Training the Heavens

Chapter 269 Double Happiness
Zhang Xingjiu and Lang Zhiwan immediately threw themselves into the experiment again with full energy. Any experiment is only meaningful if it can be repeated accurately. The proving power of a single isolated example will be much weaker.

Soon, their second experiment also obtained the same result. In the long-wave range, the experimental results were indeed inconsistent with the phenomenon predicted by Wien's formula.

At this point, we can officially start writing the paper. Zhang Xingjiu will be the main writer, Lang Zhiwan will provide assistance, and Professor Lippmann will review it. It didn't take long before a paper that was bound to cause a sensation in the physics community was born.

"Very good, mail it to Nature today." Professor Lippmann made a final check. He was very satisfied with the quality of the paper and immediately arranged for administrative staff to send it out using the fastest mailing method.

The letter first arrived at the port of Calais by train, then took a boat across the Strait of Dover and upstream along the Thames. It took only a few days to reach London and be delivered to the editors at the Nature editorial office.

When the review editor opened the envelope and saw Gabriel Lippmann's name in the corresponding author column, he immediately took it seriously. This man was a well-known authority in the physics world and the head of the Department of Physics at Sorbonne University. The paper he submitted had to be taken seriously.

Looking at the first author's name, the editor was immediately surprised. "Zhang? Didn't he publish a paper on number theory before? And he was even favored by Cambridge. How did he go to the Sorbonne?"

"What an unwise choice! His talent should not be wasted in France, in a place like the Sorbonne." Another editor echoed. In his opinion, the academic level in the UK is undoubtedly the highest in the world, and Cambridge is far superior to the Sorbonne.

When the editor saw the second author's name, his jealousy intensified. "Paul Langevin? I've heard of that name, too. Professor Joseph Thomson is very interested in him and might invite him to join the Cavendish Laboratory."

Joseph Thomson is a famous British physicist and currently serves as the director of the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. This laboratory was founded in 1871 by James Clerk Maxwell, the father of electromagnetism. Today, it has become the most famous physics laboratory in the world. Those who are qualified to enter this laboratory are undoubtedly the future shining stars of the physics world.

Now that a young Frenchman has entered the best laboratory in the UK, they can't help but feel a little jealous.

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore, let's take a look at the content of the paper first." Despite this, the editors still reviewed the article with a professional eye.

After watching this, they immediately gloated, "Ha, it's really interesting, a Frenchman and a Chinese discovered the Germans' mistakes."

Britain has a very delicate relationship with France and Germany, and they were happy to see this excitement. After a while of laughter, an editor said reservedly, "It must be a French scientist and a Chinese scientist who submitted the German mistake to our journal."

"This shows that our Nature has a high status in the field of science. Scientists from all over the world want to use us to publicize their academic achievements." The other editors quickly understood what he meant and smiled proudly.

“Then, please submit this article to the right reviewers as soon as possible and strive to publish it in the next issue of the journal. I can’t wait to see how the physics community will react to this article.”

Firstly, it's fun to watch, and secondly, this paper is truly important. These two dark clouds looming over the edifice of physics are arguably the most talked-about topics in the field today. Ten years ago, the Michelson-Morley experiment shook the ether theory, and now, Zhang Xingjiu has disproven Wien's equations with his blackbody radiation experiment. Such blockbuster news must be released immediately.

They quickly copied several copies of the paper and mailed them to several authoritative reviewers who were relatively close. These physics professors were immediately shocked when they saw the paper. They reviewed the manuscript as quickly as possible and approved it. Both the experiment itself and the analysis process were very consistent with scientific laws, and there was no reason to reject it.

As soon as these experts sent out the reply email, they began to arrange for their assistants and students to repeat the experiments in the laboratory. If the results of these experiments are the same as Zhang Xingjiu's, they can also write a few papers to seriously discuss the issue of blackbody radiation. If there are new discoveries, it will be even more amazing and will definitely be enough to keep them busy for several years.

How could I miss such a good opportunity?

A few days later, Professor Lippmann received a reply from Nature. He immediately called Zhang Xingjiu over and told him the good news. "The reviewers at Nature have reviewed your article and approved it. It will be published in the next issue and will be the cover article. You will soon become the focus of the physics world."

"This is all because you and Mr. Pierre have given me enough trust and support, otherwise I would not have been able to write this article so quickly." Zhang Xingjiu responded politely.

"Although the experimental results have proved that Wien's formula is wrong, you have not yet found a way to explain this problem. So I hope you can continue to work hard in this field! Strive to make a breakthrough as soon as possible." Professor Lippmann encouraged.

Since the birth of Wien's equation, Germany seems to be on the verge of becoming the world's center for blackbody radiation research. If they can replace their position and let Sorbonne University become the new center, they will be able to gain a lot of benefits.

Compared with such a prospect, what does more resources matter?

"I have already thought of the plan for the next experiment." Zhang Xingjiu replied. What he was worried about now was not what to do next, but how to control the pace so as not to be overtaken by other research institutions, but also not to move too fast.

Zhang Xingjiu borrowed the phone in Lippmann's office, told Lang Zhiwan the good news, and then invited him and the Curies to his house for a small celebration.

When he returned to his apartment after shopping, he saw a familiar man pacing back and forth at the door. He greeted him, "Mr. Eddington, what brings you to Paris?"

Bernard Eddington immediately gave him a warm hug. "Hah, dear Zhang, good news. Your Pirates of the Caribbean will first be serialized in Lads Magazine. If it's popular—which is inevitable—it will be published as a single volume at the end of the serialization. This order is the same as Mr. Stevenson's Treasure Island!"

"Ha, today is really a double blessing!"

　There will be more later
　　
　
(End of this chapter)