| Mountain climbers on Earth are barely able to climb the highest mountain without the aid of breathing equipment because of the numerical coincidence that the scale height of the atmosphere (h) is roughly the same as the maximum mountain height (H), so H/h ≈ unity. Based on the fundamental constants and constraints of the (weak) anthropic principle, a closer examination of this numerical coincidence reveals that complex biological life forms such as humans are likely to exist only on planets where H/h ∼ unity, and are unlikely to exist on planets were H/h varies significantly from unity. Hence, mountain climbers are barely able to climb Mount Everest, not just "because it's there," but "because we are here."... |
