Chapter 541 253 Lift, It Can All Be Lifted (8.2K)

"Appetizer? Main course?"

Upon hearing these two words from Xu Yun's mouth,

Old Fa, Stokes, and the other professors all felt a strange sensation.

The light speed measurement, enough to cause a stir in today's scientific community, was merely an appetizer in Xu Yun's mouth?

What kind of joke is this?!

Though the term light speed seems quite grandiose,

in reality, it's a data point belonging to the fundamental properties of physics.

Firstly, it denotes that there's a limit to the motion of light,

or rather, a limit to the transmission of information and energy.

It means events occurring in different parts of the universe won't instantly reach Earth... or any life-bearing planet, so organisms aren't "flooded" by massive amounts of information.

This is how,

the macroscopic world can operate normally—defined from a future perspective, it should be said that biological evolution can proceed normally.

Secondly, it serves a function in geometrical optics, where numerous formulas within theory require the definition of light speed.

This definition might not produce straightforward numerical results, yet it forms the boundaries of theoretical models, its importance is self-evident.

So after Old Fa and others calculated the results, their emotions were generally complex:

They were surprised that Xu Yun could settle the long-debated light speed calculation for the scientific community, yet felt a sense of loss that their lifetime efforts were overshadowed by Fat Fish's solution over a hundred years ago.

Yet they were also delighted that related theories and even human technology would see a significant advancement.

Unexpectedly though...

This intricate solution, enough to be recorded in history and whose proposer could undoubtedly earn the Copley Medal...

Isn't even the main course?

It's like the heroine in a comic book imagining her partner has fully entered, but in fact, only a half is in.

This is a very subtle feeling.

Therefore, upon learning that there's much more to be uncovered, Old Fa's heart surged with a complex emotion of fear mixed with anticipation.

The appetizer alone is so exciting, what about the main course?

Old Fa even touched the inner pocket of his chest, where two nitroglycerin tablets specially supplied by the United Kingdom's Royal Family were kept.

After a moment of silence, he took a deep breath and said to Xu Yun:

"Student Luo Feng, what experiment do we proceed with next?"

Xu Yun glanced at Angus Roman nearby, then turned to William Whewell and asked:

"Mr. Whewell, have you gathered all the additional equipment I requested?"

William Whewell, who was originally chatting with Stokes, lifted his high-waisted trousers upon hearing the words and said in a gentle tone:

"Rest assured, it's been long prepared. There are just a few small modules that are quite special, temporarily stored in the laboratory."

"I've already arranged for student Thomson to personally fetch them, they should be back within ten minutes."

William Whewell's expression was very amicable at this moment, with uncontrollable joy in his eyes.

He had just learned from Stokes about the significance of the light measurement experiment, and the current situation was no longer much related to Angus Roman's skepticism.

Which means that whether Xu Yun can bring forward evidence against the wave theory next, it actually wouldn't significantly impact his identity as a 'descendant of Fat Fish'.

After all, the ingenious light speed calculation method truly was too exquisite, who else could have thought it up except Fat Fish?

It certainly couldn't have been Luo Feng himself, right?

Given the current context with the wave-particle duality concept already proposed, the importance of this experiment may not outweigh evidence against the wave theory by much.

It's akin to someone solving the Goldbach Conjecture, yet inadvertently proving the Hodge conjecture.

Even if they eventually cannot solve Goldbach's conjecture, would you say they aren't a top mathematician?

The answer is clearly no.

Of course.

Previously Stokes and others, without knowing Xu Yun's subsequent arrangements, made judgments based on existing concepts.

In summary.

In front of Xu Yun's appetizer.

The lethal combo move that Purim launched using Angus Roman effectively lost its impact against William Whewell.

This signified that he retained the dignity of the Trinity College dean, still possessing the eligibility to campaign for the new principal.

How could this not please him?

Thus, before Xu Yun spoke,

he had already arranged for Thomson to personally go to the laboratory, transporting the equipment Xu Yun requested to the scene.

Ten minutes later.

Thomson and Wheat were panting and carried a few carts back to the open ground.

Sound of clanging—

Soon.

Several components, unidentifiable metal pieces, metal spheres, and a piano-sized wooden support frame were placed on the open ground.

Xu Yun donned latex gloves and began assembling the equipment himself.

Although rubber gloves were only invented in 1889, latex gloves mixed with basic lead carbonate had been around for 11 years.

Plus, these components had already been tested in the laboratory, so assembling them wasn't particularly troublesome.

Over ten minutes later.

A simple electrolytic cell appeared on the wooden table where the flashlight was previously placed upon.

The electrolytic cell was about the size of meal delivery boxes equipped by delivery personnel in later generations, wrapped in black bandages externally, filled with solution inside.

The solution was divided into two areas by a thin membrane, with each area inserted with a metal plate.

The size and appearance of the metal plates were identical, clearly pre-arranged in terms of specification.

Then Xu Yun beckoned Thomson and whispered a few words, instructing him to assemble another set of experimental equipment.