The top student must be diligent.

Chapter 225: Scientists on par with Einstein
Undoubtedly, Xiao Yi gave a very good answer to the first question.

Although it sounds not as good as his choice between physics, mathematics and materials, Jennifer believes that as long as this interview is released, it will definitely attract a lot of attention.

Especially the knowledge inheritance technology mentioned by Xiao Yi, which made her eyes light up.

Developing education means developing knowledge inheritance technology, which sounds like good news indeed.

If you think about it carefully, isn’t the stage in which human science has made great progress also related to the increasingly popularization of education?
"Your answer is really eye-opening. I like it very much."

Jennifer praised.

"Thank you." Xiao Yi nodded slightly.

"However, I am actually more curious about which field you think is the most important among the fields you have studied?"

Jennifer still hasn't given up on this.

Xiao Yi spread his hands and then said, "Well, for this question, emotionally, I think it's mathematics. After all, people also know that I studied mathematics at the beginning."

"But rationally, I think it's material."

"As humans have developed to this day, all the important breakthroughs have occurred in materials. For example, our chips come from silicon extracted from sand. Through continuous upgrading, we have formed today's powerful chips."

"In the future, the development of human science and technology will always be inseparable from the research of materials."

"For example, in nuclear fusion technology, the most important issue is the material problem. If this material problem is not solved, then whether nuclear fusion can be achieved will always be an unknown."

Jennifer's eyes lit up and she said, "Nuclear fusion? Is that the technology that can provide humans with infinite energy?"

Xiao Yi replied: "Yes, theoretically speaking, once nuclear fusion is achieved, humans will not need to worry about energy issues for a long time."

Jennifer asked, "But, speaking of this technology, I also noticed that a while ago many people on the Internet were discussing that you have begun to study nuclear fusion. Some people even said that it won't be long before humans can move towards a new level of civilization. It can be seen that many people believe that you can achieve a breakthrough. So, have you really started to study nuclear fusion? Do you think you can achieve nuclear fusion?"

Xiao Yi was about to answer when he suddenly remembered what Director Liu Cong had told him before.

The White House has already paid attention to his research on nuclear fusion, although it was only because of Greenwald's previous research on the limits. However, facing such American media...

Therefore, it is better to be a little cautious about such issues.

Maybe the female reporter asked him this question for other purposes?
So he pondered for a moment and replied, "I have indeed conducted relevant research on nuclear fusion, but not much. Basically, it is just what is said on the Internet. I studied a theory called Greenwald limit. This theory does not have much significance for achieving controlled nuclear fusion."

"As for your question about whether I think I can achieve a breakthrough in nuclear fusion..."

At this point, Xiao Yi burst out laughing and said, "Perhaps you can ask Professors like Terence Tao and Fefferman about this question. Especially Terence Tao. I remember he is also your presidential science advisor."

"In my opinion, nuclear fusion may be realized in the next 50 years. Of course, if you asked this question 20 years ago, you would probably get the same answer - another years."

Hearing Xiao Yi's answer, Jennifer laughed, as if she was amused by the joke.

"It seems that we humans still have a long way to go before we can enter a new level of civilization."

"I don't know if I can meet him in my lifetime."

Xiao Yi shrugged: "I want to know too."

What he said was the truth, because, if nuclear fusion cannot be achieved in the next few decades even if he is cheating, then it can only be proved that nuclear fusion is just a technology that exists in theory.

"Then, next question." Jennifer said, "As the smartest person in the world, what do other people look like to you? Do you divide people into different categories based on their IQ? For example, those with high IQ and those with low IQ..."

Hearing this question, Xiao Yi laughed again, and then said: "I'm sorry, there is no racial discrimination in China, so I don't divide people into different categories. I don't have such a habit."

Jennifer was stunned for a moment, then said with emotion: "Well, you are right. There is indeed a lot of racial discrimination in the United States. It is great to be able to live in a country without discrimination."

……

Next, Jennifer asked a lot of questions, many of which were about what ordinary people were concerned about as a top scientist, such as his daily schedule, whether he had any advice for young students, and so on.

Until the end, "Okay, thank you for your patience in answering the questions above. Now, the last question."

"Recently, we have seen various opinions online that say that the development of human scientific research has slowed down and that it is unlikely that there will be any major breakthroughs in the future of human science. I wonder if you are optimistic or pessimistic about the future development of human science?"

Xiao Yi was stunned, probably not expecting such a question to be asked at the end.
And this question happened to be what he had been thinking about some time ago.

Thinking back to the dream that night, he still remembered the scene in the dream.

However, so many days have passed, and my originally tangled mood has long since calmed down.

Moreover, he has never been as positive about future development as he is now.

It has been less than 18 years since the first industrial revolution in the middle of the 300th century until now, but mankind has gone from being ignorant to being able to do anything in the world.

In just less than three hundred years, we have reached this point today.

Compared with the fact that unified dynasties in China generally lasted about 300 years, it means that after a dynasty changes, people in the new dynasty are already using mobile phones and computers.

Now, although nuclear fusion seems very unlikely, looking at the future with today's perspective will only limit our vision to the present.

As the famous saying goes: "Heavier-than-air aircraft are impossible."

