The Size of the Universe and the Fundamental Constants of Physics

Arthur E. Haas, from the Atom to the Cosmos—Struggles for a Scientific Career in the Early 20th Century

“…The response of the broader scientific community was similar; Haas’ ideas and suggestions did not really catch on, despite publishing updated versions in the Anglo‐Saxon literature. [ 32 ] Like Eddington's claims of a correlation between the Sommerfeld fine‐structure constant and the number of protons in the universe, his correlation was dismissed as mere numerology. Indeed, more accurate measurements of these constants demonstrated that their arguments and hopes were based on accidental similarities rather than on fundamental connections between the macro‐cosmos and the micro‐cosmos.…”