Well, and not only that, but some other fairly simple things that make our Earth truly rare indeed. For example, our solar system is "inside out" with the big f

Well, and not only that, but some other fairly simple things that make our Earth truly rare indeed. For example, our solar system is "inside out" with the big fat gas giants on the outside. This is proving to be pretty unusual. We've modeled that there used to be another Saturn or Neptune that ended up causing our gas giants to move outward in their orbits. This might make it extremely easier for Earth-like conditions to form, where life could evolve beyond some kind of muck living off chemicals in environments with immense pressure and heat. Can't build a factory there. And we've got a moon. A fairly large moon, at that. Perhaps Jupiter and our own moon have been absorbing the space debris for some billion years, allowing conditions on Earth to become better still. I think the Rare Earth theory doesn't make our Earth rare enough.