1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 251 Arriving in the United States, the future Nobel Prize winner is a fanboy

On October 1910, 10, Ridgway officially went to the United States.

The accompanying personnel included Bohr, Qian Wushi, Li San, Sheng Jingran and his business team.

Among them, Bohr and Qian Wushi, as his doctoral students, are also considered young leading figures in the current physics community.

Bringing them along is also to demonstrate the professionalism of the academic visit.

It can also help you avoid some unnecessary troubles.

With Li Qiwei's current identity and status, there is no need for him to pay attention to visits from students and ordinary professors.

It can be completely left to Bohr and others to deal with.

Michelson's telegram said that almost all scholars in the field of natural sciences in the United States had rushed to Princeton.

Li Qiwei could imagine that by then there would be many people who would want to discuss and compete with him.

If he were to reply to them one by one, he would probably be exhausted to death.

Li San is a military guarantee, so it is not safe to go to the United States this time.

Unlike in the United Kingdom, where only certain professions are allowed to own firearms.

But people in the United States all hold a weapon that teaches everyone equality, and everyone is required to speak nicely.

Li Qiwei is not so arrogant as to joke about his life.

Therefore, he could visit with peace of mind only with Li San around.

As for Sheng Jingran, who has already returned from China, this time he mainly came to plan Pioneer Group's business in the United States.

The United States is the core of Future Pioneer Group's business.

When the world situation became chaotic, almost all capital and industries fled to the United States.

At that time, it will be a great opportunity for Vanguard Group to invest and make money.

After Sheng Jingran returned to the UK, Li Qiwei asked Zhang Maodong to return to China to complete an important task.

That is, Marconi's wireless telegraph was finally developed.

Li Qiwei immediately bought three.

One was placed at his residence in London, and the other two were taken back by Zhang Maodong himself.

One is in my hometown of Guangzhou, and the other is in Borneo.

In this way, he will be able to remotely control his domestic business more conveniently in the future.

Li Qiwei sighed and said that it would be convenient if he had a mobile phone.

But in this era, the advent of mobile phones is still a bit far away.

On the deck, Li Qiwei and others looked out into the distance and took in the surging waves and vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, which made people feel heroic.

At this time, Sheng Jingran, who was standing by, saw Li Qiwei sighing for no reason and asked, "Why is the chairman sighing?"

Li Qiwei said: "I wonder how Li Hongzhang felt when he went to the United States and saw the prosperity of the United States."

Sheng Jingran sighed, "A few years ago, I went to the United States twice for business, and I have to admit that the gap between China and the United States is really hard to describe."

“The only emotion I felt at that time was despair.”

"The gap between the United States and China in science, technology, industry and culture is as unattainable as its skyscrapers."

"To be honest, if I hadn't met you, Chairman, I wouldn't have seen any hope that China could surpass the United States."

Li Qiwei laughed. Sheng Jingran's ability to flatter was too strong. He was not comparable to Boer, Qian Wushi and others.

"Jingran, do you know that this era is the only chance for developing countries to surpass the United States?"

"It's not yet strong enough to make people despair."

"Although there are tall buildings and machinery factories everywhere, and the port is full of various warships."

“But those are just paper powers.”

"The United States currently lacks the most important thing, which is scientific foundation."

“This is the engine that enables a country to continue to prosper.”

"Just by reaping the dividends of the two industrial revolutions, the United States has grown from a colony to the great power it is today."

"What if China can catch up with the third and fourth industrial revolutions?"

"Our future will be terrifyingly strong."

“The core of the Industrial Revolution is always a breakthrough in scientific theory.”

"That's why even though I'm Chinese, I can still be treated with courtesy in Europe and the United States."

"There are no fools in this world. The top leaders of various countries will not be blinded by superficial racial differences like the lower classes."

“Rentiers always care about profits.”

"The hope that I can bring them excess profits is enough to make them afraid to take action."

"Why else do you think scientists are valued? Why don't the big countries just poach people from everywhere?"

"Because the rules of this world are balance and game."

“If one person breaks the rules, then no one will follow them and the world will be in chaos.”

"And chaos is what rulers fear the most."

Sheng Jingran nodded. Li Qiwei’s current realm was no longer something he could comprehend.

However, he became even more excited.

As long as he does what he is supposed to do, he will be able to become a prominent figure in the future.

Then, he also imitated Li Qiwei, looking into the distance and cultivating a calm (pretentious) aura.

Li Qiwei's itinerary for this visit to the United States is simple.

He will take a ship from London, cross the Atlantic Ocean, and land at the Port of New York in the United States.

That was also the place where Li Hongzhang landed when he visited the United States.

At that time, the son of the US President and senior military officials personally welcomed them, and 30 warships were lined up at the port to express their welcome.

The salutes roared, the national flags flew high, and the streets were empty, which was considered to be enough face for this Eastern boss.

But Li Qiwei is different.

Although he is one of the world's leading scientists today, it is impossible for him to receive the same treatment as Li Hongzhang.

The US government can't be that grand.

Li Qiwei himself doesn't care about these things. When you don't have absolute strength, being too high-profile is not a good thing.

