Aspects of a delicate balance in the force between nucleons

It is well known to nuclear physicists that the deuteron is loosely bound. This fact is less known in the general public, yet it has far-reaching consequences for the appearance of life on Earth. For if the nuclear force were just a bit weaker, the deuteron would be unbound and hydrogen fusion in stars would not occur. Also, if the nuclear force were just a bit stronger, the diproton would be bound and again our universe would be a very different place. These are just two examples of how the physical laws of our universe appear to be finely tuned for life on Earth to exist. Many more examples abound, which are described in a book recently published by Oxford University Press[1]. In this talk, I will provide a more in-depth look at the fine tuning of the nuclear force and how much the central term needs to change to unbind the deuteron, along with other examples from my book.