1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 406: For the sake of China's future, this chairman must be elected!
Li Qiwei's paper is like throwing a huge rock into calm water.

The physics community was instantly in turmoil.

Everyone knows that the prosperous times have returned.

Laue, Qian Wushi, Bragg, Soddy, Bohr.
They all rose to prominence in the last decade.

And now, a new era is beckoning to everyone.

Who else can make a stunning debut and become a trend-setter?

University of Chicago, USA.

Compton looked at the paper in his hand in shock.

No one could describe how he felt at that moment.

It was like a volcanic eruption and a tsunami.

His soul was screaming.

That was an expression of extreme excitement.

He couldn't help but tremble in his voice.

"Wu, did you see it, did you see it?"

"Professor Bruce gave a theoretical explanation for the wave-particle duality of light."

"We are heading in the right direction!"

“This is a huge breakthrough.”

Wu Youxun was sincerely happy for Compton.

As a genius in the field of physics, he knew very well what kind of pressure Compton was under.

Given the current level of physics in the United States, Compton's choice is undoubtedly incomprehensible.

Many people think he is a bit stupid for specifically looking for topics that are difficult to produce results.

Only a big man like Millikan could discover his persistence and talent.

But the other party can only give encouragement, but cannot provide practical guidance and suggestions.

Because it’s too difficult!
But now, the two of them finally saw a glimmer of hope.

Wu Youxun also lost his composure a little.

He was even more excited about the publication of this paper than Compton.

Because this may very likely change his fate.

"Compton, I saw it."

"Our experiment finally has a direction."

"Now we just need to verify experimentally that light has momentum."

"If we find through calculation that it satisfies the formula, then we can prove that light does have particle properties."

"Besides, I already have an idea for an experiment."

When Compton heard the news, his eyes widened in disbelief.

He even forgot to be shocked.

"Oh my god, this is genius."

“You got inspiration right after reading the paper?”

“Is this the talent of an individual gold medalist in the Physics Olympiad?”

"So scary!"

Compton asked expectantly:

"Wu, what do you think?"

Wu Youxun looked at the paper, and a gleam of light seemed to flash in his eyes.

The formula above seemed to wriggle and float in the sea of ​​his thoughts.

"If you want to verify the momentum of light, the best way is to do a collision experiment."

"Professor Bruce once said: Half of the discoveries in modern physics were made through collisions."

"The discovery of the existence of atomic nuclei was made by the collision of alpha particles with gold foil."

"So, our experiment should also be conducted from the perspective of impact."

"And in order to ensure that the momentum of light can be detected, its energy must be large."

"According to E=hv, the greater the frequency of a photon, the greater its energy."

"And now, there is a ready-made light to choose from."

Wow!
Compton's eyes lit up, and he immediately thought of it and blurted out:

"X-ray?"

Wu Youxun swung his right hand vigorously.

"Yes, it's X-ray."

"Its frequency is high enough, so the energy of the photons is large enough."

"If it does have momentum, then it could potentially be detected."

"At least it's countless times easier than visible light."

"The physics community has now studied X-rays very clearly."

"And there are also many collision experiments to refer to."

"Using X-rays to do experiments can definitely be more efficient and more convincing."

"Compton, you happened to be researching X-rays recently. Now they can come in handy."

Suddenly, Compton seemed to be stunned.

He murmured, "Incredible, incredible."

Wu Youxun was a little confused and thought to himself, Brother Kang, don’t get so excited that you become stupid.

I still need your help to complete the experiment.

"What's wrong, Compton? Is there something wrong with my plan?"

Compton suddenly came to his senses, the shock still lingering in his mind.

"Oh, sorry, Wu, I was distracted just now."

"Because it was Professor Bruce who suggested me to study X-rays."

"In Borneo at that time, Professor Bruce gave many people the opportunity to discuss individually."

"My question is related to the wave-particle duality of light."

"Then he suggested that I start by learning about X-rays."

"Now that I think about it, could it be that he predicted this day?"

"That's horrifying."

After listening to this, Wu Youxun also found it incredible.

But he felt it was impossible.

"Haha, although Professor Bruce is great, he is not a god after all. How can he predict the future?"

"Perhaps by then he had a complete concept of the momentum of light."

“That’s why I thought of X-rays.”

"It seems that I have the same idea as the professor."

Compton thought about it and thought it might be the case, so he stopped caring.

Now, he can't wait to start verifying it.

"Wu, let's get started."

Wu Youxun smiled and said, "That's exactly what I meant."

"Now let's start studying the collision of X-rays with matter."

“Specific experiments can be considered in this way”

Soon, Compton and Wu Youxun devoted themselves to the experiment.

This made other people in the lab both envious and jealous.

"Oh my god, that Chinese student Wu is so exaggerated."

"You are the first one to arrive at the lab every day, but the last one to leave. This is going to kill us."

