blass - Odds 1 in a million, then in one million tries you have good odds of winning, though not on specifically the millionth try.<br /><br />The problem with your example is that only one step is necessary to win.<br /><br />With our universe, and with life, many steps are necessary - so the calculation becomes much more complex.<br /><br />Also, one in a million is no where near how fine tuned our universe is.<br /><br />Alas, my time is short, so here is a cut and paste from our literature which sums up a few basic ways our universe is fine tuned:<br /><br />"Fine-Tuning<br /><br />The four fundamental forces come into play both in the vastness of the cosmos and in the infinite smallness of atomic structures. Yes, everything we see around us is involved.<br /><br />Elements vital for our life (particularly carbon, oxygen, and iron) could not exist were it not for the fine-tuning of the four forces evident in the universe. We already mentioned one force, gravity. Another is the electromagnetic force. If it were significantly weaker, electrons would not be held around the nucleus of an atom. ‘Would that be serious?’ some might wonder. Yes, because atoms could not combine to form molecules. Conversely, if this force were much stronger, electrons would be trapped on the nucleus of an atom. There could be no chemical reactions between atoms—meaning no life. Even from this standpoint, it is clear that our existence and life depend on the fine-tuning of the electromagnetic force.<br /><br />And consider the cosmic scale: A slight difference in the electromagnetic force would affect the sun and thus alter the light reaching the earth, making photosynthesis in plants difficult or impossible. It could also rob water of its unique properties, which are vital for life. So again, the precise tuning of the electromagnetic force determines whether we live or not.<br /><br />Equally vital is the intensity of the electromagnetic force in relation to the other three. For example, some physicists f