Chapter 36 Theoretical Questioning (Thanks to [Black Maple Bison] for the reward)
In the next few days, Li Qiwei wrote the textbook and the paper on the photoelectric effect.
It is also time to thoroughly prove the correctness of quantum mechanics and establish its status.
As he was writing, he suddenly thought of the last time he sent a telegram and felt sorry for the money.
Li Qiwei suddenly had an idea: since he was short of money, why not start his own company and make a lot of money.
As a time traveler, it is easy to make money by inventing something, and the money you make is from foreigners.
A time traveler who can't make money doesn't deserve to be listed in the organization.
The Spark Project will require a lot of money in the future, and the wealth of my family alone may not be enough.
It seems that the plan of starting a company to make money has to be put on the agenda.
As for what to sell, light industrial products? Heavy industrial products? Li Qiwei would have to think about it. Anyway, he couldn't sell things that would enhance foreign power.
Just as he was daydreaming, Hong'er walked in with two letters in her hands.
"Master, someone just sent you two letters, saying they are very important. Please check them as soon as possible."
"Oh?" Li Qiwei stopped writing and opened the envelope.
The first letter was written by Lockyer, the editor-in-chief of Nature.
The letter said that an article was recently published in a famous academic journal in London.
In the paper, the author stated that quantum mechanics is an outright scam and is full of loopholes.
The other party also gave a lot of so-called arguments and evidence.
Subsequently, other mainstream academic journals published articles criticizing quantum mechanics, considering it to be a fantasy.
Many well-known physicists have also publicly stated that quantum mechanics has not been experimentally verified and should not receive such an honor.
Li Qiwei was very puzzled. I just published a paper and didn’t steal your money. I didn’t give myself the honor.
As a result, it was not until he continued reading the letter that he understood what was going on.
Lockyer said that since the publication of the "Quantum Mechanics" paper, Cambridge University has spent a lot of effort on promoting it.
The whole of Britain was bombarded with news of this theory.
And with Vice-President Cardwell at the head and a group of physics professors including Thomson supporting it, Cambridge University successfully obtained a large sum of funding from the government.
As for the total number, Lockyer didn't say, and he probably doesn't know either.
But according to relevant sources, the vice-president of Oxford University even swore at the funding discussion meeting.
Apparently he was very angry about Cambridge's achievements and felt that a brand new theory should not be given such respect.
Cardwell only replied with one sentence: This will be an opportunity for the British Empire to lead the world in science again after the first industrial revolution.
It was this sentence that impressed the members of the review committee and approved the funding.
Li Qiwei smiled helplessly when he read this. He didn't expect that so many things had happened in just over a month since he left.
At the same time, he also sighed deeply and lamented.
Compared with China's attitude towards science at that time, Britain's attitude was undoubtedly much better.
Both ordinary people and the country have great respect for science and technology.
Because they witnessed with their own eyes how the Industrial Revolution brought huge wealth.
The core of industry is scientific principles. Without the theoretical breakthroughs of scientists, there would be no invention of various industrial machines.
Another characteristic of Britain is that many aristocrats or wealthy businessmen like to do scientific research in their spare time.
Therefore, when you study the history books of physics in later generations, you will find that those important scientists often did not do research for the sake of honor.
They are most likely aristocrats themselves, with no shortage of wealth and status. It is only because they are interested in physics that they are willing to do research, even at their own expense.
This cultural atmosphere is completely different from that of other countries.
It must be said that the prosperity of the British Empire, in addition to shit luck, still has certain connotations. Li Qiwei envied Britain in his heart and continued to read the letter.
What happened next is clear. After Oxford University suffered a setback, it mobilized a group of physicists who were skeptical of quantum mechanics to jointly question the theory from a scientific perspective, hoping that the author would give a response.
Academic debates are different from military warfare.
Right is right, wrong is wrong, and both sides must prove their points through logic, experiments, mathematical formulas, etc.
Instead, I cannot just kill you with one shot because I am displeased with you or think you are wrong.
That’s why major British journals have published papers questioning quantum mechanics.
Magazine publishers love to encounter this kind of thing the most. It is very popular and has a big impact, and the sales of the magazines will increase rapidly.
Therefore, Lockyer mentioned in the letter that he hoped Li Qiwei would publish the paper as soon as possible, and preferably produce some blockbuster results.
If this battle is won, Nature journal will definitely become famous and become the number one physics journal in the UK.
Lord Lockyer, who was in his prime, was very concerned about this matter, so he wrote to urge Ridgway.
After all, Ridgwell also holds the title of honorary editor-in-chief of Nature journal.
After reading the letter, Li Qiwei smiled. It was like a pillow given to someone who was sleepy.
The paper I just wrote on the photoelectric effect can now be published at the right time.
Then he opened the second letter and found that it was written by Lord Kelvin.
Ridgway was a little bit incredulous. He thought that Lord Kelvin would be angry with him after the paper was published.
I didn't expect that the other party would actually write to me on his own initiative, and even admit defeat and admit his mistakes in the letter.
This made Li Qiwei feel that he was judging others by his own standards.
The great Lord Kelvin actually lowered his posture, admitted his mistakes, and still gave him a Qing citizen.
I have to say that the other party is very magnanimous, no wonder he is respected by so many people.
Historically, when Lord Kelvin died on December 1907, 12, almost all of Britain and scientists around the world mourned him.
In the end, his body was buried next to Newton's tomb, which shows his influence.
Li Qiwei sighed in his heart, this was certainly because Lord Kelvin was broad-minded, but that was also because of his own strength.
If I had not published "Quantum Mechanics" and caused such a sensation, I'm afraid the other party would not even look at me.
Equality is always based on strength. You can be arrogant, but you can't be really weak.
Retracting his thoughts, Li Qiwei continued to read. The content of Lord Kelvin's letter was also related to Lockyer's.
It turned out that several senior British physicists believed that it would be useless to argue in academic journals like this.
It would be better to organize a meeting directly where everyone can speak freely, which may become a good story in physics.
So, led by Lord Kelvin, many well-known physicists from the UK and abroad were invited to hold an academic conference in London.
There was only one topic for the conference: the right and wrong of quantum mechanics.
As a core figure, Li Qiwei is of course the most crucial, so he was solemnly invited. His attitude can even determine whether the meeting is held or not.
After reading Lord Kelvin's letter, Li Qiwei stretched his body and felt a little happy.
Previously at the Berlin Physical Society, the reason why bigwigs like Roentgen did not make things difficult for him by questioning quantum mechanics was because of Professor Planck.
They must have had heated discussions in private.
When he was defending his doctoral thesis in his previous life, he felt a lot of pressure facing several professors.
And now, he is going to debate independently with many great scholars and engage in argument with many people. Li Qiwei is even a little trembling, which is a manifestation of excitement.
Even if there are tens of millions of big guys, I will still go!
A big climax is coming, please collect it! Please read it!
(End of this chapter)