LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 3: The International Science Conference
The Mysteries of Science and New Encounters
On the Day of the Lecture
Satoshi Koizumi and Sui Takahara made their way to the Tokyo International Forum. The venue was already buzzing with domestic and international researchers, filled with a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement. At this major international conference, prominent scientists from around the world had gathered, and the atmosphere was charged with focus and seriousness.
As the lecture began, Li Wenqiang calmly took the stage. His composed demeanor and steady voice commanded the attention of the entire room. His presentation was technical yet accessible, allowing everyone to follow along. The audience sat in rapt silence, hanging on to every word.
“How quantum mechanics influences our reality—the possibilities are endless. Today, I would like to reconsider how the act of observation deeply affects the reality we perceive.”
Li presented results from past quantum entanglement experiments, explaining how the presence of an observer could alter outcomes. Using slides, he detailed the principles behind these phenomena. Scientists in the audience nodded in agreement, their focused gazes locked on the presentation. As Satoshi listened, he felt his understanding of the field deepen further. Takahara, diligently taking notes, struggled to grasp some of the more complex concepts.
A Meeting After the Lecture
When the lecture concluded, the hall erupted in applause. Satoshi, eager to ask questions, tried to make his way to the front, but a crowd of researchers had already gathered around Li, bombarding him with questions. Standing a bit apart, Satoshi felt a mix of impatience and excitement.
At that moment, Li happened to notice Satoshi standing quietly and made eye contact with him. While politely answering others’ questions, Li slowly walked toward him.
“Do you have a question?” Li asked with a friendly smile.
Though Satoshi felt a brief surge of nervousness, he collected himself and responded calmly. “Yes, your research deeply moved me. May I ask you a few questions?”
Li listened intently to Satoshi’s inquiries and was impressed by his insight and passion. The two continued their conversation, bonding over their shared enthusiasm for science. With a warm smile, Li handed Satoshi his business card, saying, “Let’s stay in touch.” In that moment, Satoshi realized he had made a vital connection that could open new doors in his research.
A Reunion with Sora Amano
As Satoshi and Li spoke after the lecture, Sora Amano watched from a distance. He, too, had been eagerly awaiting this lecture, having long admired Li Wenqiang’s research. However, Sora hesitated to approach, still feeling nervous.
Sora Amano was an old friend of Satoshi’s from university and a fellow researcher. They had worked together on numerous projects, sharing knowledge and experiences. Sora had always respected Satoshi’s calm analytical skills and had often sought his help in the past.
After Satoshi finished his conversation with Li, Sora gathered his courage and approached.
“Professor Li, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Sora Amano, and I’m studying astrophysics. Your lecture today was incredibly inspiring,” Sora said, bowing deeply as he spoke.
Li smiled at Sora’s politeness and replied, “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Amano. Astrophysics is a fascinating field. What are you currently researching?”
Slightly nervous but determined, Sora answered, “I’m researching large-scale structures of the universe and quantum gravity theories.” His words carried an unmistakable passion, which Li quickly picked up on.
“That’s fantastic research. I’d love to hear more about your progress in the future,” Li said with genuine interest.
Sora was both surprised and deeply moved by Li’s response. He hadn’t expected a world-renowned authority to show interest in his work.
On the Way Home from the Conference
As the conference ended and they left the Tokyo International Forum, Takahara seemed a bit perplexed and asked Satoshi, “Dr. Koizumi, today’s talk was fascinating, but to be honest, a lot of it was hard for me to grasp. Especially the part about particles behaving like waves until they’re observed…”
Satoshi chuckled and replied, “That’s perfectly normal, Takahara. Quantum mechanics is far from intuitive. Let me explain it using the double-slit experiment as an example.”
Explanation of the Double-Slit Experiment
“Imagine throwing a ball at two slits. Normally, the ball would go through one of the slits and land on the other side, right? But when it comes to electrons or photons, things are different. If you don’t observe them, they behave like waves, spreading out and passing through both slits simultaneously.”
Takahara, still amazed, asked, “So, they spread out like waves when they’re not observed?”
“Exactly. But the moment you observe them, they behave like regular particles, passing through only one slit. When unobserved, they act as if they pass through both slits at the same time. This strange behavior is at the heart of quantum mechanics,” Satoshi explained.
Explanation of the Many-Worlds Interpretation
“This experiment shows that observation collapses the possibilities into a single outcome,” Satoshi said, shifting to a more serious tone. “But some scientists take this a step further with a bold interpretation called the ‘Many-Worlds’ theory.”
Takahara, intrigued, asked, “What do you mean by that?”
“In the Many-Worlds interpretation, every possible outcome exists simultaneously. For example, when you flip a coin, we think it will land on either heads or tails. But in this theory, both results exist in parallel worlds.”
“So, both happen at the same time?” Takahara asked, still trying to wrap his mind around it.
“That’s right. Imagine that today you decided to come to this conference, but in another world, there’s a ‘Takahara’ who didn’t make that choice and went somewhere else. In every decision we make, the universe splits into different paths. That’s the idea behind the Many-Worlds interpretation.”
Takahara, now deep in thought, began to reflect on his own life choices—choosing his university, majoring in physics, and becoming a researcher. What if, in another world, he had taken a completely different path?
“So, every choice we make connects to a different world…?” Takahara mused, starting to view the Many-Worlds theory in a personal light.
“That’s the idea. While it hasn’t been fully proven yet, this interpretation is one of the many fascinating ways scientists are trying to explain the mysteries of quantum mechanics,” Satoshi added.
The Impact of the Treaty
Japan, the United States, China, and India had signed a treaty promoting collaboration in scientific research, allowing researchers from these countries to freely share information and work together. Thanks to this treaty, Satoshi, Li Wenqiang, and other researchers worldwide could easily collaborate and access the latest research developments.
This treaty enabled Satoshi and his team to deepen their study of quantum mechanics and the Many-Worlds interpretation, opening up new possibilities for groundbreaking discoveries.