Chapter 191 Qiu Chengtong's Invitation

In the Alexander Auditorium, thunderous applause lasted for a long time.

Standing on the podium, Xu Chuan enjoyed this moment, which was the honor he deserved.

After a long time, the applause gradually stopped. Xu Chuan looked at the audience in the auditorium and his eyes fell on the old man in the middle of the first row.

Feeling the approval in the old man's eyes, he raised a bright smile on his face.

But now is not the time to celebrate. The next question time is the moment to decide life and death.

After taking a deep breath, Xu Chuan cast his eyes on the other audience and said calmly: "The report on the proof of the Hodge conjecture ends here. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them. I will do my best to answer them."

For the Hodge conjecture, for the mathematical community, the most important thing is the algebraic cluster and group mapping tools.

If you can understand this mathematical tool, then the proof of the Hodge conjecture will naturally be understood.

Of course, Xu Chuan did not expect that everyone in the auditorium could understand the algebraic cluster and group mapping tools with just one report meeting.

In fact, he estimated that among all the people present, less than one-fifth of them could fully understand this mathematical tool today.

But it didn't matter.

As long as the top group of people could smoothly understand this proof paper, today's report meeting would be a success.

After all, top mathematics has never been something that everyone can play with.

Starting at three o'clock, until 4:30 in the afternoon, a full hour and a half, the question-and-answer session officially ended.

This is normal, after all, the Hodge conjecture connects algebraic geometry and topology.

Its proof will connect two extremely important fields in mathematics, allowing mathematicians to unify these two fields to a certain extent for the first time.

In today's mathematics world, whether it is algebraic geometry or topology, it is one of the most popular mathematical fields, and there are so many mathematicians studying and researching these two aspects.

When facing the proof paper of the Hodge conjecture and the algebraic cluster and group mapping tools, even though Xu Chuan explained it in detail at the report meeting, there are still many mathematicians who have their own doubts.

Fortunately, at this moment they still have a figure to rely on, the young man on the stage, who will answer their confusion.

For a person who has doubts in his heart, it is probably the most fortunate thing that someone can answer his questions.

On the stage, Xu Chuan did his best to answer questions for everyone who asked questions.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly.

The only thing that made him a little regretful was that not many Chinese scholars stood up during the question-and-answer session.

Only a few Chinese mathematics professors raised their hands and asked their own questions.

This may have something to do with the implicit mentality of the Chinese people, but more importantly, it is the weakness of his motherland in this basic field.

However, this matter cannot be rushed, and can only wait for time to develop slowly.

After the question-and-answer session, the main body of this mathematics report meeting officially ended.

Of course, the evening party and dance party are a consistent tradition.

After the report meeting, Xu Chuan walked off the stage, and the media reporters in the auditorium quickly surrounded him.

"Mr. Xu Chuan, I'm a reporter from ABC Broadcasting Corporation. I heard that you have made great contributions at CERN before. Are you interested in other subjects, such as physics or chemistry?"

Xu Chuan: "I'm very interested in physics. High-energy physics is indeed fascinating. Collision experiments can give people a deep understanding of the nature of the world."

"Mr. Xu Chuan, I'm a reporter from The Washington Post. Are you sure you can prove the Hodge conjecture this time?"

Xu Chuan: "Of course, I have full confidence in the algebraic cluster and group mapping tools. It can pry open the door to the Hodge conjecture and bring us into a new world."

"Mr. Xu Chuan, I'm a reporter from The Wall Street Journal. Will you be a professor of mathematics at Princeton in the future?"

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A series of questions came at him. Xu Chuan selectively answered some of them and then wanted to slip away.

But unfortunately, these media reporters obviously didn't intend to let him go so easily, not to mention in a closed space like the auditorium.

Fortunately, Princeton staff came to rescue him in time, which allowed him to escape.

To be honest, in Xu Chuan's opinion, dealing with reporters who ask questions from strange angles is more difficult than studying mathematics.

These "smart" media reporters are accustomed to digging holes in questions, and taking out of context to publish part of the interview content for traffic, so that they often pit a scholar or scientist.

Compared with other subjects, mathematics is slightly better at being pitted by reporters.

The fields that are most seriously pitted by the media are medicine and biology, after all, these two often involve personal safety and so on.

There was even a public confrontation between scientists and reporters before.

For example, three medical doctors from Cardiff University, the sun never sets, published an article in the Guardian, angrily condemning the Daily Mail's interview with them for being seriously inaccurate.

