1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 647 Young people always want to make a big splash! Conducting experiments in space! A feat that shocked China!
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it was 1926.

While the West is still celebrating the New Year and holding all sorts of events.

The Chinese New Year will not arrive until February.

Millions of Chinese in Southeast Asia still maintain the traditional custom of celebrating the Lunar New Year, rather than the Western New Year.

Therefore, apart from the places where the colonists lived, the rest of Kuching was relatively peaceful.

However, a bombshell news broke within the physics institute.

"what?"

"You want to go to heaven?"

"Are you kidding me?"

Deng Huaining stood up abruptly, his face full of disbelief.

Are young people these days working this hard to do scientific research?
Zhao Zhongyao scratched his head awkwardly and said with a smile:

"Teacher Deng, I have a compelling reason to go to heaven."

"I've done enough research on ground rays; now I need to study high-altitude rays."

"Observe whether there are any differences between them."

"Moreover, more than a decade ago, people were already studying cosmic rays in the high atmosphere."

Next, in order to convince his mentor, Zhao Zhongyao began to explain some relevant examples.

In real history, Rutherford discovered a strange phenomenon as early as 1903.

That is, when conducting radioactive experiments on the ground, even if all the radioactive sources are removed, a weak ionization phenomenon will still occur in the ionization chamber.

In physics, ionization refers to the process by which uncharged particles become charged particles under the influence of high voltage or high-energy radiation.

This clearly indicates that there is an unknown high-energy radiation in space.

Its penetrating power is very strong; even if the ionization chamber is covered by lead blocks, it cannot be blocked.

When ionization occurs in the ionization chamber, applying voltage at this point will generate current.

The intensity of radiation can be determined by the magnitude of the current.

The stronger the radiation, the higher the ionization rate, the more charged particles there are, and the greater the current.

At that time, Becquerel had only recently discovered natural radioactivity.

Physicists generally believe that this radiation in space is the radiation produced by radioactive materials in the Earth's soil.

Or it could be radiation from radioactive gases (radon) in space.

As a result, many people began to study this.

In 1909, scientists repeated Rutherford's experiment on a glacial lake in Ontario, Canada.

They believed that Rutherford's laboratory might contain too much radioactive material, which could easily interfere with the experiments.

The area around Ontario Glacier Lake is a desolate, uninhabited place for miles around, making it ideal for experiments.

Finally, it was found that ionization still occurred in the ionization chamber, but it was slightly lower than Rutherford's data.

This result demonstrates that space radiation does exist, and it is present everywhere on Earth.

In 1910, French scientists conducted an ionization chamber experiment at the top of the 300-meter-high Eiffel Tower.

He discovered that the ionization rate at the top of the tower differed from that at the ground.

This result indicates that space radiation is not uniformly distributed on the Earth's surface.

Next, Swiss scientists used a balloon to take the ionization chamber to an altitude of 4500 meters and recorded the ionization at different altitudes during the balloon's descent.

The conclusion drawn is that the ionization rate decreases as the altitude decreases.

Based on these experimental phenomena, the traditional "soil theory" and "gas theory" are somewhat untenable.

If this radiation really comes from radioactive materials on the ground, then why is the radiation stronger at higher altitudes?

Furthermore, the Earth's atmosphere becomes thinner as you go higher, so the contribution of radioactive gases to radiation should increase as altitude decreases.

There may be more to space radiation than meets the eye!

In 1911, Austrian physicist Hess made a mind-blowing decision!

He took the ionization chamber and personally flew in a balloon to an altitude of over 5000 meters to observe the radiation situation on the spot and rule out any unexpected factors.

Through his meticulous measurements, Hess discovered that the radiation intensity at an altitude of 5000 meters was nine times that at ground level.

In addition, he compared the results during the day and at night, and found that the results were the same.

This indicates that this spatial radiation does not originate from the sun, but rather comes from the universe itself.

Therefore, he proposed a bold hypothesis:

"This previously unknown radiation was mainly found in the high atmosphere, and it may be penetrating radiation from space."

In 1912, Hess published his paper, which immediately caused a huge sensation in the scientific community.

Initially, this radiation was called "Hess radiation," but it was later changed to "cosmic ray."

