Viewed as one of the grandest questions in modern science, understanding fundamental physical constants has been discussed in high-energy particle physics, astronomy and cosmology. Here, I review how condensed matter and liquid physics gives new insights into fundamental constants and their tuning. This is based on two observations: first, cellular life and the existence of observers depend on viscosity and diffusion. Second, the lower bound on viscosity and upper bound on diffusion are set by fundamental constants, and I briefly review this result and related recent developments in liquid physics. I will subsequently show that bounds on viscosity, diffusion and the newly introduced fundamental velocity gradient in a biochemical machine can all be varied while keeping the fine-structure constant and the proton-to-electron mass ratio intact. This implies that it is possible to produce heavy elements in stars but have a viscous planet where all liquids have very high viscosity (for example that of tar or higher) and where life may not exist. Knowing the range of bio-friendly viscosity and diffusion, we will be able to calculate the range of fundamental constants which favour cellular life and observers and compare this tuning with that discussed in high-energy physics previously. This invites an inter-disciplinary research between condensed matter physics and life sciences, and I formulate several questions that life science can address. I finish with a conjecture of multiple tuning and an evolutionary mechanism.

中文翻译：

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生命过程中的粘度和扩散以及基本常数的调整


理解基本物理常数被视为现代科学中最重大的问题之一，在高能粒子物理学、天文学和宇宙学中都得到了讨论。在这里，我回顾了凝聚态物理和液体物理学如何为基本常数及其调整提供新的见解。这是基于两个观察：首先，细胞生命和观察者的存在取决于粘度和扩散。其次，粘度的下限和扩散的上限是由基本常数决定的，我简要回顾了这一结果以及液体物理学的相关最新进展。随后我将证明，在保持精细结构恒定和质子电子质量比不变的情况下，生化机器中的粘度、扩散和新引入的基本速度梯度的界限都可以改变。这意味着有可能在恒星中产生重元素，但有一个粘性行星，其中所有液体都具有非常高的粘度（例如焦油或更高的粘度）并且生命可能不存在。了解了生物友好的粘度和扩散的范围，我们将能够计算有利于细胞生命和观察者的基本常数的范围，并将这种调整与之前在高能物理学中讨论的调整进行比较。这就需要凝聚态物理和生命科学之间的跨学科研究，我提出了生命科学可以解决的几个问题。最后我提出了多重调整和进化机制的猜想。