I Just Want to Be a Quiet Top Student

Edward Witten has been very unrestrained in the past two years. He and his wife have traveled around the world and have circled the earth for a week. This time, it is the second time to scan the world map.

Witten is quite wealthy, and he enjoys a lifelong professorship at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He has published 17 academic monographs in his life, and the best-selling book is "Superstring Theory" published in 1987.

The United States has very strict protection of intellectual property rights. Witten, which has sold academic monographs for decades, is now living a life of lying down and collecting money.

Scholars who do pure theoretical research will also live a good life. Weiteng is a vivid example.

Shen Qi knows that it is difficult to impress Wei Teng with material temptations such as money. If he wants to invite a dignified boss, the more reliable entry point is feelings and feelings: "Edward, do you still remember that morning five years ago? I wandered aimlessly on the lawn in front of the Institute for Advanced Study and lost my way for a while, it was you who pulled me back on track, you are the most important mentor and friend in my life."

"Get down to business." Witten said concisely.

Shen Qi said frankly: "I want to hire you as a visiting professor in my department. I will tell the school and they will definitely agree. I hope you can help us in physics, mathematical physics and other aspects."

"Let me think about it. I'll see you at PKU in about a week... Irene, did you get our number? Qi, let's do this first, bye." Wei Teng on the phone seemed very busy, and the background sound was similar to the noisy environment of a restaurant, Hong Kong People speak Cantonese, Wei Teng and his wife are waiting in line for food.

Rich American old men and old ladies are very good at enjoying life. After they retire, they will play around the world. The Witten couple should be waiting for afternoon tea in Hong Kong.

A week later, Wei Teng and his wife arrived at Yanda as scheduled.

Today is Saturday, Shen Qi took Wei Teng to visit the Shen Qi Mathematics Research Center alone: ​​"Edward, this is my site, it's not bad."

"It's big enough, about twice the size of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton," Witten said.

"Edward, how do you think about my proposal last week?" Shen Qi asked.

"Is it a visiting professor? It's so strange. What do you need me to do?"

"N-S equation, we are going to officially attack this project, Edward, we need your advice."

"Is it the N-S equation? I think it should be fine." Wei Teng is expressing his opinion. After all, the old man is talking about feelings. When Shen Qi got married, he flew from the United States to China to attend the wedding. It can be seen that Shen Qi was in Wei Teng The status in the old man's mind.

"Wow, cool." Shen Qi was very happy. His center is about to welcome a big boss-level support, which means that the center has taken a solid step on the road of internationalization.

"Actually, the N-S equation will be promoted by our center's mathematics team." Shen Qi briefly introduced the center's organizational structure.

"It's actually better for the mathematics team to be responsible for this project." Witten agrees to use mathematicians as the main force to overcome the N-S equation.

Shen Qi added: "There are three physical problems that have been bothering me. First, the lifespan of protons. Second, the information paradox of black holes. Third, the explanation of the basic degrees of freedom of M theory. These are all problems in theoretical physics. It will be studied in depth by our central physics team. The third question is the one you are most familiar with, Edward."

The third question is closely related to string theory. Witten asked: "Qi, what do you want to do?"

Shen Qi smiled and said, "I want to answer this question, with you, Edward."

"Are you serious?" Wei Teng suddenly trembled, probably because the old man was talking about teenage madness.

Witten's masterpiece "Superstring Theory" is hailed as the bible of theoretical physics, and countless physicists read it at night.

Whether it is popular or not, it may be Weiteng.

Even though Witten has a godfather-like status in the field of theoretical physics, he missed the Nobel Prize.

After so many years, the old man has almost become bearish.

But life is sometimes very showy, when you are full of expectations, she is indifferent to you. When you are close to the state of ascetic abstinence, she teases you and makes you burn again.

Shen Qi decided to study the basic degree of freedom explanation of M theory with Wei Teng, and Wei Teng was teased.

The two talked and laughed and came to the second floor. Weiteng found that the second floor was a laboratory, but there was no equipment related to proton life, black hole information paradox, and M theory.

"It's full of equipment for material preparation and testing," Witten said.

"As you can see, yes, it's all experimental equipment related to condensed matter physics materials. You know Edward, I have to do some application projects, otherwise I won't be able to support so many excellent employees." Shen Qi explained, Take Witten up to the third floor.

Half of the rooms on the third floor are empty, and the other half are arranged quite casually. The coffee shop, gym, calligraphy and painting room, chess and card room, and audio-visual entertainment room seem to be in an entertainment club.

"It seems that you are very kind to your employees." Witten praised.

"Unfortunately, except for the coffee shop, the utilization rate of other entertainment and leisure facilities is quite low. They are too busy to relax. This is not the situation I want to see." Shen Qi shook his head and smiled helplessly. Very busy.

"Hey, this coffee shop is decorated in the style of the Princeton Department of Mathematics coffee shop." Wei Teng entered the coffee shop and strolled around.

"Do you like it here, Edward?"

"The hardware is very good, but I always feel that it lacks some humanistic atmosphere." Witten came to such a conclusion.

What you always said is correct. The humanistic atmosphere of the Department of Mathematics in Princeton is formed by the accumulation of a dozen Philippine award bosses gathering together to drink coffee every day... Shen Qi and Wei Teng came to the fourth floor, and he said: " My office is on the fourth floor, Edward, visiting professors don’t have to stay at Yanda every month, your office is also on the fourth floor, you worked here during your time at Yanda, I wonder if you are satisfied?”

"It looks pretty good...God, why do you have animals here? Monkeys?" Wei Teng visited with great interest, and suddenly found a few monkeys, quite surprised.

Shen Qi explained: "They are experimental animals, and they are great heroes."

Wei Tengxian's doubts: "Odd, N-S equation, M theory, or condensed matter physics, why do we need experimental animals?"

"Because this laboratory is a chemical laboratory, currently it mainly conducts drug research." Shen Qi brought Wei Teng to the 401 laboratory.

Looking at the chemical equipment and raw materials in the room, Wei Teng was shocked: "Qi, do you really want to study chemistry, medicine, and monkeys?"

"Do you think I'm joking? I still have to study mathematics. To be honest, Edward, I'm under a lot of pressure, so I urgently need your help, even if you can only stay in Yanda for two months a year, It has also been of great help to me.”

"N-S equation, M theory, proton lifetime, black hole information paradox, condensed matter physics, chemical synthesis, drug preparation, monkeys, mathematical unification..." Witten connected all the information and got an amazing conclusion: "I Got it, Qi, you want to rule the world before the age of forty."