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

Chapter 678 Invitation

When returning to Berlin, Li Yu's train stopped temporarily in Wolfsburg, and Li Yu accidentally discovered Planck at the station.

"Professor, where are you going?" Li Yu asked.

"I'm going to Berlin too," Plank said.

"You seem to be in a bad mood?" Li Yu said.

Planck said helplessly: "Because I sat in the waiting room of the station all night last night."

"All night?" Li Yu asked in surprise, "Why don't you go to the hotel?"

Planck, who is over 60 years old, sighed: "Inflation is too fast. Two weeks ago, I went to Hamburg with funds to attend a conference. When I returned, I found that the money I had set aside was no longer enough to pay for hotel accommodation, so I just Being able to sit in the waiting room.”

Fortunately, Plank's physical fitness is pretty good.

After getting on the train, Planck said to Li Yu: "I went to Hamburg to organize the Scientific Emergency Federation. The depreciation rate of the mark is desperate. Now the Academy of Sciences can no longer even afford the cost of paper. Don't mention any scientific research projects at all." ”

The situation will be even more troublesome next year, so Li Yu can only say casually: "It will get better."

"We can only rely on some funding from the Weimar government, as well as some financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Japan Industrial Association, but it is a drop in the bucket and we can barely survive." Plank said.

"If it's the professor's life, I can help," Li Yu said. "There are also Professor Roentgen and others. Last time I went to Munich, I saw that his situation was not optimistic. He could only eat some black bread every day."

"Thank you!" Planck said, "I really didn't expect that Germany would need the help of a Chinese."

Li Yu said: "I'm just helping a few professors."

"I understand, that's all you can do," Planck said. "Now the German industry has the most financial support and occupies five of the seven directors of the Scientific Emergency Federation, especially Farben. They like it too much. Applied science is not to your liking.”

Li Yu said: "Actually, they still have money."

IG Farben, a chemical giant before World War II, later provided Mustache with large grants to aid his campaign. After Mustache was elected, Farben began a massive expansion.

Planck said: "Germany's advantage lies in theoretical science, but most of these factory owners do not understand quantum mechanics and relativity, and it is useless to tell them. By the way, I think you should be paid the salary of an academician of the Prussian Academy of Sciences this year. There’s no need to get it, it’s all waste paper!”

"I don't care," Li Yu said easily, "Why don't you take advantage of this period when there are not many theoretical scientific tasks, and the professor will go to China with me to make some extra money. Mr. Einstein will also go with me."

Plank thought for a moment and said, "There shouldn't be a problem. After all, there aren't many students in the school."

Taking advantage of the fact that these two big guys are short of money now, Li Yu can easily invite them.

Historically, Cai Yuanpei and others invited Einstein to visit China in 1922, but he only stayed in Shanghai briefly.

Judging from the later correspondence records, it should be due to a misunderstanding.

Einstein was in Japan at the time, and Cai Yuanpei agreed with Einstein that he would go to Peking University to give lectures, and the reward would be US$1000.

Although the price seemed very reasonable and not too much, Peking University was very financially strapped at that time and could not even pay teachers' salaries.

Fortunately, Liang Qichao's lecture club paid part of the money and was able to scrape together US$1000.

However, when Einstein arrived in Shanghai, the receptionist Mr. and Mrs. Feiside did not mention the remuneration for some reason. Einstein was worried that Peking University could not afford the payment, so he left Shanghai.

When he got on the boat, he realized that Cai Yuanpei was actually ready, but he just forgot to make a contract.

Unfortunately, the ship had already sailed, and Einstein could only write a letter to Cai Yuanpei to explain why he failed to keep the appointment.

The "Declaration" had been building momentum for a long time, and Peking University was also preparing to welcome Einstein's visit, but all of a sudden it all came to nothing.

Cai Yuanpei was very sad. In his eyes, Einstein's presence was dozens or hundreds of times more important than any famous politician or military strategist, but it was only because of a small mistake that it could not be done.

Einstein himself once said that he would go to China again in the future to make amends, but unfortunately he never made the trip again.

