Using a quasar located 12.3 billion light-years away as a beacon, a team of
astronomers detected the presence of molecular hydrogen in the farthest system
ever, an otherwise invisible galaxy that we observe when the Universe was less
than 1.5 billion years old, that is, about 10% of its present age. The
astronomers find that there is about one hydrogen molecule for 250 hydrogen
atoms. A similar set of observations for two other quasars, together with the
most precise laboratory measurements, allows scientists to infer that the ratio
of the proton to electron masses may have changed with time. If confirmed, this
would have important consequences on our understanding of physics.

Read ESO 16/06 and see the associated links at:

http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2006/pr-16-06.html