The Search for GodCan Science Help

John HoughtonIrvine, California

18th February 2003

The search for God; can science help

• The Big Bang; - the Universe created with humans in mind?

• Where is God; an analogy from science?

• Caring for the Earth - both a scientific and a spiritual challenge.

Hubble Space

Telescope

Solar syste

m

Pluto’s orbit has a diameter of about 12,000 million kilometres

Two views of

our galaxy

Our sun is 30,000 light

years from the galaxy’s centre.

2 billion light years

Background galaxies

Galaxies near theedge ofUniverse

- 5 billionlight yearsaway

THEBIG BANG

12By

10-43s 1 second

1million y

10-33cm

QuarksHydrogen and Helium

Stars & Galaxies

Conversion of mass to energy

The sun is our nearest example.

Two nuclei of Deuterium fuse to form a Helium nucleus. Mass is lost and energy released, according to E = mc2

500 light years

Evidence for the Big Bang

• Redshift of galaxies

• Microwave background radiation

• Abundance of helium

Doppler Effect

Waves from an approaching object are compressed.

Waves from a receding object are stretched.

The first ground-based measurement of microwave background intensity at about 7cm wavelength

(4 GHz)

Wilson and Penzias

Pigeon droppings or Big Bang relics?

Abundance of Helium in Universe

1 atom of Helium to 3 atoms of Hydrogen as predicted by Big Bang

Theory

Is there meaning in the Universe;

has it been designed?

Designed with humans in mind?

•Human brain is, so far as we know, most complex object in universe

‘the most incomprehensible thing about the Universe is that it is comprehensible’

Designed with humans in mind?

•Universe needs to be as large as it is and as old as it is for human life to be possible.

How special is the Universe?

- it is not any old Universe

•Incredibly fine tuning needed at the Big Bang

How special is the Universe?

Make yourself a universe!

Dials must balance to 1 part in 1060

1 part in

10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Roger Penrose

How special is the Universe?

•Roger Penrose in The Emperor’s New Mind argues that initial order specified to ~ 1 part in 10 to the power of (10123)

Possible universe

s

To produce a universe resembling ours, the Creator aims for a tiny volume of the

‘phase space’ of possible universes (after Penrose).

Can science explain everything?

Conflicting

or

Comple-mentary?

Which is it?

•Science OR God

•Science AND God

Where is God?

- an Analogy from Science

Albert Einstein

Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity

• Essentially described by 4-D Space-Time

construction

Flatland

The cover of

Abbott’s book

A sphere from Spaceland over Flatland

God in action when we pray

Complementary stories

•God story - Creator and Sustainer

•Science story - orderly & precise

•Faith story - events seen in terms of our relationship with God

Caring for the Earth

- both a scientific and

a spiritual challenge

Gardeners of the Earth

. . . . provides. . provides

– food, water and resources for human life and industry

– a place of beauty and diversity

– for human creativity

– for future generations

Adam/Eve cartoon

“This place is vast; we couldn’t pollute it

if we tried!”

Some Global Problems

• Population Growth

• Resource Use & Degradation

• Poverty

• Global Warming & Climate Change

Global Warming & Climate Change

•The earth is warming•Sea level will rise•More floods and more

droughts•Poor nations worst affected•Many environmental refugees

Global Warming presents a challenge to:

•scientists•industry and technologists

•governments •everybody

Environmental Action

“Mostly we know what to do, but we lack the will to do it”

Sir Crispin Tickellin the Doomsday Letters

Caring for the Earth presents a

Challenge and an Opportunity

to Christian Churches

What Can I Do?

• Support the reen Code– cut down waste– save energy and natural resources– travel sensibly– prevent pollution– look after your local environment

• Check how green you are

The Two Books:God’s Word & God’s Works

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God…All things were made by Him.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among

us John 1 v 1-2 & 14

Celtic cross