17B Earths in the galaxy?

Vierstein

The things I mentioned. Earth has just the right amount of water, enough to sustain life, but not so much there isnt a significant ammount of landmass. A liquid metal core that generates a good magnetic field, goldilocks zone, the size/gravity a fairly stable axis due to the moon/other planets.

But yeah, even a tiny fraction where all those criteria are met of those 17 billions would ammount to hundreds of earths.

Ryan_m_b

Earth had life long before it lived on land. A water world wouldn't preclude abiogenesis.

mfb

In addition, a magnetic field is probably irrelevant for life deep in the oceans, and liquid water (the main argument for the habitable zone) can exist elsewhere, too - Europa is a good candidate, Ganymede could have oceans, and even for Pluto this cannot be ruled out.

See Ryan's signature - the same is true on a smaller scale. Earth is not fine-tuned to allow life. Life on earth is fine-tuned to survive on earth.