As Jason read through the report, he deeply felt the sheer, unbridled ambition radiating from the physicists.
They wanted to tackle one of the most historically significant and complex problems in human history: the Grand Unified Theory! They hoped to discover supersymtric particles using the Super Hadron Collider, finally proving the Supersymtry Theory once and for all.
Lily remained silent for a long ti before continuing, "At present, our primary goal is to explore Supersymtry models at much higher energy levels."
"But... no one actually knows if Supersymtry is just a mathematically elegant fiction we’ve created. It could be exactly like the ancient Geocentric Theory, an incredibly complex, perfectly balanced system of ’epicycles’ and ’deferents’ that looked mathematically perfect, but was fundantally wrong about the nature of the universe."
"So physicists believe that chasing higher energy standards is a waste of ti, while others think it’s the only way forward. Who truly knows until the experintal facts are on the table? Just like Einstein, who firmly believed that ’God does not play dice with the universe,’ only for quantum chanics to prove him completely wrong. Nature or rather, the universe is always full of incredible, frustrating surprises."
"Our only option is to build the Super Hadron Collider bigger and more powerful than anything before, and test those higher energy scales... However, we must accept the very real possibility of total failure."
After saying this, Lily sat quietly, her hands resting in her lap. This was a decision Jason had to make for himself.
Jason was caught in a massive dilemma. This proposal was essentially a colossal gamble!
Aboard the Noah, humanity’s resources were strictly finite. Allocating such a massive percentage of their limited mineral reserves and manpower to a cutting-edge physics project, essentially gambling on a theory that might not even succeed, seed like too high a price to pay. To a layman, it seed borderline irrational.
Moreover, even if the high-energy Supersymtry Theory was proven correct, it wouldn’t have any tangible impact on the daily lives of the civilians for a very, very long ti.
However, Jason couldn’t afford to be short-sighted; he couldn’t just focus on surviving the next few years. As a leader, he had to consider the trajectory of humanity over the coming decades, or even centuries.
Basic theoretical science is never useless; it always yields practical miracles eventually.
The famous scientist Michael Faraday, globally renowned for his discovery of electromagnetic induction, was once questioned by a noblewoman while demonstrating his primitive dynamo at the Royal Society. She coldly asked, "What is the use of this toy?"
At the ti, electricity was indeed not very "useful"; it was like a newborn baby, fascinating to look at, but functionally impractical. Consequently, the noblewoman’s short-sighted remark beca a running joke for a century and is still quoted today.
Once basic science develops, it is never useless.
Satellites orbit planets relying on Einstein’s theory of relativity to correct their chronoters. The microscopic precision components inside modern computers rely entirely on quantum chanics. When the brilliant minds of the past developed those foundational theories, they never could have imagined satellites or computers.
No one knows exactly how the basic sciences developed today will be utilized in the distant future.
"How long will it take to build this collider?" Jason asked, his jaw clenching.
"About three to four years. Three years at the absolute minimum," Lily replied.
"Do we have enough mineral resources left in the reserves to cover it?"
"...It will require approximately 35% of our remaining unallocated mineral resources. The drain on our available engineering manpower will be similarly massive."
Jason dragged a hand down his face; it was an incredibly tough call.
Thirty-five percent of their remaining resources! They were already living in a resource-scarce environnt. The core issue was that these physicists were simply too ambitious; they wanted to build the absolute biggest and strongest machine right out of the gate! Of course, a more powerful collider drastically increased the probability of success, and it ant they wouldn’t need to waste resources upgrading it later.
Jason pondered the weight of it all. If they were still back on Earth, spending 35% of a nation’s resources to explore a theoretical physics model that might fail would be politically impossible. Even 3% would have sparked outrage among the global population.
Economic constraints had always shackled scientific progress. If it hadn’t been for the massive geopolitical allure of the Perfect Elent and the alien spacecraft, the Lunar Base might never have been built. It always ca down to economics.
