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Fundamental constant swells

Nature (2001)Cite this article

The universe may be built on shifting sands.

Nothing is sacred these days, not even the laws of physics. An international team of astronomers has found evidence that one of the fundamental constants that describes the physical world is not constant at all, but has been increasing over the billions of years since the Big Bang1.

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References

  1. Webb, J.K et al. Further evidence for cosmological evolution of the fine structure constant. Physical Review Letters 87, 091301, (2001).

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  2. Webb, J. K., Flambaum, V. V., Churchill, C. W., Drinkwater, M. J.. & Barrow, J. D. Search for time variation of the fine structure constant. Physical Review Letters 82, 884 - 887 (1999).

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Authors
  1. Philip Ball
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Ball, P. Fundamental constant swells. Nature (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/news010816-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/news010816-8

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