If alpha varies directionally across the observable Universe, would this not suggest a cosmic directionality that would lead to a breakdown of the principle that no place is special?

"The smooth continuous change in alpha may also imply the Universe is much larger than our observable part of it, possibly infinite."

I thought it was generally accepted that the Universe was likely to be bigger than we can see. I take it that the “infinity” referred to is the “this is infinite if you view it from here, but finite from over there” sort of infinity, beloved of cosmologists. smile

There never was nothing.