Are the universal fundamental constants really constant?

[Alan McDougall]

Are the universal fndamental constants realy constant?

 

There has been speculation that the speed of light is slowing down, I read
up on this and accurate measurement taken of LS over years has apparently shown
a slowing, thereof?

 

Was this just due to ever and ever more accurate methods of measuring or do
you think this idea has any merit.?

 

If this idea is really right why should the other constants be constant?

 

Creationists use this idea with glee trying to tell us during the
early universe Light Speed, was much much faster, which explains, somehow that god
made the whole universe in just six literal twenty-four hours days.

 

In my opinion, the constants need to be constant or the
universe will decay, and fall apart into chaos, in a much more rapid rate that
is allowed by the second law of thermodynamics, Entropy

[swansont]

Generally one looks at dimensionless constants like the fine structure constant or the proton/electron mass ratio. The speed of light could change but have some other "constant" change in direct proportion, and we'd never notice it.

 

Evidence of changes in these parameters is slim — unconfirmed experiments, where some kind of bias has not been eliminated by experiments using other techniques.

[MigL]

If I was going to seriously consider any constant as having changed over time, I wouldn't look at c but at G, the gravitational constant. It would have the most ( but still very little ) probable cause and the most 'convenient' results.

[ajb]

If I was going to seriously consider any constant as having changed over time, I wouldn't look at c but at G, the gravitational constant. It would have the most ( but still very little ) probable cause and the most 'convenient' results.

Dirac I think was the first to propose that G may not be constant and evolve in time. However, as swansont points out the experimental evidence for the evolution of physical constants is slim.

[Havok88]

Could be that the "constant" of LS is effected at a quantum level by a number of other forces causing the entropy. Remember that, as proposed by M theory, all particles (including light) are connected to all others in the multiverse which would cause a great deal of stress I would think. Entropy would then be a natural reaction to that stress