Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2718 The Nobel Prize is Here Again (First Update, Please Subscribe)
Will any of them win the Nobel Prize this year?

In fact, the whole world is curious whether anyone from SEA will win a Nobel Prize this year. After all, they have had someone win a Nobel Prize every year in the past few years, and last year they even swept both the most prestigious Nobel Prizes—the Chemistry Prize and the Nobel Prize.

This is something that has never happened since the Nobel Prize was first established. And because of this, since the beginning of October, the global scientific community has been discussing this topic – whether SEA will win a new Nobel Prize.

What is the general consensus worldwide?
They will win awards, in chemistry or physics, either this year or next.

The reason why the world thinks this way is essentially because SEA has made many discoveries that have the potential to win a Nobel Prize.

"This also marks the shift of the world's academic center from Europe to the United States and the SEA."

As the Global Express business jet flew at supersonic speeds, James Watson, the Nobel laureate who discovered the DNA double helix structure, took another drag of his cigarette and said:

"The shift of the world's academic center has occurred several times in the past few centuries. First, there was Italy during the Renaissance. Then, with the Industrial Revolution, Britain became the world's academic center. After that, in the mid-19th century, unified Germany rose rapidly, and the establishment of the modern university system made Germany the world's science and technology center at that time."

Beginning in the late 19th century, American industry established industrial laboratories, creating a virtuous cycle in which industry supported scientific development, and scientific success propelled industrial upgrading. Furthermore, the United States, being outside the two major world wars, emerged as the biggest winner.

Before and after World War II, a large number of European scientists went to the United States, further boosting American scientific and technological development. By the post-war period, the United States had established itself as the world's academic center.

After briefly mentioning these recent shifts in global academic centers, Watson, smoking a cigarette, added:
"At this time, SEA was still a remote corner of the world. Although the lights of Europe had been turned off, the lights of the United States and Moscow shone throughout the world. Who would notice SEA?"
But who could have imagined that SEA, during the post-war period of opportunity, would seize the favorable opportunities of post-war industrial recovery and the information technology industry revolution by introducing global talent, and not only achieve rapid economic growth, but also technological development.

From transistors to integrated circuits, from integrated circuits to electronic computers, from lasers to fiber optic communications, from rockets to space stations, what have we seen in the past thirty years? …

As James Watson finished speaking, Nancy Hopkins, who was standing nearby, said:

"SEA's technological development has even surpassed that of the United States at the same time."

Nancy Hopkins was not only Watson's student, but also one of the few female scientists at the time. Watson persuaded her to pursue a doctoral degree. And when she worried about not being able to obtain tenure, Watson encouraged her to persevere.

More than 20 years ago, Watson was the only mentor at Harvard University to train female scientists. Now, Watson is the head of the Future Biology Lab, a biological laboratory funded by SEA's pharmaceutical companies. Nine years ago, this lab invented recombinant DNA technology, enabling cross-species gene transfer.

Meanwhile, Watson, who was in charge of the project, was also working on his grand plan—the Human Genome Project, which aimed to sequence the entire human genome.

This is the most ambitious and forward-looking project in the field of biology to date.

His trip from Dongning to Chang'an was to secure funding. After all, this project was beyond the capabilities of a single laboratory; it would take several years and cost billions of yuan.

That is why he needed to go to Chang'an to seek support, and his purpose was to seek support directly from Your Excellency.

"Dr. Watson, do you think Your Excellency will support your plan?"

Nancy seemed somewhat worried because the plan was not only time-consuming and required a large amount of funding, but more importantly, it was unlikely to yield sufficient returns in the short term.

Will the Prime Minister's Office support such a plan?

"You are a scientist."

James Watson thought for a moment, then said:

"I think from a scientist's perspective, he would understand the significance of this work."

And so, the plane continued its journey towards Chang'an. A little over an hour later, as the plane landed at the airport, Watson and his entourage had just boarded the car prepared for them by the pharmaceutical company when his assistant said:

"Doctor, the Nobel Prize committee has just announced this year's physics prize winner—"

The assistant's expression and tone suggested some agitation:
"Yes... Your Excellency!"

"what!"

Watson, Nancy, and the others were stunned. They exclaimed in surprise:

"Is it true?"

"Yes, it was you who invented the integrated circuit!"

