On the second day of the meeting, the topic was still about subdivided research projects in the field of nuclear fusion. What attracted Chen Nian the most was the latest progress in atomic probe technology and the prospects for STM and AFM technology.
At first glance, this topic is closer to the field of materials science, and it seems inappropriate to put it in this conference, but in fact, when humans face the major problem of first-wall materials, how to find a better way to The research and development of new materials is actually an important step towards achieving nuclear fusion.
With the help of heteroatom modification technology, humans can "program", or combine, in the single atomic dimension to obtain the material properties they want.
This technology is actually not new, but even after 20 years of development, the entire technology is still relatively rudimentary.
At extremely low temperatures, humans can modify single or multiple heteroatoms with extremely small needle tips to achieve strong affinity for target atoms within a certain range, thereby achieving control of single atoms.
However, such "control" is obviously extremely crude.
Even 10 years later, its greatest role will be to use atoms to create a few shapes and words, just like playing with tickets.
Therefore, this topic is more of a refreshment for boring meetings, just like the interest discussions arranged by the teacher in class during school.
Chen Nian is very interested in this. After all, in the past few years, he has invested most in the direction of materials science.
However, Sebastian on the side was a little bored.
On the one hand, he didn't understand what he heard, and on the other hand, he also had something on his mind.
So he was drowsy during the whole report, and it wasn't until the end that he regained some energy.
"What a boring report, Chen. Are you interested in this aspect? I noticed that you seemed to be listening very carefully just now."
Chen Nian nodded and replied:
"Atomic manipulation is a very interesting subject. Imagine if we can create new materials on the atomic scale, then we will not be far from the position of the Creator."
"That's the crux of the matter, how could we get close to the Creator so quickly?"
Sebastian spread his hands and continued:
"Although I am not an expert in this field, I also know that, just like the old guy on the stage said just now, if we want to realize atomic manufacturing, we are still at least several technical thresholds away."
"A supercomputer with huge computing power, an STM with extremely high accuracy, and technology that can truly control atoms."
"Look, I can't even name the technology because it doesn't exist yet."
Chen Nian nodded slightly and replied:
"That's true, but you have to have imagination, don't you?"
"That's true - but no matter what, this is not something I can see."
"Not always."
A mysterious smile appeared on Chen Nian's face, and Sebastian didn't pay attention, only taking it as a kind comfort.
But what he didn't know was that Chen Nian was already thinking about how to plan this technology.
Of course, this is definitely not possible in recent years.
Its status is the same as the brain-computer that transmits two-way information. It is a "creator" level technology. At the earliest, it will have to wait until nuclear fusion becomes popular and global productivity develops.
After the meeting, the two came to the cafe to chat again, but this time, Sebastian's colleague, Eichendorf, was also followed.
There was an undisguised smile on his face, and it looked like something good was going to happen.
None of the three said it, but all three knew it.
——
Of course, the information Chen Nian learned was more complete.
According to the report, Eichendorf has responded to EAST's invitation and officially decided to join the international cooperation sub-project of the EAST project. At this time, China has begun to include him in the assessment scope and has begun to arrange a series of follow-up tasks.
Eichendorf is a typical pure scholar. He is not willing to get involved in anything other than scientific research. His background is so clean that there is basically no risk of failing the review.
It can be said that the direction of the second half of his life has been determined. No matter whether he will regret it in the future, at least for now, he is indeed satisfied.
"Old man, haven't you thought about it yet?"
"I think you should put down those so-called 'principles'. You know, technology has no national boundaries, especially nuclear fusion, a technology that benefits the entire human race."
"We should choose better scientific research conditions and a camp closer to the truth. This is responsible for all mankind."
Responsible for all mankind?
This was the first time Chen Nian heard this statement.
In his memory, there weren't actually too many white leftists in Germany - at least not as many as in France. Especially among scientific researchers, they were even rarer.
But what Eichendorf said is obviously a standard white leftist statement.
