The cosmological evolution of the nucleon mass and the electroweak coupling constants

Starting from astrophysical indications that the fine structure constant might undergo a small time shift, we discuss the implications of such an effect from the point of view of particle physics. Grand unification implies small time shifts for the nucleon mass, the magnetic moment of the nucleon and the Fermi constant as well. The relative change of the nucleon mass is 123 times larger than the relative change of alpha. Astrophysical constraints indicate that the data from astrophysics are inconsistent, or the errors are largely underestimated. Laboratory measurements using very advanced methods in quantum optics might soon reveal small time shifts of the nucleon mass, the magnetic moment of the nucleon and the fine structure constant, thereby providing not only a breakthrough in the understanding of the unified particle interactions, but also an important cross-link between particle physics and cosmology.