The person who said this was a famous scientist in history, named Kelvin, the Kelvin of Kelvin temperature.

And there was an astronomer named Simon Newcomb, who published an article in The Independent in October 1903 called "On the Impossibility of Flying Machines", in which he commented: Will our mechanics... finally be forced to admit that air flight is one of the great classes of problems which mankind will never be able to cope with, and to abandon all attempts to solve it?

There are many scientists like this who deny the existence of flying machines.

Unexpectedly, in December, the Wright brothers completed the first test flight of an aircraft.

Of course, news did not spread fast enough at the time, so Simon Newcombe did not learn about this incident until 1908, which did avoid his embarrassment to a certain extent.

However, until now...

Xiao Yi shook his head. He didn't want to be Simon Newcomb or Kelvin.

As a person with a talent, what he needs to do is to always be able to do the right thing.

"This question is actually very interesting. Perhaps we should discuss this issue from the perspective of combining science and philosophy. To be honest, I also had some negative thoughts in the past, but now I have changed my mind." "In 300 years, all mankind has been able to develop from knowing nothing about the world to the current level."

"So, as scientists, what we have to do is to always have confidence in future technology. Otherwise, when you make a conclusion about the future, you will have been abandoned by the future."

Jennifer's eyes lit up when she heard the last sentence: "Cool! Your answer is really great. I've already thought of a title for this!"

Xiao Yi smiled and said, "You're welcome. So, is this interview over now?"

"Of course... uh, there's only one last step left."

Jennifer stood up and said with a smile: "Don't forget, you are the cover character of our next issue, so we need to take a cover photo for you."

"Robert, I leave it to you."

Jennifer said to her fellow photographer next to her.

The photographer gave an OK gesture.

After some simple design, they went outside and finally took a photo.

Xiao Yi raised his head and looked at the tree next to him, but from the photographer's angle, he seemed to be looking at the blue sky.

Looking at the trees represents current research, or what has been mastered, while the sky represents the unknown.

The triangular composition also makes this photo look particularly artistic.

"Perfact! Perfect!"

The photographer gave an OK sign, and after looking at the photos, Xiao Yi and Jennifer also expressed their praise.
“Great photos!”

"Robert feels that your skills have improved again."

The photographer smiled and said, "I studied with the 2021 Pulitzer Prize winner."

Jennifer gave him a thumbs up, and then said to Xiao Yi: "Well, Professor Xiao, thank you very much for accepting the interview. You will be able to see you on our cover next week."

"We'll send you a copy when the time comes."

"Then we will not bother you any more. I hope you can solve more problems for mankind in the future!"

After quickly packing up all the interview tools, Jennifer and Xiao Yi shook hands for the last time and left with the photographer.

After Xiao Yi watched her leave, he spread out his hands with a strange expression and looked at a small note lying on it.

The small note contained Jennifer's Instagram contact information and even her WeChat account.

What do you see in him?

Smart, handsome, or maybe you want to get close to him and get information, or maybe you just think he is rich?

Although he preferred smart and handsome, considering the woman's shining eyes when she introduced his wealth to Thomas Clay.

Maybe it’s because he’s rich.

"Hmm...how vulgar."

He casually threw the note into the trash can next to him, then Xiao Yi waved to the other side. After a while, Wang Li, who was brought here by Liu Cong to protect him, came over.

As Xiao Yi's bodyguard, he has of course always been by Xiao Yi's side to protect him.

When he got there, he asked in a deep voice, "Professor, what's the matter?"

"Let someone check the identity of the reporter just now, or whether she has received instructions from those American departments. She just asked me if I was researching nuclear fusion. Her purpose is questionable."

"Yes." Wang Li nodded: "I'll contact the person now."

Xiao Yi nodded.

Although there is no guarantee that it can be investigated, if some suspicious points can be found, it would be worth it.

In matters like this, evidence is never important; suspicion is the most important thing.

He stopped caring about it and touched his stomach. Well, although he had just eaten a bowl of Huainan beef soup, it was a buffet type and one portion was not very much, so he was a little hungry again.

"It's time to get some more food."

Finally he went back to the hotel.

……

Time passed quickly.

Xiao Yi's report attracted a lot of attention, and the subsequent academic exchange meeting was also quite successful. In the end, I heard that quite a few foreign talents had some ideas. Although they might not all be willing to stay, once they have the intention, it means they have an opportunity.

It can be said that the entire activity achieved considerable results.

For a time, this matter caused a lot of discussion in the domestic academic circles.

When the second week came, with the release of a new issue of Time magazine, when people saw the cover character of this issue, it immediately sparked discussions almost around the world.

Probably, except for those who got the news in advance, no one else would have thought that Time magazine would actually publish a Chinese.

The Chinese who can appear on the cover of Time magazine are basically leaders.

So, a lot of people were shocked by this.

However, after learning that the cover character this time was Xiao Yi, most people expressed some understanding.

Such a scientist who is comparable to Albert Einstein is indeed worthy of being the cover character.

Yes, although there are still quite a lot of people who are unwilling to admit it, it is generally recognized in the scientific community that Xiao Yi is a scientist who can be compared with Einstein.

(End of this chapter)