Good guy, let yourself meet?
But why does it feel weird?
In his view, the only way to be responsible for all mankind is to join China.
Has the lighthouse of the world been replaced?
Chen Nian couldn't help but feel like laughing, but Sebastian beside him couldn't laugh.
He thought about Eichendorf's words silently in his heart, and after a long time, he spoke:
"I still have to continue to think about it. After all, this is a completely unfamiliar country to me."
"So what? Their emphasis on scientific researchers is no worse than Germany's."
"Do you remember Isaac who was doing research on metallic hydrogen? It was said that he was only a marginal role in the project, but what about now?"
"Although no paper has been published yet, it is obvious that he is already regarded by many as the most influential superconducting material expert besides the Chinese team."
"This is called opportunity, don't hesitate any longer!"
"All right."
Sebastian finally relaxed.
Of course, this will never be his final decision.
The reason is simple. Even if he wants to leave, the Max Planck Laboratory may not let him go.
Unlike Eichendorf, Sebastian's tasks at the Max Planck Laboratory are more core, and he also has ongoing sub-projects at hand. As long as he is not a ridiculously stupid supervisor, he will not be allowed to leave easily.
Retention is inevitable. Promotion, salary increase, and provision of higher benefits are all routine operations.
But can these things really compare to the temptation that the concept of “taking one step toward the truth” brings to scholars?
Hard to say.
Hearing Sebastian's answer, Eichendorf immediately became happy. He immediately began to give advice to the other party, and he wished he could immediately bring this old rival and old friend into his camp.
Infected by his emotions, Sebastian gradually became involved, but just as they were planning how to complete the project at hand as soon as possible, a voice came from the next table.
"Stupid choice."
The sound was not loud, but it was clearly aimed at the three people here.
Chen Nian, who was purely a bystander, didn't take it seriously, but Eichendorf immediately glared at him angrily.
Following his gaze, Chen Nian couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
He recognized the man who spoke.
NIF's meritorious researcher, the world's most cutting-edge explorer in the field of lasers, and the main leader of incoherent synthesis laser technology, John Henning.
The reason why Chen Nian remembered him was when he was working on 055 and considering using laser weapons.
At that time, he consulted a large amount of information, including a paper written by Henning on incoherent synthesis technology.
He still remembered a video report he had seen at that time, in which Henning criticized the coherent synthesis technology route chosen by China, and could even be said to be worthless.
The impression this person left on him was that of arrogance and recklessness.
There is no essential comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the two routes, they are just different choices based on actual conditions. As a scholar, why should I be so eager to expose my butt?
What's more, based on his experience in his previous life, the coherent synthesis route chosen by Huaxia obviously has higher potential. Under the same power, the energy of the laser beam is far higher than that of the incoherent synthesis equipment.
So why is he so crazy here today?
Chen Nian had no intention of participating in this dispute, but quietly waited for Eichendorf's reaction.
At this time, Eichendorf had already stood up:
"Stupid choice?"
"Yes, your choice is not stupid. It uses hundreds of times the energy to ignite a one-centimeter pill. The energy released is not even enough to boil a pot of water."
"It's really stupid. I don't know since when toys used to amuse cats can also be touted as the key to human progress."
Hearing this, Chen Nian couldn't help but hold his forehead.
Eichendorf's mouth is really poisonous, but his words are also really out of his mind.
This map was so cannon that it killed all the researchers who were working on inertial constraints.
In fact, inertial confinement fusion is far less useless than he said, and lasers are certainly not just toys for cats.
In 2022, NIF announced that it had achieved a net energy gain. Their biggest difficulty at that time was actually the same as the tokamak, which was the inability to achieve tritium self-sustainability.
In this direction in the previous life, the United States was indeed moving faster than China.
Eichendorf said this, he had attack power, but he also offended others.
Sure enough, as soon as he heard his words, Henning immediately grasped the key points to fight back:
"So what you're saying is that all those who engage in inertial confinement fusion are idiots?"
