A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 31 The Physics Building?
Mrs. Smith's question was right on point. At that time, the whole physics community respected experimental physics the most.

The early [-]th century was an era of great scientific explosion, and bigwigs were busy conducting experiments and making discoveries.From the people who won the Nobel Prize, it can be seen that almost all of them were engaged in experimental physics in their early years.

The physics at that time was also dominated by these experimental physicists: they first made experiments, and after having experimental phenomena, they handed them over to theoretical physicists for derivation.

Of course, after the development of physics, theoretical physics has become very powerful. Li Yu also studied in this environment, so he was able to use mathematics and equations to conduct rigorous derivations.

So, it's not that the bigwigs at the time couldn't do it, but that they didn't have the energy and didn't want to do it.

Just like Planck, the fighting man among the theoretical physics giants, introduced the Planck formula as early as 1900, but it was still unknown at that time!
It's really that few people pay attention at all, and this situation will continue for a few years...

What Li Yu wrote was also a purely theoretical physics paper, and the reason why it caused a sensation was really a wave of traffic.

Ray was indeed too hot at the time, and Roentgen recommended it as a big V, and the top media "The Times" made a headline report, which was equivalent to being on the hot search...

The current situation was created through a series of matchmaking, and Li Yu did not expect this to be the result.

Li Yu was quite curious as to why Mrs. Smith, a person who has never been to university, could ask such a profound question, so she answered vaguely: "I just published it a little earlier than others. draw the same conclusion."

"The Chinese are really modest," said Mrs. Smith. "You don't have to deny that."

During the conversation, "Zi Lin Xi Bao" reporter Woody (British) and "Shen Bao" reporter Shi Liangcai arrived.

Shi Liang was Chinese, and Li Yu had a deep impression on him.

Just after Pu Lande introduced the two, the wife of Sa Daoyi, the British ambassador to the Qing Dynasty, also entered the door.As soon as she appeared, Li Yu was shocked to find that she seemed to be Chinese too!
Pu Lande introduced: "This is the minister's wife Takeda Kane."

The name also looks Chinese, Li Yu was about to find an opportunity to ask, but her ninety-degree bow immediately convinced Li Yu that she was actually Japanese.

After that, several counselors from the Belgian, Dutch, and German embassies came one after another.

As the host of the salon, Pu Lande made some opening remarks after introducing everyone:

"Welcome all ladies and gentlemen. The purpose of everyone's visit today must be to interview and get to know a rising star in the scientific world, Li Yu. Although he is young, he is unstoppable, and now he has gained a lot in academia It's a great achievement.... Not much nonsense, we have invited Li Yu to give a speech."

Li Yu was a little dizzy, and this Pu Lande put a high hat on himself again, as expected of a newsman, he said the same thing.

Li Yu looked at the people in front of him. Except for Shi Liangcai, they were all foreigners, and Germany, Britain, and Japan were the main forces of the Eight-Power Allied Forces before. What Brendt and Mrs. Smith said was repeated again, and only added at the end:

"That's basically it. I'm not a new star in science. I can only be regarded as a student studying at most. I think what everyone is most curious about is why people like me appear in such a backward country. I don't want to answer this question, because People are born equal, not only in China, but in any country or region, rich or poor, there will be excellent talents! Thank you everyone."

The people present were all moved after hearing this, no matter the truth or falsehood, they applauded him one after another.

The minister's wife, Ken Takeda, was the most touched. She said: "At that time, our big Japan was also poor and backward. I understand Mr. Li Yu's feelings very well. I think that our country is trying to learn as much as possible from the West through continuous learning from the West, and even at the expense of all-round Westernization. It is only by getting closer that we are today. And we have the confidence to become a stronger country."

Li Yu thought to himself, sure enough, many Japanese were already very radical in their thinking back then. If it weren't for some people blocking it, Japan would really be able to carry out all-round Westernization.

And now the world's most swollen is little Japan. After winning the Russo-Japanese War in a few years, it is excited to almost ride on the head of the tsar and rebuild the great cause that Napoleon did not compete.

Li Yu asked: "Madam's surname is Takeda, is there any connection between your ancestors and Takeda Shingen, the Tiger of Kai?"

Takeda Kane was indeed passed down from an outside branch of the Takeda family, he asked in surprise, "Do you know the history of the Great Japan?"

"If you ask such a question, it must mean that you also remember the history of your country. Since you will not forget yourself, do you think that all-round Westernization is possible? Inclusiveness is the long-term way."

Takeda Kane fell into deep thought. She entered the Plum Blossom Girls' School in Japan since she was a child, and she admired Western learning very much. Whether it is Western literature, history, or Western science, she loves abnormalities. Otherwise, she would not have heard that Li Yu was good at Western learning.

Moreover, she has almost implemented the idea of ​​complete westernization, and wants to become a "real" Westerner by marrying Sa Daoyi.

As for the result, I'm afraid only she knows.

Seeing that she stopped speaking, Woodhai, a reporter from "Zi Lin Xi Bao", asked, "I have a question. Sir, if you want to do physics research, have you heard Michelson's previous statement, 'The building of physics has basically been built. Posterity is nothing more than to do a little tinkering'."

Sure enough, this question was asked!Woodhey will become the editor-in-chief of "Zi Lin Xi Bao" in the future, and he did his homework in advance this time.

Li Yu had no choice but to say: "Then you must have heard what Lord Kelvin said. Although he also believed that physics is basically complete, he also said that now the beautiful and clear sky of physics is shrouded by two dark clouds. The wave theory of light, the second flower appears in the Maxwell-Boltzmann theory of energy equipartition."

Speaking of this, Li Yu finally felt that the advantages of being a future person were highlighted. Even if he did not study science, he must know the product of the development of these two dark clouds: the first cloud directly derived the theory of relativity; The beginning of quantum mechanics!
Although some people feel that Lord Kelvin's words are a laughingstock, ridiculing him for not seeing the future of future science.

But at that time, it was true that the theory of mathematics was quite perfect. Newton's classical mechanics plus Kepler's three laws could perfectly explain the operation of everything in the universe. Later, with the discovery of electricity and magnetism, Maxwell turned out to be born, and basically perfected the theory of electromagnetism.

All these make all scientists have unprecedented self-confidence, feeling that they have fully understood the world, nothing is hidden in the shadows, and they are completely standing in the position of God.

But even under such circumstances, Lord Kelvin was still able to accurately point out the "little dark cloud" that will develop two major theories in the future, which is enough to prove his deep scientific literacy, like a prophet.

(End of this chapter)