The mysterious number 137, or in the scientific, reverse value of a constant subtle structure (1/α), keeps the key to the very essence of life . This number is indifferent, it seems random, but its meaning is incredibly important. Already in 1985, physicist Richard Feynman noted in his book Qed: A strange theory of light and matter, that this number is the subject of anxiety and admiration among physicists.
The constant subtle structure, designated as α, plays the role of the measure of interaction of charged particles with electromagnetic force. Paul Sutter, a professor of astrophysics from the University of Stonei Brook, in his article for Space explained that if the value of α was different, life, as we know it, would be impossible.
This number was first discovered in 1916 by physicist Arnold Zommerfeld, although before that it was present in equations for decades. It permeates the formulas describing light and matter, and controls everything from the slightest hydrogen atom to the formation of stars.
Unlike other physical constants, like the speed of light or gravitational constant, constant subtle structure is dimensionless. This means that its value does not depend on the selected system of the units of measurement. Paul Satter emphasized that by meeting the alien from the distant star system, we could convey to him the meaning of α without the need to explain what meters and seconds.
However, the strangest in this constant is that it may not be constant. Some physicists suggest that the current value of α slightly more than it was billions of years ago – a change by only one ten thousandth in six billion years, but this may have huge consequences in the long term. Change 137 to 138, for example, can prevent the stars from creating carbon, which, in turn, will stop the process of life, as