Scientists have discovered that the universe’s fundamental physical constants may be finely tuned to make life possible.

Edited from Science Daily research newsletter, October 11, 2026, Queen Mary University of London

Scientists have uncovered a remarkable connection between the fundamental laws of physics and the ability of life to exist. The findings (in 2025) from physicist Kostya Trachenko at Queen Mary University of London suggest that fundamental physical constants must permit liquids to move in ways that support life within and between cells. 

Even relatively small changes to some of the universe’s most basic physical constants could dramatically alter how liquids flow, potentially preventing essential biological processes from taking place. Even tiny changes to these constants could make liquids too thick or too thin for essential biological processes, potentially preventing life as we know it. Surprisingly, these life-friendly conditions existed billions of years before living cells appeared. 

The discovery, detailed in a study published in Science Advances, raises profound questions about the universe. Why do the fundamental laws of nature have values that appear so well suited to the existence of life?

Trachenko said: “Any change in fundamental constants including an increase or decrease would be equally bad news for flow and for liquid-based life. We expect the window to be quite narrow: for example, viscosity of our blood would become too thick or too thin for body functioning.”

This article utilises research that Kostya Trachenko developed over his whole career. He sadly died from cancer in 2025. His obituary and further reading of his work can be found here.

My own conclusion

I have written several times about the incredible values in physics that underpin the existence of our universe: another fine-tuned mess you’ve gotten me into, and Evidence the universe was created. This is yet more evidence they are true.

That the universe exists at all, is the great unanswered question of course. The standard view of science is that it is all a happy accident, with no purpose, rhyme or reason, but I can’t accept that. There is overwhelming evidence that it is a deliberate act. Accepting this does not necessarily imply that you have to suddenly believe in a Biblical God (I’m a Deist), but it does need you to start thinking about what the nature of the creator must be. 

I wrote a longer post called ‘Finding God in an Age of Reason’ about the implications of what the existence of God means in our scientific age. It would be good to chat about it, so let me know your thoughts in the comments.