The only feasible explanation was that a constant of physics called the fine structure constant, or alpha, had a different value near the time the light started its journey.

唯一可能且合理的解释是：一个被称之为“精细结构常数”或α的物理常数，在临近启程的那段时间产生了一个不同的值。

youdao

Fundamental constants such as the strength of the electromagnetic force - the so-called fine-structure constant, or alpha - get their name from the fact that they are supposedly the same everywhere.

宇宙基本常数，比如电磁力强度之类的精细结构常数，符号位“ alpha ”，它们因为被假定为不变量而得名。

youdao

This is because most fraternities and sororities are named after a series of Greek letters, such as Alpha Delta Pi or Sigma Phi.

VOA: special.2009.09.25

You chose Alpha; I'm assuming these were roughly your payoffs, more or less, you were caring about your grades.

你选择的是α,我想这差不多就是你的收益了吧,你关注自己的成绩

耶鲁公开课 - 博弈论课程节选

Without showing your neighbor what you are doing, put it in the box below either the letter Alpha or the letter Beta.

在不被你同桌看到的情况下,在方框中填写字母α或者字母β

耶鲁公开课 - 博弈论课程节选

Diversification is a valid investment axiom, but when trying to achieve excess returns or alpha, there is such thing as too much of a good thing.

FORBES: Five Reasons Your Mutual Fund Probably Underperforms The Market

Concorde 216 - or Alpha Foxtrot - was the last of the fleet to fly when Concorde was withdrawn from service by British Airways in 2003 due to increased running costs.

BBC: Concorde's museum plan rejected by British Airways

But two allergists at the University of Virginia have gathered data showing that the food allergy Olive has, known as galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose, or alpha-gal for short, is affecting more than 1, 500 Americans.

CNN: Ticks causing mysterious meat allergy