After so many years, many people seem to have forgotten that it was Li Yi'an who first proposed the theory of integrated circuits. Even integrated circuits themselves have been forgotten to some extent and replaced by terms such as microprocessors and chips.

When this news came out again, people were not only shocked, but also surprised.

Sun Yuan learned of the news around 6 PM, after Sweden had announced the physics prize winner at 11 AM. When the news arrived, he, like everyone else, was preparing to leave the official residence, but the sudden announcement stopped him in his tracks.

"You invented the integrated circuit!"

Surprised, Sun Yuan glanced at the computer in front of him. Only then did he realize how much his invention had changed their lives.

It even changed all of humanity.

"I always thought..."

It was only at this moment that Sun Yuan realized, "You are a scientist!"
"Why?"

At this moment, Ye Qidong, the head of the administrative department who had been staying at the official residence for a long time, said:
"Haven't you heard people say that you're a scientist whose talents have been wasted on politics?"

As he finished speaking, someone nearby said:
"Your scientific salon is still being held, and many young scientists have received your guidance at the salon, some of whom have won the Nobel Prize."

"Oh dear, think about it. You only gave them a little guidance, and they won the Nobel Prize. But what if you had done the research yourself?"

For a time, opinions were divided, but no one denied that you had indeed been delayed...

Everything was taken for granted, and everything was expected.

From Li Yi'an's initial concept of integrated circuits to TCL's design of the first integrated circuit, and then to the advent of microprocessors, the entire world was ultimately changed.

Li Yi'an was not surprised that integrated circuits would win the Nobel Prize, only that it came a little too early.

It was probably more than a decade earlier, but upon reflection, it's perfectly normal. After all, current integrated circuit technology is roughly equivalent to the level of the 1990s, and some products in certain laboratories even have the technological level of around 2000. Although they are experimental products, the advancement of global electronic technology is undeniable.

Therefore, winning an award... is perfectly normal.

It might even be a little late.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency."

Congratulations filled the entire residence, and the admiration in people's eyes was unmistakable. Most of the time, they simply regarded Your Excellency as Your Excellency, but overlooked Your Excellency's other identity—a scientist.

And now, after the news broke that Your Excellency had won this year's Nobel Prize in Physics for your work on integrated circuits, they realized that this was Your Excellency's second Nobel Prize in Physics.

transistor.

integrated circuit.

Their inventions changed the human world and spurred this technological revolution in the electronics and information industry!
That's why their excitement turned into admiration, and finally into applause.

Faced with applause and congratulations, Li Yi'an simply smiled. Like all Nobel laureates, he also received attention from the press.

The official residence is now teeming with journalists. As soon as they heard the news, they surrounded the residence, and if they could get in, they would have definitely forced their way in.

However, they were soon led to the lawn in front of the official residence, where His Excellency was to hold a press conference, and reporters naturally flocked there.

News vans were parked in front of the official residence, and journalists from various countries stood on the lawn. Facing these reporters, Li Yi'an stood on the podium and said:
"Yes, I know that at this moment, everyone must be hoping I'll say something. Yes, I should say something. After all, I've won the Nobel Prize in Physics again. I'm even wondering where I should put my medal. After all, I already have three Nobel Prize medals, once as a scientist and twice as a politician..."

Li Yi'an's speech made everyone on the lawn burst into laughter, as everyone knows. But amidst the laughter, one had to admit one thing—it was too Versailles.

"First of all, I am very grateful to the Nobel Committee for recognizing me. I know that this honor is not only an affirmation of my personal life, but also an affirmation of human scientific and technological progress and innovation."

Looking at the people below the stage, Li Yi'an continued:
"Many people want to know how I felt when I heard the news. Of course, it was a surprise, but not unexpected. After all, in the past two decades, we have all personally experienced the changes and impacts that integrated circuits have brought to human technology and life. It has ushered in an unprecedented era and will surely bring human civilization to an unprecedented height."

In his subsequent speech, Li Yi'an was less concerned with his feelings about winning the award and more concerned with showing humanity his vision of the future—a future transformed by electronic information technology, a future with artificial intelligence and many other seemingly distant yet closely-integrated scientific advancements.

Finally, Li Yi'an said again:

"Of course, we must conduct further research before that, but I believe that in the near future, they will surely change the future of humanity..."

(End of this chapter)