Now, Li Yu can definitely do it.

Not only Einstein, but Planck also came together.

The two quickly arranged their trip and boarded the ship with Li Yu.

The ship still passes through the United States first, because Einstein won the Nobel Prize, and the United States also hopes to let him give a lecture.

On the ship, Einstein said happily: "Although the United States did not accept my request for a reward of US$15000, they finally decided to give me US$10000, which is not a bad price."

Einstein, who is short of money, of course puts his first priority on how much money he can earn, but he is quite good at "looking at what others offer him." If he asks an old American, he will pay 15000, while for Cai Yuanpei, it will only be 1000.

The price quoted by American universities to Planck was not much different. At this time, the United States was very rich, and in the eyes of Europeans, it was a pure nouveau riche. But regardless of science or art, Europeans look down on the United States.

The United States itself feels that these aspects are not as good as Europe's and is very willing to invite Europe's top science and art experts to give lectures, and the remuneration is satisfactory.

Even the tickets were bought by the Americans in advance for the three of them. Planck and Einstein initially wanted to keep a low profile and sit in the ordinary cabin, but their request was rejected and they were forced into the special class cabin.

By the way, Einstein also requested that he and Elsa be given separate rooms. No matter on the ship or in a hotel in the United States, this request was not accepted by the United States...

Five days later, the ship docked in Battery Park in lower Manhattan.

Einstein was standing on the deck wearing a faded sweater and holding an old violin case.

Li Yu laughed and said, "Those who don't know would think the person coming is a musician."

Einstein wiped his beloved briar pipe and said: "When it comes to artists, Americans are used to violins. If you take out a thousand-year-old Chinese guqin, Americans will definitely open their eyes even more."

Li Yu said: "I am indeed learning, but I still don't understand."

Seeing the reporters and welcoming people crowding the shore, Weizmann came over and said to Einstein: "What a great opportunity! Please be sure to mention Jewish Zionism in your speech."

Einstein said: "Sorry, I can't do that because it would be like taking off your clothes in front of everyone."

Weizmann insisted: "You must do something!" Einstein refused, so he said: "I can only mention in my speech that Americans should sponsor the Hebrew University of Jerusalem."

"It's better than not mentioning it at all," Weizmann said.

After Li Yu, Einstein and Planck stepped off the ship, dozens of reporters immediately came to take pictures. After all, three Nobel Prize winners came at once.

Li Yu had long been accustomed to it, but Planck was surprised by Americans' love for theoretical physicists: "It turns out that our reputation has really spread so far."

A press conference venue was set up in the park, and the three of them sat on the chairs in front.

A reporter first asked: "Mr. Einstein, could you please describe the theory of relativity in one sentence?"

Einstein was most afraid of this kind of problem. He took it a little too much for granted. If it was so simple, why would he have been studying it for so many years? And it always feels like the interviewer is asking questions.

But out of politeness, he still replied: "I have always wanted to use a book to explain it clearly, but I still haven't done it completely. If I can only say one sentence, then...it is a space-time theory about physics, and Able to derive a theory of gravity."

The reporter wrote it down, and then asked: "What do you think of those who attack your theory? For example, Mr. Leonard, who is also a Nobel Prize winner in physics?"

This question was even more troublesome, but he knew that reporters liked to ask tough questions, so he could only respond casually: "Anyone who understands it will not object to my theory."

Another reporter asked Planck: "Are you worried about reconciling relativity and quantum theory, and the relationship between Einstein and Leonard, because you are the one who leads the Prussian Academy of Sciences."

Planck said: "First of all, I cannot reconcile the theory of relativity and quantum theory; in addition, I will not interfere in other people's private interpersonal relationships."

Planck is still very sophisticated.

The question the reporter asked Li Yu was more amusing, probably because Li Yu has long been a frequent headliner in major newspapers in the United States, and everyone is familiar with him. The reporter asked: "Your Star Wars series was published many years ago. It mentioned words and concepts such as space travel and jump, which seemed to be related to Mr. Einstein's theory of relativity, but at that time, there was no Proposed the general theory of relativity."

