# Why Is 1/137 One of the Biggest Unsolved Mysteries In Physics?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/pbs-space-time-7778773/why-is-1-137-one-of-the-greatest-unsolved-problems-in-physics
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/pbs-space-time-7778773/why-is-1-137-one-of-the-greatest-unsolved-problems-in-physics.md
Podcast: [PBS Space Time](https://stenobird.com/podcast/pbs-space-time-7778773)
Published: 2026-07-03T12:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/VG1124482922.mp3
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/VG1124482922.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/pbs-space-time-7778773/episodes/why-is-1-137-one-of-the-greatest-unsolved-problems-in-physics
Duration seconds: 1282

## Resource

Thank you to Squarespace for supporting PBS. Go to ​https://www.squarespace.com/pbs for a free trial, and when you are ready to launch, go to Squarespace.com/PBS to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to:http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime The Fine Structure Constant is one the strangest numbers in all of physics. It’s the job of physicists to worry about numbers, but there’s one number that physicists have stressed about more than any other. That number is 0.00729735256 - approximately 1/137. This is the fine structure constant, and it appears everywhere in our equations of quantum physics, and we’re still trying to figure out why. Check out the Space Time Merch Store https://www.pbsspacetime.com/shop Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements! https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetime Search the Entire Space Time Library Here: https://search.pbsspacetime.com/ Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Fernando Franco Félix & Matt O'Dowd Post Production by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Caique Oliveira, Adriano Leal & Stephanie Faria GFX Visualizations: Ajay Manuel Directed by Andrew Kornhaber Associate Producer: Bahar Gholipour Executive Producers: Eric Brown & Andrew Kornhaber Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell Spacetime is produced by Kornhaber Brown for PBS Digital Studios. This program is produced by Kornhaber Brown, which is solely responsible for its content. © 2022 PBS. All rights reserved. End Credits Mus…

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