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

The engine improvement work was not complicated, and Carl Siemens hired assistants to complete it in only about a week.

Over there, Planck had just finished sighing at how fast Li Yu wrote his thesis. Over here, Siemens couldn't imagine that Li Yu also had a superb talent in mechanics.

The reason why Li Yu was so fast was entirely because he had the condescending vision of a time traveler and knew which of the complicated technical routes was the correct one, which greatly saved time.

Moreover, it is not a complicated invention. The aviation engines of later generations were truly extremely complex and could be called the crown of industry.

Of course, it was also because of knowing the subsequent development that Li Yu felt that it was necessary to cultivate domestic aviation talents early in the future. If the J20 came out early, it would definitely scare those foreigners who always thought that Chinese people are all rat-tailed and squinty-eyed.

This must be done step by step, just like opening a factory in the United States. Foreigners must benefit from it before they can provide what Li Yu wants.

Li Yu happened to take this patent to Switzerland to apply for it while Einstein was still working at the Bern Patent Office.

Li Yu asked Planck to write another handwritten letter.

Planck was almost the first scientific celebrity to support the theory of relativity, and he valued Einstein very highly.

——On the contrary, he doesn’t really agree with his quantum theory, which is quite interesting.

Planck couldn't get away, so he asked Laue to go with Li Yu.

The two came to the Patent Office in Bern, Switzerland, and Li Yuxian took the aircraft engine patent to Einstein for review.

Einstein has been promoted to a first-class patent officer, with an income of five to six thousand Swiss francs, which is considered a high-income group.

The Bern Patent Office has reviewed many patents involving engines over the years, so the process is going very smoothly.

The next day, Einstein was going to give a lecture at the university. Li Yu and Laue came to the University of Zurich early. With Li Yu's identity and Planck's letter, Kleiner, the director of the physics department of the University of Zurich, met them.

Knowing that their purpose was actually Einstein's teaching position, Kleiner was quite surprised: "Is an unpaid lecturer worthy of the attention of Academician Li Yu and Academician Planck?"

Li Yu said: "Dr. Einstein is a rare genius. If you come into contact with him a few more times, you will be shocked by his talent."

Kleiner said: "To be honest, I met Einstein and had a conversation with him, but he left me with a more average impression. Frankly, he did not know how to get along with people, and as far as I know, love When Einstein was a student at ETH Zurich, he was not an outstanding student in the eyes of his professors."

Laue said: "Geniuses always have some unique characteristics, and the director should understand it."

Kleiner said: "We do have a vacancy for a professor of physics, but now in addition to Einstein, there is another candidate, this person is called Allard. Based on my first impression of the two of them, Allard is better than Einstein." Stan needs to be fit for the professorship."

Li Yu said: "If you are a professor of physics, Einstein is the most suitable choice. Is that Mr. Allard also an excellent physicist?"

Kleiner shook his head: "That doesn't mean that Aled is better at philosophy than physics. In fact, if it weren't for this reason, we would have chosen Aled long ago and wouldn't have hesitated until now. And Aled De was Einstein's college classmate, and he himself claimed that if the school had a chance to acquire a talent like Einstein, appointing him would be a ridiculous choice."

Alert is still very discerning.

Li Yu said: "Dr. Einstein is indeed a presence that cannot be ignored in physics."

Kleiner was still doubtful: "I'm going to listen to his lecture and then make a decision."

Several people immediately came to Einstein's thermodynamics class. The classroom was not big, but there was only Einstein and one student in the audience, making the classroom inexplicably empty.

Seeing Kleiner's arrival, Einstein quickly understood that this was a test for himself. He took a deep breath and calmed down before starting today's class.

But I don’t know if it was because of nervousness, but Einstein’s speech was a bit lame, and Director Kleiner in the audience kept frowning.

The more this happened, the more nervous Einstein became.

After class, Kleiner said to him with some disappointment: "According to the standards of our school, your teaching style is not enough to be promoted to professor."

Einstein said: "In fact, I have been recalling some new theories of physics in my mind, which are quite different from the thermodynamics in the textbook, so I got stuck."

