1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 443 Astronomy Debate! Li Qiwei's shocking speech! The universe model! The whole audience was shocked!

1920 4 Month 26 Day.

American Museum of Natural History.

The museum was built in 1869 and is located in New York. It covers a total area of ​​7 hectares and is currently the largest natural history museum in the world.

It is known as "the intersection of the past and future of humanity and the planet" along with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the largest art museum in the United States.

The museum has rich exhibits, mainly including astronomy, minerals, paleontology, etc.

These specimens and collections come from various regions around the world.

The American Museum of Natural History often holds popular science lectures to attract tourists.

Today's lecture is the largest and most grand lecture ever held by the museum since its establishment.

The Great Astronomy Debate!

This debate, personally arranged by Professor Bruce, the foremost scientist of the time, is considered the greatest event in the history of astronomy.

Astronomers from almost all over the world came to the United States to participate in this debate.

At the same time, it has also attracted countless astronomy enthusiasts and ordinary people.

At this moment, the American Museum of Natural History is already crowded.

According to conservative estimates, the number of spectators present today exceeded five thousand.

This is definitely a huge number.

Even the number will gradually increase.

This shows how popular this debate is.

The curator, Allen, couldn't stop smiling, and he kept chatting and laughing with the bigwigs from all parties who came.

"Hey! Old friend!"

“Thank you for coming!”

In addition to scientists from all over the world, the largest number of visitors are scientists from the American community.

Astronomers, physicists, institutes, laboratories, university representatives, etc.

Almost all the top scientific leaders in the United States were present.

Allen has been in charge of the museum for more than ten years, and he has never encountered such a grand occasion as today.

He was filled with infinite curiosity about the legendary Professor Bruce.

“What an incredible man.”

"More than a decade ago, his homeland was still a feudal country."

"In previous World Expos, China could only exhibit traditional handmade products such as tea, porcelain, and jade."

"That country is insurmountably far from industrial civilization."

"But at the Panama World Expo five years ago, the industrial products produced by Huaxia Shanhe Group amazed the world."

"Professor Bruce has single-handedly changed the country's destiny in the field of science."

"Today, a debate in the field of astronomy has become known to the world because of the other party's appearance."

"His influence has reached an unimaginable level."

Ellen was deeply impressed by Li Qiwei.

In this museum, almost all science-related exhibits are from China.

This shows how poor the country's foundation is.

But the other party was able to escape the fate of his original body and forcibly walked out on a heaven-defying path.

Just as Ellen was feeling emotional, another important guest arrived.

This debate also received strong support from the American Academy of Sciences.

Therefore, the current dean, Walcott, was present in person.

Walcott was an American geologist and paleontologist.

In 1909, he accidentally discovered an extremely important paleontological fossil layer in the Rocky Mountains of Canada.

This is the famous Burgess Shale.

The Burgess Shale is about 5 million years old, and a variety of ancient biological fossils have been found here, all of which are completely new life forms.

The most famous of these is the "Anomalocaris".

This arthropod, which can reach 2 meters in length, can be called the ancestor of shrimp.

The discovery of the Burgess Shale shocked the world.

It reveals the diversity and complexity of life on Earth during the Cambrian period.

This discovery has greatly enriched people's understanding of the evolutionary history of life.

Walcott even changed the research direction of paleontology and profoundly influenced later scientists' exploration of the origin and evolution of life.

In short, this is a big shot in the field of paleontology.

At this moment, this big boss was accompanying Li Qiwei and they were having a very pleasant conversation.

All Allen could do was go up to say hello, shake hands with Li Qiwei, and then walk back.

There's no way, his fame is still a little bit behind these big guys.

Around the two of them were Hale, Dyson, Schlesinger, Hubble, Eddington, Jeans and others.

As for Yu Qingsong, Li Qiwei deliberately brought him by his side to cultivate his vision and connections.

As a student majoring in astronomy, Yu Qingsong was definitely enlightened by occasions like today.

Almost all the big guys, whether they were named or not, were present.

All of them are well-known names in the astronomy community.

Moreover, everyone had a smile on their face, and there was no trace of arrogance towards the Chinese.

He secretly sighed in his heart:
"This is the respect that Professor Li has earned with his strength."

“Countries talk with their fists, while scientists talk with their achievements.”

"In terms of achievements, Professor Li alone is as good as the whole world!"

Everyone was very curious when they saw that Professor Bruce was accompanied by a young man.