Subsequently, increasing evidence suggests that the radiation in space does not originate from Earth itself, but from outer space.

Hess's hypothesis is correct.

He later received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1936 for this.

Cosmic rays have become a very popular research area.

Many scientists want to figure out its composition and origin.

After listening to Zhao Zhongyao's account, Deng Huaining couldn't help but sigh.

The path of science has indeed been built upon the hard work and dedication of countless predecessors.

However, he still advised:

“Zhongyao, you just said that since Hess has already conducted similar experiments, why did you still go up there?”

"Shouldn't the only difference between high-altitude radiation and ground radiation be the intensity?"

"If you want to find new particles, you don't necessarily have to go to high altitudes."

Deng Huaining's main concern was safety.

Zhao Zhongyao is one of the few physics geniuses in China. If anything were to happen to him, it would be an enormous loss.

As a mentor, he not only has to care about his students' academic performance, but also be responsible for their personal safety.

Zhao Zhongyao chuckled and said:

"Teacher, that's because our research on cosmic rays is still very superficial."

"We don't even know what its components are yet."

"Some people think it's electromagnetic waves, some think it's particle streams, and some think it's a combination of both."

"Moreover, and most importantly, if the new particle I'm looking for is present in very small amounts in cosmic rays, it's very likely that it will be blocked when it passes through the atmosphere."

"In that case, there's no way I could find it on the ground."

"In addition, the current cloud chambers and other instruments are far more advanced than the ionization chambers of more than ten years ago."

"We might discover many entirely new phenomena."

"So, teacher, you agree, right?"

After hearing the other party's explanation, Deng Huaining was extremely conflicted.

He could understand the young man's feelings and admired him from the bottom of his heart.

The field of experimental physics is extremely hot right now, with new discoveries being made in Europe every day.

The Institute of Atomic Energy has just achieved another exciting breakthrough: the discovery of the neutron.

Who wouldn't envy and yearn for it?

The Chinese students who come to Borneo to study are not here for a vacation, but to make a name for themselves in the scientific community!
Will I be the next successful person?

After all, studying atomic physics doesn't require the extraordinary wisdom of a university president.

With enough boldness, meticulousness, and good luck, even graduate students can create miracles.

But the same problem remains.

Flying thousands of meters into the air in a balloon is extremely dangerous.

Just because some people can succeed doesn't mean everyone can.

Deng Huaining looked solemn, thought for a moment, and then made up his mind, saying:

"Alright, I'll take you to find the principal."

"If he agrees, then I agree!"

Zhao Zhongyao was overjoyed upon hearing this.

"Thank you, teacher."

"I hope you can say a few good words for me to Professor Li."

Now that things had come to this, Deng Huaining had come to terms with it and sighed:

"You!" "If you don't succeed in the future, it will be truly an injustice."

Zhao Zhongyao smiled happily.
-
Inside the Wuya Pavilion.

Ridgway is meeting with Borneo Special Envoy Summers from Britain.

A few days ago, Venus held a grand New Year's Day celebration at her palace.

Both Ridgway and Summers received invitations.

At the party, Summers asked Ridgway to visit him at his home another day.

The reason given was to discuss matters related to the development of Borneo.

Inside the office, Summers took a sip of tea and said with a smile:

"Professor Bruce, I admire you very much!"

"You have transformed this barren land into a science center for all of Asia in a very short period of time."

"The City of Science has attracted scholars from dozens of countries around the world."

"The Alpha Labs you founded has invented several groundbreaking technological products."

"I have full confidence in the future of Borneo."

Summers, as expected of a special envoy, is a master of rhetoric, his flattery is subtle and effective.

However, Li Qiwei has been a powerful figure for over twenty years, and is now even more cunning than an old fox.

He instantly understood the other person's implied meaning.

“I know everything about Borneo.”

"You have not broken the agreement; you are indeed developing science and technology."

So he said with a smile:

"where."

"My goal is to focus solely on the development of science."

"The science city has not yet attracted the top scientists, and there is still a lot of room for growth."

"Therefore, I also need the strong support of the UK to promote the benefits of our Borneo."

Summers chuckled, but was inwardly shocked.

The legendary Professor Bruce is indeed extraordinary.