"Even so, you shouldn't just be a one-man show in the classroom. You know, that's a long way from becoming a teacher," Kleiner said.

Seeing Director Kleiner about to make a conclusion, Li Yu hurriedly said: "Director Kleiner, what Einstein is better at is the principle of relativity."

"What's the latest theory?" Director Kleiner asked.

"Yes," Li Yu said, "Academician Planck also highly praised his theory of relativity in his letter, believing it to be a very revolutionary new theory after the time of Newton and Galileo."

Kleiner read Plank's letter: "What do you mean?"

"Having him talk about the principle of relativity and the photoelectric effect in class will definitely change your views," Li Yu said.

Kleiner couldn't directly refute Li Yu and Planck's reputation, so he had to agree: "Then I'll give him another chance."

Kleiner then summoned several lecturers and teaching assistants from the physics department to come back to the classroom and let Einstein teach again.

Although he still had no lesson preparation, the theory of relativity and the photoelectric effect were already engraved in his mind.

Einstein ignored it and talked endlessly about the theory of relativity.Recently, he was inspired by Minkovsky and had a great epiphany in mathematics, which made the whole theory speak more smoothly.

Kleiner and others did not have an in-depth understanding of the theory of relativity, and Einstein did not explain it completely in two hours, but the tip of the iceberg of the theory of relativity was shocking enough.

Kleiner carefully reviewed the derivation on the blackboard several times and finally said: "I understand. You are fully worthy of becoming a physics professor. I will take the appointment recommendation to the president today."

Once these words are spoken, they are indistinguishable.

Einstein was very happy that his long career in the patent office finally came to an end. He excitedly held Kleiner's hand: "Thank you so much, Director Kleiner!"

Kleiner said: "You should thank Academician Li Yu and Academician Planck. Without their persistence, I would have missed such a wonderful lecture on the theory of relativity. So, I also want to thank them both."

Einstein said: "Yes! Mr. Li Yu and Mr. Planck are rare great scholars who firmly support the theory of relativity."

Li Yu said casually: "It takes a little effort, but it's worth nothing."

Help these great scientists at this time. During the Republic of China, they will be of greater help to Li Yu and domestic universities.

Kleiner said to Einstein: "I have great trust in your talents, but your Jewish identity is a potential problem. I hope that you will only exist as a university professor as much as possible in the future, not a Jewish professor."

Einstein was a cosmopolitan and never cared about his identity. He said indifferently: "Of course I'm just a professor of physics." "That's fine."

Kleiner said goodbye to several people and submitted a report to the University of Zurich that day, especially citing his Jewish identity again:
“There is a deep-seated belief among scholars that Jews possess various undesirable character traits, such as being arrogant, reckless, petty-mongering and self-interested in their academic positions, and in many cases this is true.

But on the other hand, maybe some Jews are not so bad after all.Therefore, it would not be appropriate to disqualify a person simply because he is a Jew.

Indeed, we occasionally find non-Jewish academics who display characteristics generally considered to be typical of Jews in profiting from their academic positions.

Therefore, neither the committee nor the faculty believed that using anti-Semitism as a criterion was consistent with their dignity.

Dr. Einstein is undoubtedly one of the most important theoretical physicists today, especially his work on the principle of oppositeness, which is very shocking. "

It can be seen from Kleiner's report how serious anti-Semitic sentiment is across Europe at this time.

Fortunately, the overall atmosphere in Switzerland is relatively relaxed, and the University of Zurich quickly passed a resolution to promote Einstein to professor of physics.

The salary was a little lower than that of the patent office, but Einstein wanted to be a physics professor so much that he immediately went to the patent office to resign happily. Of course, he did not forget to help Li Yu finally pass the patent application for an aerospace engine.

Einstein personally handed the patent certificate to Li Yu and said: "Unfortunately, from now on there will be no more patentee Einstein in the world."

Li Yu smiled and said: "The loss cannot be measured in words."

Then, Einstein invited Li Yu and Laue to an Italian restaurant to celebrate.

