Volume 1: Student Life Chapter 494: Nobel Prize Candidate?
After lunch, Matheson, Coyle and others tactfully stopped disturbing Chen Zhou.
After cleaning up, Chen Zhou also took the time to take a short rest.
This is to get enough rest for the question-and-answer session in the afternoon.
Chen Zhou couldn't believe that the scene that was so lively in the morning would change in the afternoon?
Therefore, he must be prepared for a fierce battle.
At around two o'clock in the afternoon, Chen Zhou left the lounge and went to the lecture hall.
Walking on the road to Stanford University, Chen Zhou felt helpless.
This report meeting allowed everyone in the school to get to know me.
However, compared to the helplessness on Chen Zhou’s face, Chen Zhou’s classmates who met him on the road all looked excited.
The reason is simple: this is a walking Nobel Prize candidate!
And there is a great possibility that he will win the Nobel Prize this year!
How could you not be excited to be able to observe such a big guy up close?
Walking into the morning lecture hall, Chen Zhou looked at the three people in the lecture hall with some surprise.
He had arrived early enough because he wanted to avoid the enthusiastic crowd.
However, he didn't expect that there was someone in the lecture hall who arrived earlier than him.
Friedman, one of the three, noticed Chen Zhou as soon as he came in.
He waved at Chen Zhou: "Chen Zhou, come here."
Chen Zhou heard the voice and walked towards the three people, greeting them politely: "Professor Friedman, Professor Glashow, Professor Witten, why are you here so early?"
"I was dragged here by them..." Friedman smiled and pointed at Glashow and Witten. "They spent the whole afternoon discussing everything from the standard model of particle physics to superstring theory. They discussed everything in particle physics research one by one."
Chen Zhou looked at Glashow and Witten with a little surprise.
As far as Chen Zhou knows, Glashow is a staunch skeptic of superstring theory.
He believes that superstring theory is a subject that has nothing to do with physics.
Because superstring theory cannot provide experimentally testable predictions.
He also tried to prevent superstring theory from entering Harvard's Department of Physics, but Harvard University still accepted superstring theory.
For this reason, Glashow chose to leave on his own.
Therefore, Chen Zhou was very puzzled. How did Glashow "communicate" with string theory expert Witten? And how did they "communicate"?
Chen Zhou had met Edward Witten, a historian who won the Fields Medal and hoped to win the Nobel Prize in Physics, before.
However, this was the first time that Chen Zhou met Sheldon Glashow, the father of the "Standard Model of Particle Physics" and the prototype of the protagonist "Sheldon" in "The Big Bang Theory".
This is a truly genius in theoretical physics in the world of modern physics!
At the beginning of his study of elementary particles, Glashow discussed the problem of unifying weak interactions and electromagnetic interactions based on gauge field theory, and predicted the existence of neutral weak currents.
This is also known as the earliest standard model of particle physics.
Later, Glashow proposed charm quarks and the GIM mechanism. By introducing charm quarks, he explained the suppression of the laboratory FCNC process and solved theoretical problems such as non-renormalization caused by the inequality between the number of quarks and the number of leptons.
This theoretical research result was also confirmed with the discovery of charm quarks in 1974 .
Later, he and his collaborators proposed a grand unified theory that unified weak interactions, electromagnetic interactions, and strong interactions based on the Weinberg-Salam model, electroweak unification theory, and quantum chromodynamics.
This is a useful first step towards a "grand unified theory" of the four fundamental forces.
Because of these research results, Glashow won the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics!
It is no exaggeration to say that the Standard Model of particle physics is one of the most significant achievements in physics in the 20th century.
The glue balls discovered by Chen Zhou and his team are also under the standard model, providing evidence to support the standard model.
In addition, Glashow's research results have also been widely used in super accelerators, space laboratories, space science, superconducting electromagnetics, cryogenic technology, medical imaging, biomedicine...
This is also the reason why Chen Zhou believes that Glashow is a true master of theoretical physics.
While Chen Zhou was observing the white-haired old man, Glashow was also observing Chen Zhou.
Glashow is also quite curious about today's protagonist.
Chen Zhou retracted his gaze and asked, "Professor, what are you discussing?"