He declined Michelson and others' offer to hold a welcoming ceremony for him at the port.

It means that you keep everything simple.

Academic visits cannot be too fancy.

After arriving in New York, he will take a train directly to Princeton. Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey on the east coast of the United States.

This is a famous private research university in the United States.

Founded in 1746, Princeton University is particularly famous in the field of natural sciences.

There is a famous movie in later generations that tells the story of a mathematician named Nash who invented game theory.

That’s what happened at Princeton.

However, the reason why Ridgway chose Princeton as his first stop was rather than the more famous Harvard or Yale.

The reason was simple. He promised Richardson that if he came to the United States, he would visit him first.

As a fellow student of Cavendish, he certainly had to give him some face.

And Princeton is on the East Coast, so Ridgway doesn't have to cross the American continent.
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On October 1910, 10, after 29 days of turbulence at sea, Ridgway and his crew finally arrived in New York.

Unlike ordinary people who are shocked when they see New York for the first time, people like Li Qiwei have seen the world.

Although New York is prosperous and even more spectacular than London, in their eyes, it is just a bit of curiosity at best.

However, Li Qiwei still expressed his emotion.

The United States in 1910 was more developed and prosperous than some small inland counties 100 years later.

As a person who has traveled through time, Li Qiwei can best understand the meaning of this.

A gap of one hundred years, how despairing.

However, even so, China still caught up.

Anyone who understands the price paid here will be moved and in awe.

At this time in the United States, cars had become popular.

The road was crowded with private cars and buses, and the pedestrians on both sides of the road were all in a hurry, creating a prosperous and busy scene.

It demonstrates the vibrant development momentum of the young country, the United States.

Sheng Jingran stayed in New York with his company team, where they needed to inspect and handle a lot of business.

Li Qiwei took Li San and others and boarded the train directly to Princeton.

New York is less than 100 kilometers away from Princeton, and it only takes more than 2 hours by train.

On the evening of the 29th, Li Qiwei and others arrived in Princeton.

Richardson arranged everything for the accommodation.

Richardson picked up Ridgeway at the train station and gave him a big hug.

"Bruce, you are so kind!"

"I thought you were going to the University of Chicago."

Li Qiwei smiled and said, "Although Professor Michelson invited me several times, I still rejected him."

"No one is more important than us in Cavendish."

The two of them burst into laughter.

Richardson laughed and said, "Bruce, you are a celebrity in America now."

"Your influence is no less than those politicians who put on a show."

"The day after tomorrow, Princeton University will hold a grand welcome ceremony for you."

“It will be a grand occasion for the academic world.”

“Almost all the participants this time are American scholars.”

"They just want to see what's different about you, the top genius in physics."

"But you don't need to worry. America's theoretical science is too weak."

"Here, I feel so strong."

"Your arrival is equivalent to scientific colonization."

Richardson's humor made Li Qiwei laugh, especially the last sentence. If the Americans heard it, they would probably eat biu~biu~biu.

Li Qiwei smiled and said, "Richardson, please don't hurt me."

"We'd better behave ourselves on someone else's territory."

At this time, Li San, Bohr, and Qian Wushi also came over with their luggage.

Next to them was a young man who was helping to carry some of the luggage.

Richardson pulled the young man and said, "Bruce, let me introduce you. This is my doctoral student at Princeton, Davidson."

"You should have a good rest from now on. If you have any questions, you can go to Davidson."

"And you can ask Davidson for help with your subsequent activities in the United States."

"I approved his leave and asked him to be your full-time assistant for a few days."

The 29-year-old Davidson was so excited when he saw Li Qiwei that he didn't know where to put his hands.

As a doctoral student in physics, Li Qiwei was his idol.

He imagined countless times how he would behave if he met Li Qiwei, and whether he should ask some academic questions so as not to appear stupid.

Because Richardson told him that Professor Bruce would come to the United States sooner or later.

He didn't expect that what his mentor said was true, and that he had such a good relationship with Professor Bruce.

At the same time, he was very grateful to Richardson for being able to accompany Professor Bruce for a few days. His future academic career was destined to be a smooth road.

How could he not be moved that his mentor chose to give him such a rare opportunity?

"Hello, Professor Bruce. I am your admirer. I am fascinated by your theory of relativity and quantum theory."

"I hope to be by your side these days and ask you for your advice."

Li Qiwei stretched out his hand and said with a smile: "Hello, Davidson, I'm going to trouble you next."

Looking at the young man in front of him, Li Qiwei felt emotional.

The future Nobel Prize winner is now just an ordinary fan in front of him.

In real history, Davidson entered the University of Chicago in 1902, was highly regarded by Millikan, and was recommended to study for a master's degree at Princeton University.

He then studied under Richardson, and in 1911, married his mentor's sister.

He discovered the phenomenon of electron diffraction in 1927, thus proving de Broglie's wave-particle duality theory.

Therefore, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1937.

After coming out of the train station, Li Qiwei asked Richardson to go back first, as the other party must have a lot of things to do.

With the help of Davidson, Li Qiwei and others quickly checked into the hotel.

Next, he will need to recuperate and prepare for the academic visit the day after tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)