The scientists he dealt with almost all had a bookish air about them and had no idea about these intricacies.

However, the other party not only understood his subtext, but also cleverly countered him, which made the subsequent negotiations more favorable.

Summers quickly changed the subject:

"Haha, Professor Bruce, you're joking."

"I heard that the Institute of Atomic Science recently published a major achievement."

"This shows that your investment and planning have begun to take effect."

Li Qiwei chuckled.

The two engaged in a back-and-forth exchange, a debate that transcended scientific boundaries.

After the meeting, Summers left satisfied.

At this moment, Wang Zhengyang walked in.

"Principal, Professor Deng brought Zhao Zhongyao to see you. It's about an experimental issue."

Li Qiwei had just finished showcasing Summers and was in a good mood, saying:
"Let them come."

Soon, the two of them came to him.

After Deng Huaining finished explaining Zhao Zhongyao's request, Li Qiwei was completely dumbfounded.

"What?"

"You want to go to heaven?"

Goodness, the task he gave Zhao Zhongyao didn't require anything too far.

The same results can be obtained by studying cosmic rays on the ground.

I never expected that the other party would have such high expectations of me, risking great danger just to study the complete cosmic rays.

This absolutely qualifies as a dedication to scientific endeavors.

Li Qiwei's first thought was also about safety.

This era is not like the future; even airplanes are unstable, let alone balloons.

The consequences could be disastrous if we are not careful.

Moreover, this will be a huge blow to all researchers in Borneo.

But at the same time, this is also a very good opportunity.

An opportunity to showcase China's scientific heritage and the courage of its young scholars!

Imagine if Zhao Zhongyao had successfully completed his scientific research at an altitude of 5000 meters and made groundbreaking discoveries that would shock the academic world.

What exciting news that would be!
The entire nation of China will be proud of this!
This is a great feat for the Chinese scientific community!

Especially for ordinary Chinese people who lack scientific literacy, the meaning of going to heaven is even more legendary.

If Edison's tens of thousands of experiments on a light bulb can be hailed as a model, then Zhao Zhongyao's deeds deserve even more acclaim.

Li Qiwei even wanted to go up there himself.

But given his current status and position, he can only dream about it; those around him would absolutely not agree.

Summers's probing was actually a reminder to him.

He had to occasionally create some high-profile scientific events to lull the British into a false sense of security.

"See? Professor Bruce has gone mad for science."

"His level of understanding is different from ours."

In an instant, Li Qiwei's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He suddenly looked at Zhao Zhongyao, his face full of satisfaction, and said in a hearty voice:

"it is good!"

"Since you have this courage and determination, Zhongyao!"

I'll support you no matter what!

Zhao Zhongyao was overjoyed; he hadn't expected Professor Li to be so supportive.

"However, having confidence is a good thing."

"Experimentation is secondary; safety is the most important thing."

“I will ask Chairman Gao Lu for an experienced balloon pilot to provide you with systematic training.”

"In addition, I will also have Hu Xizhong arrange for you to be a skydiving professional to teach you how to handle unexpected situations at high altitudes."

"At that time, the three of us, including you, will take off together to ensure everything goes smoothly."

Zhao Zhongyao was deeply moved; Professor Li had thought of everything for him.

This demonstrates the importance of resources.

If he had stayed in the country, there would have been no way he could have conducted such an experiment.

The skydiving professionals that Li Qiwei hired were actually professionals from the aircraft company under the Shanhe Group.

There are still relatively few such talents in China.

Deng Huaining, who was standing to the side, was completely relieved after hearing this.

With the principal's arrangements in place, Zhao Zhongyao would be fine as long as his luck didn't run out.

He smiled and reminded him:
"Zhongyao, you must make thorough preparations beforehand!"

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Don't think there will be a second time."

Zhao Zhongyao said:
"Don't worry, teacher, I understand."

"I have consulted a lot of information, and I have thought out the whole content of the experiment."

Deng Huaining nodded in satisfaction.

Li Qiwei looked at Zhao Zhongyao, his heart filled with endless emotions.

The Chinese scientific community has never lacked true geniuses and seekers of truth.

All they lack is an opportunity.

fortunately.

"In this life, I am here!"

(End of this chapter)