Li Yu smiled and said: "Scientific fantasy, sometimes it's just a coincidence. If I didn't set it up like that, the planets in the universe would be too far away, and there would be no causal relationship at all."

Einstein also paused for a moment: "I have indeed watched the Star Wars series, and I was just thinking about the time issue. Unfortunately, I was attracted by the plot and forgot to continue thinking."

The reporter said: "Is traveling through space and time more than just a fantasy?"

Li Yu explained: "It's a bit difficult. The universe is too big. Even according to some recent discussions about the Schwarzschild solution of black holes, there is a folding in space, and there is a kind of 'bridge' connecting it. It is impossible to pass through it. Because from mathematics At this angle, the 'bridge' is very unstable and cannot allow anything to pass over it."

"You made it too complicated. Can you make it simpler?" the reporter said.

"Easy?" Li Yu thought for a moment, "There is no shortcut to jumping in space. It's just a fantasy in a novel."

"What a pity!" The reporter was very disappointed.

After the press conference, Li Yu and others went to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel to attend the welcome banquet.

After arriving, Democratic Congressman Williams and many New York celebrities greeted them: "You are most welcome! The president has also talked about relativity and quantum theory recently, but unfortunately no one in the Senate can explain it to him clearly."

Einstein said: "It may not be the duty."

Senator Williams said: "Responsibility? Okay, but I would rather be a dog barking at the moon than stay in the Senate for another six years."

In the middle of the welcome banquet, the atmosphere became more and more relaxed. Astor took out a test and said: "This is the 'Edison test' that is now popular in New York. The inventor is Mr. Edison. The content was originally designed by him to test There are about 150 questions for job applicants, but so far no one has passed.”

Li Yu asked curiously: "You want us to do a test too?"

Einstein took the test paper, which was filled with questions such as "How is leather made?" "Which country drinks the most tea?" "What is movable type made of?"

"It seems...I can't pass either." Plank looked at it and said.

Einstein tutted: "It turns out it's so difficult to interview for a job in New York!"

Astor asked, "Could it be that Mr. Einstein also cannot remember the speed of sound?"

Einstein shook his head: "But I know how to find this data. Mr. Edison's test places too much emphasis on facts. I think the most important thing is to train how to think."

I don’t know what Edison thought after hearing this evaluation.

After the lengthy banquet, Einstein came to his residence and said to Li Yu with great interest: "I have considered the 'bridge' you mentioned today, and I also think it is just a hypothesis."

Li Yu said: "After this busy period of interviews and speeches, we can continue to discuss it on the ship."

Einstein thought about his almost full schedule in the United States for nearly a month and said with a smile: "I will write it down in the memo so as not to forget it."

The Americans paid such a high salary, so of course they wanted Einstein to travel around more.

Weizmann often accompanied Einstein to attend events. After Einstein finished speaking on the theory of relativity, if there were many Jews present, he would give a fundraising speech for Jewish settlements in Palestine. However, at this time, Einstein had always It's silent.

Einstein visited almost all major cities and famous universities in the United States and received a warm welcome. Only Harvard University was a little slow and did not allow Einstein to give a lecture.

It seems to be because a U.S. Supreme Court judge who graduated from Harvard Law School also leads a Zionist movement and is in a competitive relationship with Weizmann.

Einstein never revealed much about the confrontational attitude of these politicians, but wrote in a later letter: "It is a weakness of the Jews to always be keen to keep the pagans in a good mood."

Planck's schedule is also very full, but he is used to keeping a low profile and only attends lecture-type activities organized by the school, but he also has to travel to most of the United States.

As for Li Yu, he has given many speeches at various universities in the United States, so there is no need to get involved too much this time.

He just happened to have a patent application, and the submitted name was "Using Radio Wave Reflection Effect to Detect Obstacles", which used the property that electromagnetic waves can be reflected.

——Marconi originally applied for it in the UK next year, but Marconi himself only made a preliminary idea.

Actually, this is the idea of ​​​​radar.

Li Yu plans to apply for this patent in advance, but it will take a lot of effort to implement it in the future.

(End of this chapter)