Human beings live on a planet that seems optimized for scientific discovery. Our clear atmosphere and location in the galaxy enable many of the observations that have fueled modern science.
[O]ur location within the Galactic Habitable Zone offers the best overall location to be a successful astronomer and cosmologist. Even though we’re near the mid-plane, there’s very little in the way of dust in our neighborhood to absorb light from nearby stars and distant galaxies. We’re far enough from the Galactic center and the disk is flat enough that it doesn’t excessively obscure our view of the distant universe. We have access to a striking diversity of nearby stars and other Galactic structures, as well as a clear view of distant galaxies and the unique cosmic microwave background radiation, both essential for discovering the astonishing facts that the universe is expanding and finite in age.
Jay Richards and Guillermo Gonzalez, “Are We Alone?”
For more information about how the Earth seems to have been designed for scientific discovery, read The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery by Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards or watch The Privileged Planet documentary.