However, in this situation, no one would be stupid enough to ask directly.

Everyone just smiled at Yu Qingsong to show their friendliness.

Moreover, many people have recognized that this young man is the one who answered questions in the previous speech.

Seeing so many big shots smiling and greeting him, Yu Qingsong was very nervous and his palms were full of sweat.

He tried to keep calm and gradually got used to this kind of situation.

Although it seemed a bit like bragging, Yu Qingsong was very clear about it.

From today onwards, his path in the field of Chinese literature will be smooth sailing.

After all, the significance of being personally taken care of by Professor Li is self-evident.

Soon, Yu Qingsong adjusted his mindset, followed Li Qiwei neither humbly nor arrogantly, and learned silently.

Because Walcott has been doing archaeological research outside for many years, his skin looks like a fossil.

The thick white hair did not make him look old, but made him look particularly energetic.

His big hands were like a pair of pliers. He shook hands with Li Qiwei fiercely and said with a hearty smile:
"Professor Bruce, on behalf of the American scientific community, I would like to thank you for your contribution to American science."

"The intensity of this astronomy debate has exceeded anyone's imagination."

"It will definitely leave a significant mark in the history of human astronomy and even the history of science."

Wow, he is worthy of being the dean. As soon as he opened his mouth, the level of the debate was raised.

Li Qiwei inadvertently pulled his hand away and said with a smile:

"You're welcome, Professor Walcott."

“It is our responsibility as scientists to spread science and let ordinary people understand the joy of science.”

"I believe that this debate will make the scientific spirit more deeply rooted in people's hearts."

Walcott looked at Li Qiwei in front of him with emotion.

The other party is only 40 years old this year and can only be considered a junior in the field of science.

But no one in the audience dared to take advantage of their age in front of this person.

Professor Bruce’s achievements could not be contained in a single book.

Moreover, he knew very well that this was not the opponent's limit.

No one knows what world-shaking theory the other party will come up with next.

Because it would not be surprising if any results appeared in the hands of that man.

Even knowledge from different disciplines.

Suddenly, Walcott had a strange thought:

"Will Professor Bruce get the urge to try his hand in the field of paleontology someday?"

Shaking his head slightly, he continued with a smile:

"Professor Bruce, after our unanimous vote, we have elected you as a foreign member of the American Academy of Sciences."

“I hope you will not refuse and become a guest of honor in the American scientific community.”

Li Qiwei smiled slightly when he heard this.

“Thank you, Academy of Sciences of your country.”

Many people watching were envious.

In order to become academicians, they went through countless connections and used countless means.

Then look at Professor Bruce.

"If you sit at home, the academicians will come to you from heaven."

Then, surrounded by many bigwigs, the two of them walked towards the lecture hall.

At this moment, looking around, the huge hall is crowded with people.

Various heated discussions, one after another, foreshadowed that this debate would be exciting.

Astronomers from all over the world gathered together to exchange the latest research progress.

In front of the crowd, two figures in suits stood upright.

They are the protagonists of today's debate: Shapley of Mount Wilson Observatory and Curtis of Lick Observatory.

The two of them were already in place, standing at their respective positions on either side of the hall.

Although neither of them was a rookie in the field of astronomy, they were inevitably nervous in an occasion like today.

There's nothing we can do, there are just too many big guys coming.

Not to mention, there is Professor Bruce, a legend of our time.

The eyes of the entire scientific community are on this debate.

Shapley clenched his hands tightly to slow down the shaking of his body.

It can be said that today's debate will determine his future fate.

Whether he will soar to the sky or become a laughing stock depends on his performance.

"Believe in yourself, I can do it!"

Opposite Shapley, the older Curtis took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

He wants to empty his mind and be in the most clear-headed state at all times.

Unlike the ambitious Shapley, Curtis just wanted to perform at his best.

Just as the two were adjusting their emotions.

Suddenly, an earth-shaking shout was heard in the hall.

"Professor Bruce is here!"

Behind him, all the big guys were smiling, like stars surrounding the moon.

soon.

Haier, as the moderator of this debate, was the first to go on stage.

He briefly summarized the relevant situation of this debate, and then said enthusiastically: "Next, let us warmly welcome Professor Bruce, President of the International Astronomical Union, to the stage to speak."

After all, today's debate is in the field of astronomy, so Haier only mentioned Li Qiwei's title in astronomy.

