• masterofn001@lemmy.ca
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    2 months ago

    The best part about the fine structure constant is that it is not related to any other thing. It just is.

    It’s a magic number that just emerges in physics.

    And it is not constant.

    Even though it is.

    • niktemadur@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Dimensionless numbers, not dependent on any mere mortal, subjective arbitrary unit of measurement like length (meters or yards or cubits - same difference) or time.
      Whether you are on Earth or a planet in Andromeda or a billion light-years away, if you study subatomic structure you WILL bump into the fraction 1/137. Just like you will in geometry with 3.1416.