After hearing what Chen Zhou said, Friedman first glanced at Witten, then smiled and said, "Witten, didn't you just say that Chen Zhou would attack superstring theory sooner or later?"
Witten chuckled and said, "Professor Friedman, did we bet 10 dollars?"
Before Friedman could reply, Glashow said, "It's $20, $10 per person."
Wei Teng smiled and shook his head: "Okay, then 20 dollars."
Chen Zhou finally reacted now. It turned out that these big guys were betting on him.
So how should I answer later?
Is he helping his mentor and Professor Glashow to bully Professor Witten?
Or, are you helping Professor Witten, who has multiple identities, to bully the other two Nobel Prize winners?
Obviously, Chen Zhou's fantasies are just fantasies and have no other purpose except being redundant.
Witten went on to say: "However, the outcome of this bet cannot be known now, and future events cannot be predicted now."
Friedman and Glashow looked at each other, and both smiled and shook their heads.
Seeing this, Wei Teng immediately said: "I am not cheating. Although we may not see the moment when the bet is fulfilled, our descendants can witness it."
After saying that, Wei Teng smiled and winked at Chen Zhou.
Chen Zhou smiled helplessly.
He didn't expect that Professor Witten, who is already old, could still be so playful?
But soon, Chen Zhou realized that he had thought wrongly.
After Friedman and Glashow reluctantly accepted the $20 bet.
Wei Teng then slowly said: "Although the future is determined by the present, none of us knows which decision is the real future. Therefore, we can only do well in the present and leave the future to the young people."
Friedman and Glashow both stopped smiling and nodded.
The three of them fell into silence.
Chen Zhou looked at the three of them and finally understood.
What Glashow and Witten discussed may not be which theory is correct, but simply the future of physics.
People at this age may increasingly feel what it means to be overwhelmed.
I will also miss the past more and look forward to the future.
After a moment, Glashow looked at Chen Zhou and said, "Did you come up with the C-C model from a mathematical or physical perspective?"
Upon hearing this question, not only Chen Zhou was stunned, but even Friedman and Witten beside him were also unable to react.
Although he didn't know why Glashow asked this question, Chen Zhou still answered truthfully: "It's both, just like gauge field theory, which is not only a difficult problem in physics, but also a difficult problem in mathematics."
In fact, Chen Zhou himself couldn't tell whether that flash of inspiration was dominated by mathematical thinking or a flash of physical thinking.
If you really think about it carefully, you can't tell the difference.
Starting from the 'asymptotic freedom' of quantum chromodynamics, it is content closely related to quantum chromodynamics and Yang-Mills gauge field theory.
This falls into the category of both mathematics and physics.
Glashow nodded slightly; he already had the answer.
After a pause, Glashow said slowly, "I have read all five of your papers. From your undergraduate paper, I can see that you have a deep physical intuition and superb mathematical ability."
At this point, Glashow glanced at Witten and said, "In this respect, you are actually very similar to Professor Witten. He is also a mathematician."
Professor Witten put away his previous emotion and said with a smile: "Professor Glashow, I am not a mathematician, I am a history major..."
Glashow ignored the old man and continued, "This is your advantage, what you have always relied on, and the important reason why you were able to discover the C-C model."
"The C-C model not only solves the 'color confinement' problem, improves quantum chromodynamics and the standard model, and paves the way for the glueball experiment, but also takes the first step in your subsequent study of gauge field theory."
"I believe that with such physical intuition and mathematical ability, you can definitely find a way to make physics shine!"
Chen Zhou was a little stunned. He didn't expect Glashow to praise him so highly.
It’s not because of the gauge field theory mentioned by Glashow, which is something he mentioned at the report meeting.
With Glashow's intelligence, he could definitely guess the direction .
However, in this last sentence, Glashow was actually praising himself for blazing a path that would make physics shine.
Instead, do something for physics yourself.
This is completely different!
"Professor Glashow, you are too kind." Chen Zhou replied modestly.
Glashow patted Chen Zhou on the shoulder and said softly, "Like Witten said just now, the future of physics still depends on you young people, and you young people should watch it."
