The laws of physics vary in different parts of the universe, according to new evidence uncovered by a team of Australian and British astrophysicists. These conclusions are based on recent measurements taken with the Very Large Telescope in Chile, along with previous measurements from the the Keck Observatory in Hawaii. The researchers found that the "magic number" known as the fine-structure constant, dubbed alpha for short, appears to vary throughout the universe. Alpha indicates the strength of electromagnetism and surprisingly, it seems to vary continuously along an axis through the universe. Looking to the north the researchers detected a smaller alpha in distant galaxies. But when looking south they measured a larger alpha. If the laws of physics turn out to be merely "local laws," then clearly we'll need new physical theories to satisfactorily describe the universe.