Posts: Science and Nature / Constant Universe Not So Constant - Maybe

http://www.economist.com/...tory_id=16941123&fsrc=rss

This article featured on the Economist summarizes a laymen read to the research by John Webb and Julian King of the University of New South Whales, published in Physical Review Letters.

It makes claim that the fine-structure constant (alpha, the value that allows elements such as oxygen and carbon) is not the constant we believed it to be. Instead, their research seems to show that alpha varies in space. This defies the fundamentals of physics, which says, more or less, that physical laws are the same anywhere in the universe. Sub-consequences of their research suggest that our universe is much larger than what telescopes have been able to detect, meaning our visible universe could be an insignificant piece of it all.

Their research is far reaching and has huge consequences, which typically gives rise for concern regarding their results and requires further peer review.

doesnt m theory also suggest that physical laws may not be the same everywhere in the universe?

I believe Witten suggests that as membranes my get closer together phsyical laws in that portion of our universe may change?

its all relative

Yes, but the difference between "m theory" and this unconstant alpha theory is that the latter has supposed measurable evidence, which is huge.