Friedman also said: "Chen Zhou, I have another good news for you. We plan to write a letter to recommend you to the Nobel Prize in Physics Committee."
"What?" Chen Zhou was really shocked this time.
You have just discovered the rubber ball and your paper hasn’t even been published, but you are already recommending yourself for the Nobel Prize?
Have you really become a Nobel Prize candidate all of a sudden?
"Is...is this appropriate?" Chen Zhou asked uncertainly.
Although the news was good, it also made Chen Zhou quite excited.
But it would be bad if our happiness was in vain.
Chen Zhou himself knew that since his paper came out, many people had begun discussing his winning the Nobel Prize.
Glashow pointed at Witten and explained, "For a physicist like him who studies superstring theory, no one knows when he will win the Nobel Prize in Physics. But for you, the discovery of glueballs and the solution to the 'color confinement' problem are already facts, and are enough to win you the Nobel Prize in Physics."
After hearing what Glashow said, Witten opened his mouth, but no words came out.
This is the shortcoming of studying superstring theory. Since it cannot be verified experimentally, no one can say that the theoretical content is 100% correct.
If superstring theory is verified, or more precisely, if M theory is verified, then Witten will definitely win a Nobel Prize in Physics.
But now, all I can do is wait silently.
Like many physicists, he waited his entire life but never won the Nobel Prize.
From this perspective, we can only say that Chen Zhou's ability has brought him great luck.
Chen Zhou naturally noticed Wei Teng's expression and felt that this professor was indeed like a naughty old man.
While having a sentimental side, he also has the heart and playfulness of a child.
"Professor Friedman, Professor Glashow, Professor Witten, thank you..." Chen Zhou said sincerely.
Before he finished speaking, Glashow teased Witten, "Chen Zhou, don't count on Witten. He should still write a letter of recommendation for himself..."
When Friedman heard this, he burst into laughter.
Chen Zhou also started laughing.
Only Wei Teng said somewhat depressedly: "Do you want to bet 20 dollars?"
…
The afternoon question-and-answer session will begin promptly at 2:30 p.m.
It is just as lively as in the morning.
Finally, the question-and-answer session ended at five o'clock in the afternoon, and the entire report meeting came to a successful conclusion.
Like every previous conference, SLAC arranged a grand dinner to celebrate and bid farewell to this moment.
In fact, the current timing is critical for SLAC.
Although they shut down all collider laboratories as planned.
But at the same time, they also lost many outstanding researchers and lost the ability to return to the top in the field of high-energy physics.
Therefore, SLAC also secretly held a meeting to discuss the next arrangements.
Friedman and Chen Zhou are naturally mentioned here.
They hoped that Friedman would not retire from SLAC for the time being and help SLAC attract some outstanding researchers.
They would rather Chen Zhou stay at SLAC, just like Friedman did before.
Even if they can't give Chen Zhou the collider laboratory, there are still other laboratories for Chen Zhou to choose from.
However, this matter did not go smoothly from Friedman's perspective.
SLAC failed to retain Friedman, who had already decided to leave.
Friedman was completely disappointed with SLAC's previous unwillingness to stay even a little longer.
Therefore, he decisively rejected SLAC's attempt to win him over at this moment.
Therefore, SLAC put all its focus on Chen Zhou.
They thought that Chen Zhou, who was already familiar with SLAC and had experience in leading large experimental teams, would not refuse their invitation.
After all, for now, China's laboratories cannot be compared with SLAC.
Other laboratories may not be suitable for Chen Zhou.
SLAC did not expect that while they were looking for Chen Zhou, there was another group of people who were also looking for Chen Zhou.
Although these people were not as confident as the people at SLAC in their ideas, they were also well prepared.
It’s a pity, because of the lively atmosphere of the dinner.
Both gangs were stopped from asking Chen Zhou what he thought.
Therefore, they could only wait anxiously until the dinner was over.
However, they didn't expect that after the dinner, they couldn't find Chen Zhou again.
As for Chen Zhou, as soon as the dinner was over, he pulled Yang Yiyi and ran back to the room.
After being busy for so long, don’t you need some private space and time?
Otherwise, wouldn’t this relationship be in vain?
Won't this feeling fade away?
