The constants of nature

the long version

"The constants of nature are the numbers that define the universe. They tell us how strong its forces are and what its fundamental laws can do: the strength of gravity and magnetism, the speed of light, and the masses of the smallest particles. They encode the deepest secrets of the universe, and their existence tells us that nature abounds with unseen regularities. Yet, while we have become skilled at measuring the values of these constants, our inability to explain or predict them shows how much we still have to learn about the cosmos."--BOOK JACKET.