Cosmic numbers have intrigued modern cosmologists ever since puzzling coincidences were first noticed between some of the large dimensionless constants. Here I will try to show not only that these numbers are interesting, but also that they are possibly important to our understanding of the physical world. Have the coincidences always existed or is it merely fortuitous that they occur at the present stage of evolution of the universe?
20. J. N. Bahcall, E. E. Salpeter, Astrophys. J. 142, 1677 (1965); https://doi.org/ASJOAB J. N. Bahcall, W. L. W. Sargent, M. Schmidt, Astrophys. J. 149, L11 (1967); https://doi.org/ASJOAB J. N. Bahcall, M. Schmidt, Phys. Rev. Lett. 19, 1294 (1967).https://doi.org/PRLTAO
25. E. Mach, The Science of Mechanics, 5th ed., LaSalle, Illinois (1942) chapter 1.
26. D. W. Sciama, The Unity of the Universe, Doubleday, New York (1961); R. H. Dicke in Gravitation and Relativity, (H. Chiu, W. Hoffman, eds.) Benjamin, New York (1964) chapter 7; J. H. Higbie, Gen. Rel. and Grav. 3, 101 (1972).https://doi.org/GRGVA8
29. R. A. Alpher, G. Gamow, Proc. Nat. Acad. Scis. 61, 363 (1968) https://doi.org/PNASA6 and Cosmology, Fusion and Other Matters (F. Reines, ed.), Colorado Associated U.P., Denver (1972), chapter 1.
30. A. R. Sandage, PHYSICS TODAY, February 1970, page 34.
31. Reference 8, chapter IV.
32. Reference 8, pages xxxvi‐vii.
More about the Authors
Edward R. Harrison.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
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