The reason is that they found that there is a neurotransmitter called GABA in the frontal lobe of the human brain, and its concentration may be related to a certain type of impulsive personality.

But the Daily Mail reported the research results like this:

[A study from Cardiff University shows that recent destructive riots in England were caused by a lack of a certain chemical component in the brains of participants. 】

After the news was released, the number of clicks quickly exceeded one million, and readers spread rumors. Finally, "Scientists claimed that the thugs did not know how to take responsibility for themselves. They could not control themselves because they had too little GABA in their brains!" remarks.

An outrageous newspaper, The Sun, even claimed that it had creatively introduced a magical nasal spray that could stop drunken brawls by controlling GABA.

These outrageous changes and rumors show that some "unscrupulous" newspapers and periodicals have no ethics at all, while most scientists are basically quite ethical.

The encounter between the two is probably a scholar encountering a soldier. There is no reason to explain.

Therefore, except for a small number of scientists who prefer to be in the limelight, most other scientists do not like media interviews very much.

For one thing, it's just too hard to answer those weird questions.

On the other hand, you have to be careful that one day it is taken out of context.

After the lecture was successfully concluded, the party was held as scheduled in Princeton's Alexander Concert Hall.

Under the auspices of the Institute for Advanced Study, Xu Chuan stood in the center of the ballroom, while Peter Goddard, the dean of the Institute for Advanced Study, walked over with a bottle of valuable champagne amidst the elegant music. , stood in front of him.

"Open it, it's yours now."

Peter Goddard, with a smile on his face, handed over the champagne, and Xu Chuan picked up the champagne from the tray without any hesitation.

After shaking it vigorously for a few times, I pressed the cork at the mouth of the bottle with my thumb. After the bottle rotated twice, there was a 'bang~' sound, and the cork flew away without knowing where, and the fine foam splashed away. Come on, it gushed onto many guests.

No one would care about this, but countless people wanted to come forward and ask for a glass of glorious champagne from Xu Chuan.

After all, it was the glory of proving Hodge's conjecture.

After dealing with the mathematicians who came to talk with a smile, Xu Chuan just wanted to get up and go find Professor Jean-Pierre Serre, when the old man appeared in front of him at the right time.

"Congratulations, young genius."

Accompanied by Charles Fefferman, chairman of the Princeton Mathematics Department, the ninety-year-old man stood in front of him and congratulated him with a smile.

"Professor Serge." Xu Chuan walked over in surprise, half-supporting the nearly centenary old man.

The old man held his hand tightly and sighed: "I never thought that I would see the day when the Hodge conjecture was solved in my lifetime. You have brought miracles."

Xu Chuan smiled and said: "There is still peer review. Whether my proof paper can pass this level is still unknown."

Professor Searle smiled and said: "Both Deligne and Faltings have spoken highly of your paper. I believe it is only a matter of time."

Xu Chuan: "Then I'll lend you your good words. I hope I can take the Hodge conjecture out of the halls of mathematics this time."

After the two chatted for a while, Professor Serge smiled and patted his arm and said goodbye: "Enjoy the dance tonight, it is your glory."

"I'm a bad old man so I won't bother you too much. If you have time, I welcome you to come to the University of Paris to chat with me."

Xu Chuan said quickly: "I will definitely go."

Professor Jean-Pierre Serre left, and someone else came over.

This time, Mr. Qiu Chengtong came over, holding a wine glass to congratulate him.

This old gentleman studied under Professor Chen Shengshen. If we look at his mathematical achievements alone, he has surpassed Chen.

The man, who is now in his sixties, has won three of the world's top awards, including the Fields Medal, the Wolf Medal in Mathematics, and the Crafford Medal, and has made profound achievements in mathematics.

Professor Donaldson, an international mathematics master and Fields Medal winner, called him "the most influential mathematician in the past quarter of a century."

Professor Singer, another international mathematics master and Abel Prize winner, praised: "Even at Harvard, Yau Shing-tung alone is the whole mathematics department!"

The New York Times even called him "the well-deserved emperor of mathematics."

Xu Chuan raised his wine glass and clinked it with the old gentleman and said thank you.

After chatting for a while, the old gentleman changed the subject to another side: "Can you tell me what your plans are next? Are you preparing to take up a post at Princeton, or are you preparing to return to China?"