But sitting in the office now, Jason felt a tightness in his chest.
He was witnessing the birth of an aura, an indescribable, driving spirit that now belonged to their entire civilization.
The universe was notoriously stubborn; it was never willing to easily surrender its secrets. Humanity could only relentlessly pursue the truth, accepting failure as a commonplace occurrence. To chase the truth, one had to be fully prepared to be defeated over and over again. Yet, despite the soul-crushing odds, this group of scientists was willing to continue their pursuit, even if it ant a lifeti of rejection and a tragic, unfulfilled end...
Jason had a vague feeling that he was witnessing a fundantal shift in the entire civilization’s mindset. It was a very rare, historical opportunity.
It was a mindset that prioritized science and discovery above all else! He absolutely could not suppress it.
Even if it ant cutting back on comfort and luxury, the people wanted to pursue scientific research. That kind of ideological dedication would have been impossible in the past, but it was entirely possible now.
Yes, this was the Federation. It was no longer the old, divided Earth.
People used to obsess over money, political connections, sprawling houses, luxury cars... society had been too complex and materialistic. Now, those distractions were gone. The social structure and economy were drastically simpler, leading to far less internal competition and superficial conflict.
The ship was largely self-sufficient, and their automated productivity was almost explosive. A tiny fraction of the population could accomplish massive tasks. For example, the entire agricultural and animal husbandry sector was managed by a total of fifty people, mostly overseeing automated drones. Yet, the food produced by those fifty individuals easily fed the nearly 60,000 citizens aboard.
Because their material luxuries were limited by resources, the population had naturally begun to pursue a different form of spiritual fulfillnt...
Jason recalled a bizarre conversation he had recently overheard between two researchers...
"You don’t understand! Science is actually far more seductive than any woman. Playing with theoretical physics brings a level of pleasure that far exceeds physical intimacy... The sheer climax of a scientific breakthrough is intense and lasting. Not only do you get the rush, but you get a massive sense of self-affirmation, which completely eclipses the emptiness and loneliness you feel after a few seconds of shivering in bed."
"It’s exhilarating! The knowledge that I’m one of the inventors of the Superalloy Series gives a high that will last for decades."
"Now I finally understand why Isaac Newton never got married! He was constantly having the ti of his life in the lab... he simply didn’t need the physical pleasure a relationship provided!"
Those were the exact, slightly unhinged words of Dr. Arthur Lambert.
While Arthur’s statents were undeniably exaggerated and eccentric, it was impossible to ignore that the collective mindset of the Federation was heavily shifting in that direction.
Jason shook his head. No matter what, as long as this obsession with science increased their overall chances of survival, it was a good thing. He didn’t oppose a science-first society, provided that other crucial aspects, like basic morality and social responsibility were properly guided.
Constructing the Super Hadron Collider wouldn’t directly negatively impact the daily lives of the civilians. However, watching the ship’s mineral reserves plumt by 35% would undoubtedly create a deep sense of public insecurity. No one knew what dangers they would face in the deep unknown, or if they would be trapped aboard the Noah for decades without finding a new planet to mine.
It was a massive contradiction!
Slowly... Jason made his decision.
"If the Supersymtry Theory proves to be completely wrong," Jason asked, looking directly at Lily, "can our physicists still use this machine to find other new particles?"
"...It’s possible!" Lily paused, considering the physics. "The Standard Model is flawed, after all. Even if Supersymtry is a dead end, we could absolutely discover different unknown particles within the Super Hadron Collider... it’s a very real possibility!"
"Then... approve it."
"What?"
"The construction is approved," Jason repeated, closing his eyes.
He was slightly terrified, and for a fraction of a second, he hesitated again. But once the decision was finalized in his mind, he felt a massive weight lift off his shoulders.
If so many brilliant scientists possessed this burning ambition and were willing to gamble their life’s work on it, what was he afraid of?
Everything for Humanity!
User Comments
0 comments from readers