ConstantsofNature

TheconstantsofnaturearethenumbersthatdefinetheessenceoftheUniverse.Theytellushowstrongitsforcesare，andwhatitsfundamentallawscando：thestrengthofgravity，ofmagnetism，thespeedoflight，andthemassesofthesmallestparticlesofmatter.TheyencodethedeepestsecretsoftheUniverseandexpressatonceourgreatestknowledgeandourgreatestignoranceaboutthecosmos.TheirexistencehastaughtustheprofoundtruththatNatureaboundswithunseenregularities.Yet，whilewehavebecomeskilledatmeasuringthevaluesoftheseconstants，ourfrustratinginabilitytoexplainorpredicttheirvaluesshowshowmuchwestillhavetolearnabouttheinnerworkingsoftheUniverse.WhatistheultimatestatusoftheseconstantsofNature?Aretheytrulyconstant?Couldlifehaveevolvedandpersistediftheywereevenslightlydifferent?AndarethereotherUniverseswheretheyaredifferent?Thesearesomeoftheissuesthatthisbookgrappleswith.ItlooksbacktothediscoveriesofthefirstconstantsofNatureandtheimpacttheyhadonscientistslikeEinstein.Thisbookalsotellsthestoryofatantalisingnewdevelopmentinastronomy.ForthefirsttimeastronomicalobservationsaresuggestingthatsomeoftheconstantsofNatureweredifferentwhentheUniversewasyounger.SoareourlawsofNatureslowlychanging?IsanythingaboutourUniverseimmunefromtheravagesoftime?ArethereanyconstantsofNatureatall?