Chapter 637 Scientists (3)

Eisenstein was born on April 16, 1823. It was this young man, only 22 years old, who successfully shocked the entire European mathematics community speechless in Franz's "Science" magazine.

He used a total of 25 articles to discuss quadratic and cubic forms, the reciprocity theorem of quadratic residues, the basic theorem of biquadratic residues, and notes on elliptic functions and Abel functions.

In particular, the proof of the biquadratic characteristic reciprocity theorem and the cubic inversion law, and the discovery that the simplest quadratic covariate of a binary cubic equation is its Hesse determinant, directly refuted the entire European mathematics community.

However, although Eisenstein's discovery was great, the Vienna Royal Academy of Sciences was a little troubled. Because this guy's composition was really problematic, he was a Jew, a Protestant, and from Prussia.

He almost stacked up all the BUFFs that the Austrian Empire hated, but Franz didn't think it mattered. Great scientific discoveries should not be buried by political elements.

Moreover, listing Eisenstein as the winner of the Science magazine's mathematics award will undoubtedly cause great controversy, and this controversy will bring about a huge communication effect.

It has a much better publicity effect than the million-florin award established by Franz.

It can not only reflect the fairness, openness and justice of the Science magazine's awards, but also promote the academic environment of the Austrian Empire. After all, the Austrian Empire has always given people the impression of being synonymous with autocracy and backwardness.

This kind of reputation usually does not bring direct advantages or disadvantages, but it will subtly change the cognition of the country's citizens, even neutral parties and hostile forces.

It is also a reverse incentive for the domestic academic community in Austria. Although science and technology are still in their infancy, many people have the outrageous idea that "Austria's science and technology are the best in the world."

Franz still thinks it is better to let these people wake up. After all, complacency and arrogance are not good. Franz believes that science and technology are the primary productive forces, not capital exploitation.

Although Franz was the largest capitalist and landlord in the Austrian Empire and even in the entire German region at that time, and he might be a bureaucrat and spokesperson for the imperial power in the future.

In addition, the so-called "million-dollar prize" is just a gimmick. In fact, there are multiple prizes with a total prize of one million florins.

But this kind of word game is still very useful. After all, it is still a weapon to attract attention even today.

Even 100,000 florins has extraordinary appeal to those university professors. Historically, the annual salary of professors at the University of Vienna in Austria usually does not exceed 600 florins, and the annual salary of some well-known professors is only 1,000 florins.

It would take 166 years for an ordinary professor to earn 100,000 florins, even if he does not eat or drink.

In fact, the annual salary of French professors in the same period was similar, usually between 1,000 and 2,000 francs (the exchange rate in the book is used here, 1 florin = 2 francs.)

In contrast, professors in Prussia and the United States were treated much better, with the former usually receiving an annual salary of between 800 and 1,200 thalers (the exchange rate in the book is used here, 1 thaler = 1.5 florins.)

Theoretically, the latter could receive an annual salary of $600-2,000 (1,200-4,000 florins), but there may be some deductions or wage arrears, and the actual income will be less than expected.

The best-paid professors in this era were in the UK, usually between 300 and 1,000 pounds (3,000-10,000 florins), and some well-known professors from prestigious universities would even break this limit.

However, even for a well-known British professor, a bonus of 100,000 florins was still very attractive.

By the way, the worst-paid professors in this era were professors in the Apennines, whose income was only slightly higher than that of skilled workers.

The top physics professor in the Kingdom of Sardinia only had an annual salary of 500 florins, while the most famous water conservancy and architecture expert in the Papal States only had an annual salary of 300 florins.

Professors in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies even had to work part-time in farm work and handicrafts to support their families, but the situation in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was similar to that in Austria. Many professors were rich people and did not live on salaries.

As for Russia, it was similar to France and Austria, except that the income might be relatively less, but the social status was far inferior to that of their counterparts in Austria and France. This was mainly because they met a martial emperor.

Etienne Lenoir, the first inventor to invent a practical internal combustion engine.

In fact, in addition to the internal combustion engine, he had many other inventions, but these were often semi-finished products, which eventually led to the great inventor starving to death on the street.

Historically, Etienne Lenoir was a Belgian, but due to a Luxembourg crisis, the province of West Luxembourg where he lived had been incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, so he became a German at this time.

This guy's experience can be described as extremely unlucky. Both his parents were honest craftsmen in the urban-rural fringe of a small town.

But Etienne Lenoir was unwilling to be a "sewing machine operator" for his whole life, so he left without saying goodbye at the age of sixteen and went to the world capital at that time - Paris.

However, it would be strange for an underage country boy with no money, no education, no experience, and no connections to make a name for himself in Paris.

At that time, Etienne Lenoir, who claimed that "I won't come back if I don't make it", could only start as a "bus boy", but even after four years, he was not allowed to learn any skills.

"Bus boy" refers to the lowest-level porter, not even an apprentice, a very despised job, usually performed by those "illegal households".

In 1842, Etienne Lenoir responded to the call of King Leopold I of Belgium and wanted to make achievements on the battlefield.

However, he was captured by the passing German coalition forces before he reached the Liege Fortress, so the latter entered the Prussian prisoner-of-war camp.

Then the French attacked, the Prussian army fled in a hurry, and Etienne Lenoir and other prisoners of war were released from the prisoner-of-war camp.

I thought I was finally saved this time, but I was forcibly conscripted by French General Jean Durde, who said he would take them to Moscow.

However, due to the return of Albrecht's army, the French army soon fell into a disadvantage under the harassment of its vanguard. Finally, Jean Durde decided to go all out and confront the main force of the German coalition led by Albrecht.

As a result, Etienne Lenoir became a prisoner of war again. He felt that he had not mixed well, so he did not plan to go home and claimed to be French.

As a result, he was almost killed by Luxembourgers and residents of the Duchy of Liege on the road during the "bloody return journey". Fortunately, his father who had joined the German Confederation Army recognized him and saved him from being beaten to death.

Etienne Lenoir returned to the town where he was born again, thinking of continuing the family handicraft.

But Luxembourg, as one of the richest principalities in the entire German Confederation, has always attached great importance to education.

So Etienne Lenoir returned to school from the handicraft workshop. After completing all his studies in three years, he was recommended by the Luxembourg government with excellent grades to study chemistry at the University of Vienna.

Franz naturally knew his name, so he used a little trick to get him into the School of Mechanical Engineering.

Etienne Lenoir could only accept his fate, after all, he had experienced too many helpless things in the short twenty years.