As the initiator of this debate, Li Qiwei's presence has brought the debate to an incredible height.

Under the eager gaze of the crowd, he slowly walked up to the podium.

He nodded to Shapley and Curtis respectively.

They are the protagonists of today.

The look in Li Qiwei's eyes showed that he hoped everyone would listen carefully to the upcoming debate.

Shapley and Curtis felt warm in their hearts when they saw Professor Bruce's kindness.

Immediately afterwards, an extremely powerful aura burst out from Li Qiwei!
Wow!
The majesty, as if it were real, swept across the entire hall in an instant.

Everyone felt an inexplicable pressure.

They looked at the domineering figure on the stage. His eyes were like the sun, making people dare not look directly at him.

Everyone was shocked!

And Li Qiwei finally spoke.

“The German philosopher Kant said something that I really like.”

“He said: There are only two things in this world that can deeply shock our hearts.”

"One is the brilliant starry sky above our heads, and the other is the lofty moral law within our hearts."

"And what I want to say is: the moment humans looked up at the starry sky, our extraordinary destiny was destined."

Wow!
Li Qiwei's opening speech instantly ignited the atmosphere in the hall.

Especially the last sentence.

Everyone present felt their scalps tingling and their hearts were shocked.

Human beings, the starry sky, and destiny are intertwined as if by fate.

It gives people the illusion that an epic civilization is evolving before their eyes.

Everyone was looking forward to this debate even more.

“Humanity’s imagination and exploration of the starry sky has never stopped since its birth.”

"Millions of years ago, when ancient apes first looked up at the stars, human civilization began."

"3 years ago, humans began to create early cave paintings to observe celestial phenomena and record time."

"With the study of the changes in the stars in the sky, the oldest profession was born: astrologer."

"These astrologers were actually early astronomers."

"It's just that they didn't have a scientific research method, so they linked the trajectory of the stars with personal destiny and developed astrology from this."

"Until one day, the seeds of science appeared in ancient Greece."

"For the first time, wise men at that time began to use scientific methods to study our world and the starry sky above our heads."

"And their first priority is to build a physical model of the universe."

"The first question we face is: How do the sun, moon and stars move in the universe?"

"Are they moving around the earth under the thick night sky, or is the earth itself rotating?"

"Eudox was the first to come up with an explanation: geocentrism."

"It can explain some celestial motion phenomena at that time, so it is accepted by most scholars."

"Aristotle and Ptolemy then inherited and developed the geocentric model, extending it to the entire universe."

“That is, the geocentric theory.”

"They believe that the earth is the center of the universe and that all celestial bodies in the universe revolve around the earth."

"Ptolemy created the complex concept of epicycles and deferents, which could explain all the astronomical phenomena known at the time."

"So, this kind of thinking dominated mankind for more than a thousand years, and no one dared to question it during that time."

"It was not until 1300 years after Ptolemy perfected the geocentric theory that Copernicus proposed the heliocentric theory in 1543, which shocked the world."

"His book On the Motions of the Celestial Spheres is considered the beginning of modern astronomy."

"The heliocentric theory holds that the sun is the center of the universe, not the earth."

"All celestial bodies in the universe revolve around the sun, except the moon, which revolves around the earth."

"We all know what happened later. The heliocentric theory was greatly denied."

"But when Galileo developed modern science, the geocentric model was quickly abandoned by scientists."

"In 1609, Galileo discovered that there were several small satellites orbiting Jupiter, which was enough to prove that the geocentric theory was wrong."

"Kepler then proposed the three laws of planetary motion, which accurately described the motion of planets around the sun with mathematics."

"The three laws can perfectly explain all astronomical phenomena and strongly prove the correctness of the heliocentric theory."

"But Kepler left a puzzle: Why do the planets orbit the sun?"

"Until Newton came along and proposed the law of universal gravitation, unifying everything in the universe."

"At this point, humanity's understanding of the universe has reached an unprecedented depth."

call!
Li Qiwei's eloquent narration of the history of astronomy immersed countless people present.

It was as if they followed in the footsteps of their predecessors and experienced a magnificent astronomical epic firsthand.

At this moment, everyone felt that astronomy was no longer exclusive to scientists.

Every ordinary person is qualified to experience the charm of astronomy.

Many people heard Li Qiwei's speech for the first time and felt it was completely incredible.

"Oh my God! I didn't know there was such a way to give a speech."

"I thought the big guys' speeches were all read from scripts."

