News Physics

This fundamental constant of nature remains the same even near a black hole

The fine-structure constant determines the strength of electromagnetic interactions

orbits around supermassive black hole in Milky Way

A gang of stars circles the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way (orbits illustrated). Scientists observed five such stars to show that the fine-structure constant is the same near a black hole as it is on Earth.

ESO/L. Calçada/spaceengine.org (CC BY 4.0)

By Emily Conover

- More than 2 years ago

Even on a black hole’s turf, an essential constant of nature holds steady.