Xu Chuan thought for a while and said: "If nothing else happens, I should still study at Princeton for a while. As for the future, I should choose to return to China."

Hearing this, Mr. Qiu's eyes lit up and he quickly said: "How about I invite you to join me at Shuimu University?"

"Some time ago, Shuimu University approached me and asked me to go there to launch a training program for leading talents in mathematical sciences. If you are willing, I invite you to come with me."

Regarding this invitation, Xu Chuan smiled and declined: "I may disappoint you. I have already promised my alma mater. If I return to China, I should take up a professorship at my alma mater."

He refused the old gentleman's invitation with full knowledge.

He knew the purpose of the old gentleman's invitation, but he did not want to participate in the 'battle for hegemony' in the domestic mathematics community.

In the domestic mathematics community, he must have more or less understanding. In order to control the huge resources and interests, there will be various struggles.

Of course, disputes between schools of thought are everywhere. Does Princeton have no schools of thought?

Obviously, there are. The Princeton School is one of the largest schools of thought in the mathematics world today.

Academic struggles and disputes between schools of thought are all normal, and can even promote the development of science to a certain extent.

The premise is healthy competition.

But the disputes between schools of thought in China, to put it bluntly, have become deformed.

It is undeniable that many mathematicians at the top of China have devoted their efforts and unswerving commitment to the development and promotion of Chinese mathematics.

For example, the man in front of him, in the past nearly 40 years, he has established mathematics research centers in seven universities including Shuimu, Dongda, and Zheda, and has planned to build the Yanqi Lake Institute of Applied Mathematics to cultivate young talents and serve as the director without taking a penny.

But to put it bluntly, the serious disputes between schools of thought in China have interfered with the development of domestic mathematics to a large extent.

Especially for the development of the young generation of mathematicians.

Xu Chuan doesn't want to get involved in these things, although with his current achievements, it can be said that he has already stood at the top of the domestic mathematics community.

But in China, ability is not the only factor that determines everything.

So instead of joining the fight, it is better to return to Nanjing University.

The mathematics department of Nanjing University is indeed weak, but there, he can conduct research without interference.

Compared with places like Shuimu and Peking University, Nanjing University is a little purer, like a blank sheet of paper, allowing him to write.

More importantly, although the mathematics of Nanjing University is weak, the physics is strong.

The purpose of his learning mathematics is to combine it with physics to promote the development of physics.

The party and the dance are over, and this mathematics report meeting is basically over for others.

But for Xu Chuan, it has just begun.

After the report meeting, his paper will officially enter the review stage.

This review will be conducted by six top mathematicians in algebraic geometry and topology and the Clay Mathematics Institute.

The list of reviewers is Faltings, Alain Connes, Qiu Chengtong, Mori Shigefumi and others.

The six reviewers are all Fields Medal winners, and many of them have won top mathematics awards such as the Wolf Prize in Mathematics, the Albert Prize, and the Crafoord Prize. The lineup is so luxurious that it is completely worthy of the Hodge conjecture, one of the seven millennium problems.

It is actually quite difficult for the mathematics community to select this review list.

According to the double-blind principle and the principle of avoiding relatives in paper review, Deligne and Witten, the two most suitable reviewers, were first excluded.

After all, they are Xu Chuan's mentors and should not appear in this review list.

But to be honest, there are no more suitable reviewers in the mathematics community than them.

Professor Deligne is a disciple of Mr. Grothendieck, and his achievements in the field of algebraic geometry can be said to be the first in today's mathematics community.

More importantly, he has been engaged in studying the standard conjecture left by Mr. Grothendieck. The Hodge conjecture is a part of the standard conjecture.

Therefore, if we talk about the most suitable reviewer, Professor Deligne is undoubtedly the most suitable among all.

Secondly, as the seven millennium problems are the century-old problems in mathematics, Princeton should not be too involved in the review of this proof paper.

For example, top masters such as Feferman, Robert Langlands, and Cincon Burgan.

After all, this is the supreme honor, and the principle of avoiding nepotism prevents the mathematics community from selecting Princeton mathematicians for review.

After excluding these top masters, it is indeed difficult to select suitable reviewers.

As for the Clay Mathematics Institute, in fact, only one special envoy was arranged to do auxiliary work.

Although the seven millennium problems were formulated by them, they really can't help much in top mathematics.

Fortunately, there are many masters in the mathematics community, especially in the two hot fields of algebraic geometry and topology, and there are still many people who can take on this job.