"I didn't say that. I don't even think NIF is stupid. I just think you are stupid."
"Maybe, but at least I won't give up on the direction I firmly believe in."
Henning's face was full of sarcasm. He probably thought his words were lethal enough, but in fact, Eichendorf just snorted disdainfully and continued:
"If what you are discussing here is the stellarator, then I can barely argue with you for a few words."
"But laser? Save it, how many lasers have you used recently? 168? 192?"
"I want to know, does your poor ball have any reaction?"
In this sentence, Eichendorff used an English pun, which made Chen Nian even a little embarrassed.
It’s true, sometimes swearing in a Western context is quite advanced.
Henning, who was opposite him, turned red with anger. In fact, he was almost 70 years old, so it was normal for him not to react.
"You are ugly! Vulgar! You can only take advantage of your words."
"Whether you want to stay in Max Planck or go to China EAST, I can tell you that we will definitely be faster than you."
"Yes, I admit that tokamak is very promising, and China's metallic hydrogen is very promising, but the future is theirs, not yours!"
"But NIF belongs to us. Just for this reason, you can't compare!"
As soon as these words came out, Eichendorf could not help but be stunned for a few seconds.
It was considered that he was allowed to hit seven inches.
But why does this matter?
Therefore, he simply ignored the topic and attacked the opponent's fusion target like crazy.
Within five minutes, a group of people gathered around the two of them.
Facts have proved that it is human nature to eat melons. No matter how smart or high-end you are, when two people are arguing with each other with red faces in front of you, you can't help but stop and watch.
Chen Nian naturally watched it with great interest. He had seen many academic disputes. This was the first time that two top scholars had quarreled over a single sentence.
If you think about it from another direction, it is actually normal for this kind of thing to happen.
What this conference brings to many researchers in this field is definitely not just opportunities.
What's more, it's pressure.
It is said that technology is shared and has no national boundaries, but is it really true?
Countries put aside their pride and rush to invest in the EAST project, not because they really agree with China, but because they want to seize the illusory opportunities as much as possible and try not to be left too far behind.
Under this kind of macro pressure, the pressure on various institutions will certainly not be small.
Especially for NIF, a direction that originally went hand in hand with tokamak, Henning may have been driven crazy by the officials.
It's understandable to vent.
". Anyway, we won't lag behind you. Just wait and see. At least in the laser field, no one can surpass us. This is our advantage!"
"Oh? Really? That's not necessarily the case."
Eichendorff's words were so heart-wrenching that Henning was completely silenced.
Yes, it seems that not long ago, the United States said that "no one can surpass us in the field of all-nitrogen-containing energetic materials," but was quickly slapped in the face.
Not only was he slapped in the face, but a few months later, even stronger metallic hydrogen came out.
Today's China is completely a black box, and you never know what it will take out of its pockets.
Under such circumstances, it is really unwise to set such a flag.
When the quarrel reached this level, both parties had finished venting their emotions. After a few words of exchange of words, they each stopped.
With a "pleased" expression on his face, Eichendorf said to Chen Nian and Sebastian:
"I have long wanted to scold him. He always regards himself as the light of mankind. When I went to Los Angeles the year before last, I even wanted to drive him over and kill him."
"Why did he provoke you?"
Chen Nian asked curiously.
"He said we are nazis in academia and only plunder other people's achievements."
"...should be scolded."
Chen Nian nodded heavily.
This is an extremely serious insult, and I don’t know how Henning’s character reached such heights.
——
In any case, there is indeed something worth learning about the inclusiveness of the American academic community.
"I heard that you also have the Shenguang Project. I really hope you can make progress faster, just like Tokamak, and crush them hard."
Divine Light Plan?
Chen Nian frowned thoughtfully.
Perhaps, in this direction, we can indeed make some efforts.
After all, fundamentally speaking, the most important thing in this direction is nothing more than laser.
The military also happens to have a demand for lasers.
(End of chapter)