"I've noticed that Professor Millikan's eyes have been looking at us strangely lately. Could he be annoyed that we left at the appointed time?"

"Look at how excited Dr. Wu and Dr. Compton are. It seems like they have made some important discovery."

"Oh my God, Wu just graduated from college and doesn't even have a graduate degree. It's impossible for him to achieve any significant results."

"Maybe"

At this moment, Wu Youxun didn't care at all about what other people thought.

He has only one goal: to prove the wave-particle duality of light!
After publishing the paper, Li Qiwei once again became the focus of attention in the physics community.

Although he returned to Europe this time, his main intention was to study quantum theory.

But his status and position were there, and he received an endless stream of visits and requests every day.

The existence of the Quantum Institute has made the secluded town of Greenwich lively.

Various big names often come here.

And today, two more people came to visit together, and they were both acquaintances of Li Qiwei.

In the director's office on the second floor, a bold voice rang out:

"Haha, Professor Bruce, please forgive my rudeness."

"I'm so sorry that I didn't come to visit you until today, even though we live so close."

The owner of the voice was Dyson, director of the Royal Observatory Greenwich in the United Kingdom.

The Greenwich Observatory is only about one kilometer away from the Quantum Institute.

That's why Dyson said it was very close.

At the age of 51, he is still full of energy and his voice is as loud as a bell.

A true tough guy image.

When Eddington and others were detained by the German military, this big man was extremely tough.

Li Qiwei smiled and said:

"Master Dyson, you are so polite."

"You are a senior in the scientific community. Logically, I should take the initiative to meet you."

Dyson was very happy to hear this, but he still smiled and said:

"Professor Bruce, you Chinese have a saying: There is a sequence in learning, and there is specialization in skills."

"Age is of no use to us scientists."

"In terms of knowledge and ability, you are my senior."

Li Qiwei was amused by Dyson's boldness.

The fact that a person may grow old but his heart remains young is perfectly reflected in the other person.

At the same time, he didn't expect Dyson to have such a deep understanding of Chinese culture. What Li Qiwei didn't know was that since he became the first person in science, many people have become interested in China.

They really want to study what kind of cultural soil can produce such a talented person as Professor Bruce.

Therefore, it is not surprising that many people occasionally quote a few lines of ancient Chinese poetry or articles.

At this time, Eddington explained:

"Professor Bruce, Director Dyson has been on a business trip."

"So, he didn't have time to come to the opening ceremony of the Quantum Institute."

"But he specifically asked me to keep an eye on you so that he could visit you again when he returns."

"We have something important to discuss with you."

Eddington, 37 years old this year, became a world-renowned physicist for proving the bending of starlight in the general theory of relativity.

He was not only appointed director of the Cambridge University Observatory, but was also successfully elected as a member of the Royal Society of London.

But in front of Ridgeway and Dyson, he was very humble.

Needless to say, anyone who sees Li Qiwei should be humble.

Dyson was Eddington's mentor and guide.

Without Dyson's appreciation and respect, Eddington would not have achieved what he has today.

I'm afraid I will become an ordinary clerk at the Greenwich Observatory, staring at the starry sky every day.

So, even though Eddington's fame now far surpasses Dyson, he still respects the other very much.

After listening to Eddington's explanation, Li Qiwei said:

"I see."

"Come, sit down and talk."

"Master Dyson, what important matter are you talking about?"

Dyson and Eddington sat down, looked at each other, and the former said with a smile:

"Professor Bruce, this is related to my business trip."

"Ever since you published the theory of general relativity and Eddington proved the first prediction, we astronomers have reached a consensus."

"That is, a turning point in astronomy is coming."

"The future of astronomy will surely be even brighter."

"Stars, galaxies, universe."

"There are so many mysteries of astronomy waiting to be discovered and solved."

"But astronomy and physics are a little different."

“A physicist can think about the whole problem of physics no matter where he is.”

“There is absolutely no barrier to communication between us.”

"In other words, geographical factors have absolutely no bearing on the development of physics."

"But there is no observatory in any country in the world that can see the entire starry sky."

"No astronomer can continuously observe the changing activities of celestial bodies such as stars."

"For example, when Eddington was verifying the bending of starlight, he had to travel to Russia."

"Because you can't see the total solar eclipse in the UK."

"So, astronomers have to unite."

"Only in this way can we promote the vigorous development of astronomy."

"The purpose of my business trip this time is to communicate with astronomers from various countries and solve this problem."

“We are going to form the International Astronomical Union.”

"The world is divided into countries, and every country's astronomical society can become a member."

"The sharing of astronomical observation data among countries will provide astronomers with more detailed information for research."

Dyson's passionate words shocked Li Qiwei.

What a big spirit!
In real history, the International Astronomical Union was founded in Brussels, Belgium in July 1919.

However, it was not until 1922 that the system of holding plenary sessions every three years was established.

Both Dyson and Eddington have served as president of the federation.

