The Degree of Fine-Tuning Needed for a Viable Universe: Not Fragile?

(abridged) In order for the universe to develop astrophysical structures and support life, the fundamental constants that determine the laws of physics and the cosmological parameters that specify cosmic properties must fall within a range of values. The goal of this review is to delineate these ranges. We start with the premise that multiple universes can exist and can sample different realizations of the laws of physics. This treatment focuses on the coupling constants that determine the strength of the fundamental forces (alpha, alpha G, alpha s, alpha w) and the masses of the particles (m u,m d,m e) that make up atomic matter. We also consider cosmological parameters, including the energy density parameter, the dark energy density rho v, the baryon-to-photon ratio eta, the dark matter contribution delta, the amplitude Q of primordial density fluctuations, and the number D of spatial dimensions. These quantities are constrained by the need for the universe to emerge from its epoch of nucleosynthesis with an acceptable chemical composition, live for a long time, and ultimately produce galaxies, stars, and planets. Stellar lifetimes must be long enough and surface temperatures must be high enough to support life. These requirements place constraints on the fundamental constants and cosmological parameters. This overview discusses several classic instances of possible fine-tuning in stars, including the triple alpha reaction, stable diprotons, and unstable deuterium. Finally, we note that for universes with significantly different parameters, a variety of astrophysical processes can generate energy, drive nucleosynthesis, and potentially support habitability.