The Fine Structure Constant is Probably Constant

Follow-up on an article from a few weeks back which claimed that the
Fine Structure Constant was varying. This study casts doubt on it.

Yousuf Khan

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The Fine Structure Constant is Probably Constant | Cosmic Variance |
Discover Magazine
"A few weeks ago there was a bit of media excitement about a somewhat
surprising experimental result. Observations of quasar spectra indicated
that the fine structure constant, the parameter in physics that
describes the strength of electromagnetism, seems to be slightly
different on one side of the universe than on the other. The preprint is
here.

Remarkable, if true. The fine structure constant, usually denoted α, is
one of the most basic parameters in all of physics, and it’s a big deal
if it’s not really constant. But how likely is it to be true? This is
the right place to trot out the old “extraordinary claims require
extraordinary evidence� chestnut. It’s certainly an extraordinary claim,
but the evidence doesn’t really live up to that standard. Maybe further
observations will reveal truly extraordinary evidence, but there’s no
reason to get excited quite yet."
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/co...ably-constant/