Laboratory search for time variation in the fine structure constant

Laboratory methods for detecting possible time variation in the fine structure constant are reviewed. Such methods provide a large amount of controllability while at the same time approaching astrophysical tests in terms of sensitivity to the linear drift. Modern high-precision spectroscopic experiments involving atomic transition frequency measurements against the primary 133Cs standard are reviewed. Combining results from different laboratory spectroscopic measurements allows contributions from the electromagnetic and strong interactions to be disentangled. (reviews of topical problems)