For example, the fundamental 'constants of nature', such as the charge of the electron, or the strength of the gravitational force, are set in stone. We can measure them, but we don't know why they have the values they do. But they also seem to be fine-tuned to allow galaxies, stars, planets and even life to exist. If any of these parameters were even slightly different, we wouldn't exist and the Universe might not either!

MORE STORIES FROM BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

World's biggest cobweb is home to 100,000 spiders

Spiders don't normally create such large colonies, so there's no need to worry about finding one in your basement

time to read

1 min

February 2026

BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

A dementia vaccine could be gamechanging – and available already

Getting vaccinated against shingles could protect you from getting dementia, or slow the progression of the disease

time to read

1 mins

February 2026

BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

DATA IN SPACE

An unusual spacecraft reached orbit in November 2025, one that might herald the dawn of a new era.

time to read

7 mins

February 2026

BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

Climate change is already shrinking your salary

No matter where you live, a new study has found warmer temperatures are picking your pocket

time to read

4 mins

February 2026

BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

A MENTAL HEALTH GLOW-UP

Forget fine lines. Could Botox give you an unexpected mental health tweakment?

time to read

3 mins

February 2026

BBC Science Focus

Most people with high cholesterol gene don't know they have it

Standard testing struggles to detect the condition

time to read

1 mins

February 2026

BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

HOW CAN I BOOST MY IQ?

If you're serious about getting smarter, it's time to ditch the brain-training apps

time to read

4 mins

February 2026

BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

Humans are absolutely terrible at reading dogs' emotions

Think you can tell how our furry friends are feeling? Think again

time to read

1 mins

February 2026

BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

HOW TO TEACH AI RIGHT FROM WRONG

If we want to get good responses from AI, we may need to see what it does when we ask it to be evil

time to read

3 mins

February 2026

BBC Science Focus

BBC Science Focus

What Australia's social media ban could really mean for under-16s

Many people think social media is bad for our kids. Australia is trying to prove it

time to read

5 mins

February 2026

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size