The fundamental dimensionless physical constants cannot be predicted by theory but can only be measured experimentally. And so it is of their possible variation where there are several theoretical predictions but unfortunately with little theoretical guidance on the expected rate of change. The role of fundamental constants in the representation of nature as well as the implications of their variability for the Equivalence Principle and cosmology have been highlighted in many contributions at this conference (cfr K. Olive and J.P Uzan, these proceedings). Measuring the variability of the fine structure constant α or the electron-to-proton ratio μ by means of absorption lines implies the measurement of a tiny variation of the position of one or a few lines with regard to other lines which are taken as reference. For the fine structure constant the relation between its change and the doppler velocity shift is: