The Fine Structure Constant: 1/137

 

In physics, the fine structure constant, a,  is 1/137, or 0.0072973525693, the reciprocal of which is 137.03599084. Paul M. Sutter, an astrophysics professor at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, has said, “It’s a measure of the strength of the interaction between charged particles and the electromagnetic force … if it had any other value, life as we know it would be impossible …”

a was first noticed in 1916. Going back, physicists began to see it in many earlier calculations. The speed of light, atoms, numerous physical constants, gravity, stars, Fibonacci numbers, dark energy, parts of Einstein’s field equations, and electromagnetism are a few. It occurs almost uniformly around the subject of physics.

http://www.fine-structure-constant.org/

Some see from this that the ultimate nature of reality is mathematical. Others deny this but say that we can exist only because of the fortunate occurrence of the exacting physical conditions necessary for our reality, the anthropic principle. They would say that mathematics is a strictly human invention used to describe reality.

To those who see reality as mathematical, this is one of the arguments for the existence of God. They say there is an external reality totally independent of man. 1/137 cannot prove God, but some see it as a finger pointing to him.