Chapter 661 CERN Vote

At the same time, while the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study was carrying out experiments on "sonoluminescence" and "acoustic fusion" related projects, a seminar on the mass gap issue was also going on at CERN's headquarters in Switzerland.

The number of people attending this conference was small, but they were basically well-known scholars who existed at the top of the physics field today, and more than half of them had won the Nobel Prize.

It is no exaggeration to say that if someone drops a bomb here, the development of world physics will be stagnant for at least fifty years...

After walking into the stepped conference room, Witten found an inconspicuous seat and sat down, somewhat unexpectedly looking at another scholar in front of the conference table.

Peter Higgs!

Discoverer of the God Particle!

Since returning to the UK from CERN after 13 years, he has rarely appeared in the public eye. Now that he is 91 years old, Witten never thought that he would be able to see him at this meeting.

But think about it, this kind of conference that will determine the future of physics, but anyone who still cares about this subject that he has devoted his youth and sweat to, will not easily miss such a conference.

Taking advantage of the gap before the meeting, Witten took the time to look around the scholars in the venue, and found that not only Peter Higgs appeared here for the first time, but also many physicists who were withdrawn and rarely traveled far. At this moment, they are all sitting in this stepped conference room, quietly waiting for the meeting to start.

"It's really surprising." Sitting next to Witten, Jaffe smiled and said, "I didn't expect to see so many old friends here that I usually don't see."

"Yes." Witten nodded with emotion, and just as he was about to say something, the sound of a microphone test came from the front of the auditorium.

The chairman of CERN who was standing on the stage cleared his throat and announced the start of the meeting.

"We've talked long enough, and delayed long enough, about the mass gap."

"Now that the entire theoretical physics community is waiting for our conclusions, I think that rather than let the controversy continue, it is better to let the physics community know for a while from our voices...whether it is correct or not."

Having said that, the chairman paused and continued.

"Therefore, I propose to vote for or against by a show of hands."

There were whispers in the meeting room.

Looking at the commotion in the audience, the chairman coughed, then raised his voice and continued.

"Those who agree, please raise your hand."

Swish Swish Swish——

At least 70% of the people in the conference room raised their right hands one after another.

The staff sitting in the background counted the votes by show of hands and fed back the data on the screen in front of the stage.

After looking at the voting data on the screen, the chairman nodded, motioning for everyone to put their hands down, paused for a moment, and then continued to speak.

"Those who oppose please raise your hand."

swish swish——

As before, many people also raised their hands.

It's just that compared with those who raised their hands, there are not many people who oppose it, accounting for only about 15%. Moreover, many hands seemed to waver when they were raised. It can be seen that even those who hold opposing opinions, many people cannot stick to their views.

His eyes fell on the old man in the first row of the meeting room, and the director said in a respectful tone.

"Mr. Higgs, I noticed you raised your hand twice, may I ask your reason?"

Professor Higgs, who was sitting in the front row, stood up tremblingly.

Glancing at the chairman standing on the stage, he spoke slowly.

"Mr. Chairman, the reason why I raised my hand for the first time is because I can't find fault with that paper for the time being. The reason why I raised my hand for the second time is because I object to making a decision so hastily."

The chairman nodded and said: "I understand what you mean, but we have discussed it long enough. Not only me, many people think it is time for the final vote."

"I don't think it's enough," continued Mr. Higgs after a pause, "especially first of all, as the author of this theory, he is obliged to take responsibility for his own theory and explain his theory to us more clearly. point of view, and answer questions from doubters. During this period of time, I have been paying attention to the news published on the official website of Jinling University, but it seems that Professor Lu has no plan to hold a report meeting.”

This statement was echoed by many voices of approval.

At least half of the opponents agreed with Mr. Higgs' statement.

In particular, another Nobel laureate, Professor Wilczek, nodded in agreement and complained to the chairman angrily.

"My request is not high. Even if he can't come by himself, at least send a student or assistant to explain it to us for him!"

It is not uncommon to send their own students to give academic reports instead of themselves. When the research is busy or simply not interested in crowded places, some professors will occasionally send their own students to attend the report instead of themselves.

For example, Shinichi Mochizuki, who proposed the "Inter-Universe Theory", almost all the reports on the ABC conjecture were done by two of his students, and he himself "controlled the field" through the video link report meeting.

It is true that Professor Lu's current situation is not suitable for going abroad, and most of the scholars sitting here understand this situation very well.

But even if he doesn't want to go out, at least send a student over to make a report for him, right?

Hearing what Professor Wilczek said, the chairman of CER was silent for a while, and then spoke.

"About your suggestion, I will convey it to Professor Lu."

"Let's not discuss the report meeting for the time being, but only discuss the content of the text itself. Regarding the theory expounded by Professor Lu Zhou on the quality gap issue, does anyone have any doubts or objections?"

This time, no hands were raised.

Even Mr. Higgs had no opinion.

And Witten, who never raised his hand from beginning to end.

Looking around the meeting room, the director breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile appeared on his face.

Since these big cows have no objections, there shouldn't be any serious problems.

"It seems that we have reached a consensus on this issue."

"History will remember this day, and we have taken a big step in the direction of a grand unified theory!"

After a pause, he continued to speak.

"That's the end of the discussion about the mass gap."

"In addition, according to the proposals of several professors such as Edward Witten, regarding the experimental arrangement from the second half of the year to the first half of next year, we will arrange the exploration plan for m-particles on the experimental schedule, aiming at the prediction of Professor Lu in the paper The energy zone is tested..."

"Whether we can find it or not, I believe that the experimental data obtained from it will give us a great impetus to perfect the standard model!"

The CERN meeting came to an end.

And on the day when the meeting ended, the world-renowned physics temple publicly issued a statement, announcing the approval of Lu Zhou's paper on mass gap research, and announced the agenda for next month's meeting on the official website, as well as the adjustment Subsequent experimental schedule.

Breaking news came one after another.

All of a sudden, all the scholars and people who were paying attention to this matter were all excited because of the result of the CERN vote...