Testing Anthropic Selection: A Climate Change Example

Details Testing Anthropic Selection: A Climate Change Example Testing Anthropic Selection: A Climate Change Example

Mar 2011

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011asbio..11..105w&link_type=abstract

Astrobiology, Volume 11, Issue 2, pp. 105-114.

Biology

1

Planetary Habitability And Biosignatures, Intelligence, Paleoenvironment And Paleoclimate, Co-Evolution Of Earth And Life, Complex Life

Scientific paper

Planetary anthropic selection, the idea that Earth has unusual properties since, otherwise, we would not be here to observe it, is a controversial idea. This paper proposes a methodology by which to test anthropic proposals by comparison of Earth to synthetic populations of Earth-like planets. The paper illustrates this approach by investigating possible anthropic selection for high (or low) rates of Milankovitch-driven climate change. Three separate tests are investigated: (1) Earth-Moon properties and their effect on obliquity; (2) Individual planet locations and their effect on eccentricity variation; (3) The overall structure of the Solar System and its effect on eccentricity variation. In all three cases, the actual Earth/Solar System has unusually low Milankovitch frequencies compared to similar alternative systems. All three results are statistically significant at the 5% or better level, and the probability of all three occurring by chance is less than 10-5. It therefore appears that there has been anthropic selection for slow Milankovitch cycles. This implies possible selection for a stable climate, which, if true, undermines the Gaia hypothesis and also suggests that planets with Earth-like levels of biodiversity are likely to be very rare.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Testing Anthropic Selection: A Climate Change Example does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Testing Anthropic Selection: A Climate Change Example, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Testing Anthropic Selection: A Climate Change Example will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-860979