The fine structure constant, denoted α, is a fundamental physical constant that characterizes the strength of electromagnetic interactions. It is approximately equal to 1/137.
It relates the speed of light c, the elementary charge e, and the Planck constant ħ through the equation:

α = e^2 / (ħc)

The fine structure constant effectively sets an upper limit on the speed of light. As the speed of light determines the strength of electromagnetic interactions, a larger value of c would result in a larger fine structure constant and much stronger electromagnetic forces. This would lead to instabilities that are inconsistent with our stable universe. So the observed value of the fine structure constant, which depends on the speed of light, places an upper bound on the possible values of c in a universe like ours.
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