Einstein opened a bottle of French champagne: "This is the happiest day since I was born!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Einstein's wife Mileva suddenly appeared: "I think you have many happy moments!"

Mileva's tone was obviously reproachful, and Einstein wondered: "Mileva, what's going on?"

Mileva put a postcard on the table: "How do you explain!?"

Li Yu and Laue looked at each other, but they couldn't restrain their curiosity and took a sideways glance. The handwriting on the postcard was obviously written by a woman, and there were also words such as "Paradise Hotel" and "Hope to meet again".

Everyone was an adult, and the two of them immediately understood what was going on.

Einstein hurriedly said: "Mileva, please listen to my explanation! This is just a matter of wording. Obviously Ms. Anna from Basel will get it wrong."

Mileva asked in a sour tone: "Could it be a mistake? It's so obvious, but you said that a housewife could have a mistake?"

Li Yu and Laue's ears perked up.

housewife?This is interesting!Another "Mencius and virtue"?No, Jian'an character!
Einstein could only continue to explain: "I haven't seen Anna for ten years. At that time, I was traveling in Basel with my mother and stayed at the Paradise Hotel, and Anna happened to be living there. My God, she was only 17 years old at that time. She is just a little girl, we just communicated normally. She knew about my promotion to professor, so she sent a postcard to express her congratulations, so I wrote her a reply. She must have misunderstood my reply. "

Mileva snorted: "What did you write that made a married woman whom you haven't seen in ten years reply to such an ambiguous postcard?"

"This..." Einstein hesitated.

"If you don't say anything, I will let it be reported!" Mileva threatened.

"No, I say!" Einstein sighed and recounted his previous reply in full. "My reply to Anna was, 'I spent several years with you at the Paradise Hotel. It was a wonderful time, and I probably have more memories of it than you do. Yes, I have become a teacher, but I am still a simple guy.'"

Mileva was furious after hearing this: "This is obviously a hint! It's flirting!"

Einstein quickly said: "By the way, I told her that I was already married."

Mileva calmed down a little and said, "You'd better go home early in the future."

After speaking, he left without looking back.

Einstein leaned back and said helplessly: "I don't know why, but Mileva has become so sensitive now. She always thinks that I have improper dealings with other women. Even if I stay with a male colleague for a long time, she will Not happy!"

Needless to say, Li Yu and Laue also saw that the relationship between Einstein and Mileva had cracks, and the trend was getting bigger and bigger.

But it was difficult for an upright official to stop household chores, so the two could only open a few more bottles of wine.

It’s all in the wine…

-

Two days later, several Swiss universities jointly held an annual physics conference, which happened to be held at the University of Zurich. Kleiner, chairman of the physics department, invited Li Yu to give a speech.

Li Yu took this opportunity to formally propose the wave-particle duality of light.

“In recent years, everyone must have heard of Mr. Planck’s quantum theory, especially after the blackbody radiation formula was mathematically proven, quantum theory cannot be ignored.

"Similar to Newton's hypothesis, light can be seen as a bunch of energy particles. Light has certain basic properties. To explain these properties, the particle view is much better than the wave theory of light.

“But that raises a problem, which is how to reconcile this with Maxwell’s elegant wave theory.

"I think the two are at least not contradictory...

“The next stage of development in theoretical physics will bring us a theory of optics in which the wave theory of light can coexist with the corpuscular theory.

“Although this will have a huge impact on the entire foundation of classical physics, a profound revolution in physics is not necessarily a bad thing.

“Moreover, after rigorous mathematical derivation, it will be found that Maxwell’s theory is still applicable under the principle of relativity, and it already contains the shadow of the particle theory.

"So I can boldly say that light has wave-particle duality!"

This theory is quite explosive. Except for Einstein and Laue, everyone else is a little stunned.

Director Kleiner immediately asked: "But there are still many experimental phenomena that are not consistent with your so-called wave-particle duality. After 300 years, the particle theory and the wave theory have not seen any trace of integration or even similarity. .”

Li Yu smiled and said: "The phenomenon is inconsistent with this, maybe because we don't see clearly enough. The bullet will fly for a while longer."

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival~~~