NMSU - Department of Physics - Colloquium Abstract



	Bira van Kolck Department of Physics University of Arizona
Is the World Fine-Tuned?
Much theory building in particle physics and some discussion in theology revolve around the possibility that certain physical parameters are fine-tuned to yield the world we live in. A famous example is the smallness of the resonance energy in the triple-alpha reaction, which is crucial for the observed abundances of carbon and oxigen. Fine-tuning is best formulated in the framework of effective field theories (EFTs), which I will introduce together with the concept of naturalness. Using EFT, I will present our current understanding of the emergence of an anomalously small nuclear scale, show examples of the rich physics it generates, and discuss plans for further study of nuclear fine-tuning.