"You don't know Professor Bruce. He always speaks impromptu and never prepares anything."

“But every one of his speeches gives people a kind of spiritual enjoyment.”

"Professor Bruce has mastered the knowledge of natural sciences to the point of mastery."

"Give him ten minutes and he can explain the ins and outs of a subject to you in a fascinating way."

Ordinary people can only feel that Li Qiwei speaks very well and is awesome.

But only people in the field of astronomy can understand the wonderfulness of Professor Bruce's summary.

Hai Er sighed:

"Professor Bruce has hit the nail on the head on the head on the heart of astronomy."

“That’s building a model of the universe.”

"All our efforts are to restore the universe to its original state."

"More than 2000 years ago, the ancient Greek sages had already calculated through mathematics that the earth is a sphere."

"However, until now, we have only been able to glimpse a glimpse of what the universe looks like."

Many astronomy experts agree.

Astronomy has only one goal, but this goal is too difficult.

At this time, Li Qiwei continued:

“Since Newton, in just a few hundred years, humankind’s understanding of the universe has made rapid progress.”

"Our vision is no longer limited to the solar system, but has expanded to the depths of the vast starry sky."

“From this, the concept of galaxies was born.”

"It is now generally acknowledged in the academic community that the sun is not the center of the universe and that Copernicus' heliocentric theory is also wrong."

"The sun is just one of the hundreds of billions of stars in the Milky Way."

“It is located at the edge of the Milky Way.”

"The true center of the Milky Way is in the direction of Sagittarius."

"The Milky Way is so huge, so huge that it exceeds the imagination of ordinary people."

"So, many astronomers naturally think that the Milky Way is the entire universe."

"All the celestial bodies, nebulae, star clusters, etc. that we have discovered now are all within the scope of the Milky Way."

“That’s a mainstream view.”

"However, other astronomers disagree."

"They believe that the Milky Way is not the entire universe."

“If the universe is compared to a vast ocean, then the Milky Way is a small island floating in the ocean.”

"There are countless islands similar to this one outside the Milky Way."

"Conservative estimates put the number at more than 10."

"This is called the island universe theory."

"Until now, neither theory has convinced the other, and it is unclear which is right or wrong."

"How big is the universe? How big is the Milky Way? What is the relationship between the universe and the Milky Way?"

“This question, which concerns humanity’s ultimate understanding of the world, is the subject of our debate today.”

“That is: the scale of the universe.”

"It was Shapley from Mount Wilson Observatory who held the view that the galaxy was the universe."

"And the one who insisted on the island universe theory was Curtis from Lick Observatory."

"Now, let's hold our breath and experience the most exciting debate in the history of astronomy!"

boom!
Li Qiwei's speech infected everyone.

Even those who know nothing about astronomy can understand what today's debate is about after listening.

There was a sudden burst of applause in the hall.

“If I could listen to Professor Bruce’s lectures every day, I feel like I could become an astronomer.”

"It's really wonderful! Even a layman like me can understand the core of the debate."

Then, there were countless people talking.

The audience even started debating before the speech began.

"There are hundreds of billions of stars like the sun in the Milky Way. Isn't that impossible?"

"It's impossible. Otherwise, why do astronomers think that the Milky Way is the entire universe? It's because it's so huge."

"Doesn't that mean every star has a planet similar to Earth? There should be a lot of aliens, right?"

"Perhaps there are those advanced civilizations described by Professor Bruce in 'Bugs'."

Opponents have their reasons.

"I think the universe must be infinite."

"Otherwise, think about it, if the Milky Way is the entire universe, then what is outside the Milky Way?"

"There has to be at least one thing to hold the Milky Way."

“Is there a bigger galaxy out there?”

"Huh? What you said actually makes sense!"

The astronomical giants such as Hale and Dyson in the front row would smile knowingly when they heard the discussions of these ordinary people.

Although they don't have professional knowledge of astronomy, the questions they raise are quite interesting.

At least no astronomer dares to determine what is outside the universe?
As leaders, the big guys really want to see this happen.

This means that the influence of astronomy has increased again, and more and more talents will join this field in the future.

Haier sighed again:
"Professor Bruce's speaking ability is really amazing!"

"And he knows more about the development of astronomy than I do. It's really embarrassing."

At this moment, Shapley and Curtis were so excited that they could no longer suppress their excitement.

"bring it on!"

(End of this chapter)