Dyson is now not only the director of the Greenwich Observatory, but also the president of the Royal Astronomical Society of the United Kingdom.

Therefore, it is reasonable for him to come forward to organize and negotiate with astronomical leaders from various countries.

But what does this matter have to do with him, Li?

"Director Dyson, I have to say, this is a very good idea."

“Humans live under the same starry sky, and the common objects of observation and research are the basic characteristics of astronomy.”

“No matter which person, country or nation, it is impossible to monopolize the starry sky.”

“Observatories around the world really need to unite.”

"But this should be a matter for astronomers."

"I don't know why you are looking for me."

Dyson heard this and laughed loudly:
"Professor Bruce, as far as I know, your Huaxia established the Huaxia Tianwen Society last year."

Li Qiwei nodded.

With the Chinese Science Society as the core, members have established many professional societies.

The Chinese Astronomers Society is one of them, organized by Chinese astronomers.

Dyson continued:
"This time, I also visited the Huaxia Literature Society, and they are also interested in joining this federation."

"So, I think you should support this cause, Professor Bruce."

In real history, China joined the International Astronomical Union in 1935.

However, it was not until 2012 that the 28th plenary session was held in the Chinese capital.

This is the reason for the lack of strength.

Although it has a vast territory of millions of miles, it has no place in the international astronomy field.

And in the future, astronomy will be especially important.

China has even announced that it will launch a search for extraterrestrial life, the implications of which are terrifying when you think about it.

But now, everything has changed.

Because of Li Qiwei's existence, China's Astronomical Society cannot be ignored.

Seeing that the background had been laid out, Dyson spoke frankly.

He smiled and said:

"Professor Bruce, you once publicly said that you wanted to enter the field of astronomy. We haven't forgotten it."

"And now, there is just such an opportunity."

"I came here this time hoping to invite you to serve as the president of the first International Astronomical Union."

"I won't hide it from you."

“The United States is unique in its influence in astronomy.”

"I wanted to recommend myself, but those Americans were too arrogant."

“They said that the first president of the federation must be someone who can convince the public.”

"The implication is that I can't do it."

“Otherwise, the American Astronomical Society would not have joined.”

"After much thought, I realize that you, Professor Bruce, are the only one in this world who is qualified."

"Your general theory of relativity is as important to astronomy as Newton's law of universal gravitation."

"The Big Bang theory you proposed has become the most cutting-edge research topic in astronomy."

"As long as you open your mouth and agree, those Americans will definitely shut up."

At this point, Dyson suddenly changed his tone and said with a smile:

"Bruce, please help me with this."

"Otherwise, astronomy will always remain a mess and will not achieve leapfrog development."

"And don't worry, this won't interfere with your physics research."

At this moment, Li Qiwei finally understood why Dyson and Eddington came.

It turned out that they wanted to rely on him to establish the federation.

This is actually the same as the Bruce Conference.

If it were someone else, it would be impossible to do it.

In the field of science, the theory of strength is taken to the extreme.

At the same time, he admired Dyson's candor and self-deprecation.

For the sake of the development of astronomy as a whole, he didn't care at all about the Americans' contempt for him.

Li Qiwei couldn't help but sigh that without realizing it, his influence had become so terrifying.

And it was hard for him to refuse.

Dyson specifically mentioned the Chinese Astronomical Society in order to tie Li Qiwei to the chariot of astronomy.

In addition, Hubble, Eddington, Schwarzschild and others were all his acquaintances in the field of astronomy.

It was reasonable for Li Qiwei to agree.

Most importantly, he will indeed start his pretentious journey in the field of astronomy next.

So, in the expectant eyes of the two, Li Qiwei said with a smile:

"Director Dyson, I feel like if I don't agree, I won't be able to stay in Greenwich anymore."

"I'm afraid your observatory's telescope will be pointed at me all the time, monitoring my every move."

Dyson and Eddington laughed out loud when they heard this.

Professor Bruce's sense of humor hasn't changed at all.

Next, the three of them had a cordial and friendly exchange.

Li Qiwei said that he would just need to be notified when the meeting is confirmed.

Anyway, as the chairman, he only plays the role of rallying people's hearts, and it is impossible to ask him to organize various meetings.

Dyson would take Eddington with him to make the news of Professor Bruce serving as the president of the federation public and completely convince all countries.

The establishment of the International Astronomical Union will inevitably greatly accelerate the development of astronomy.

China can also use this opportunity to get on the fast track and increase its influence in the field of astronomy.

The future aerospace projects such as satellites, space stations, lunar exploration, and Mars colonization are all inextricably linked to astronomy.

In this life, the first person to set foot on the moon and win the first prize will definitely be a Chinese.

After Dyson left, many bigwigs came to visit in the following days.

The arrival of one of them had a profound impact on Li Qiwei and the entire world.

This was also the only time that Li Qiwei was moved and shocked.

(End of this chapter)