The Martial Unity

Chapter 4550: The Strange Student

"...and that is how, by replacing zero-dimensional point-like particles with one-dimensional string-like filaments, we successfully eliminate the infinity-tending asymptotes predicted by the Euler beta function of the hadron nuclear field equations," a sagely male voice ended its explanation with a conclusive inflection.

The man it belonged to turned towards the lecture hall of grad students seated across a semi-circular seating arrangement. The students were young, in their mid-twenties, engrossed in the knowledge that their professor shared with them. They stared at the two-dimensional screen upon which the professor derived a series of field equations that had led to the birth of one of the most cutting-edge fields of theoretical physics: String Theory itself.

Professor Seonard Lusskind directed a sweeping gaze at his immersed students with a satisfied smile on his face. He taught students who wanted to learn from him. And certainly, there was no shortage of students who wanted to learn from him.

After all, he was the man who pioneered String Theory in the Panama Continent.

After the Unfolding, there were periods of rapid technological dissemination between Martial civilization and the other major civilizations of the True World, especially after the True World War. However, while technologies and their underlying theories were shared in these technological transactions, what wasn’t shared was the cutting edge of pure theory, since there were no technologies derived from them.

The Panamic Alliance and the Kandrian Empire weren’t willing to spend capital to purchase pure theory, causing the theoretical state of science in the Panama Continent to not receive nearly as much of a boost as technology did.

Thus, String Theory in the Panama Continent was not borrowed from similar theories from the other civilizations, but was rather an original version that the native theoretical physicists of the Panama Continent had produced.

Professor Seonard Lusskind was one of three Physicists who had developed the Panamic iteration of String Theory, elevating his status as a physicist to extreme heights within the scientific community. He had continued developing and fleshing out the native version of String Theory, making great contributions to theoretical physics.

He had even received an award when negatron technology managed to confirm some of the more tangential predictions made by his theory, proving that they had a little bit of merit. He had become a pioneer in the domain of fundamental physics, and had even been nominated for the Immortal Sage Program so that he might live forever and continue contributing to human civilization.

He was currently employed at the Kandrian Institute of Theoretical Sciences, the most esteemed university for theoretical physics and mathematics in the entire continent, rivaling even dwarven and tekvorian academic institutions.

His students weren’t composed of just Panamanians, but also of members of other races, albeit mostly dwarves and tekvores. Even these species, who relied on their intellect to rival other civilizations, put down any airs they had and listened to him intensely and humbly.

"Alright, that brings us to an end to this lecture. Any questions?"

A variety of hands shot up in the air. The professor picked one at random.

"Thank you, Professor," one female dwarf stood up on her elevated seat. "The String Theory predicts eleven dimensions, as you have explained. However, based on my understanding, the Filament Theory proposed by Elder Sage Markus of the Bournvyrne Empire and the Quantum Resonance Theory proposed by the Nanomind of Greater Tekvoria propose twenty-one dimensions and twenty-six dimensions respectively despite having a similar theoretical framework and mathematical models. How do you explain that discrepancy, and who is right?"

That was a good question, the professor mused appreciatively. He liked it when his students were genuinely curious and asked questions that indicated that not only had they assimilated his knowledge well, but had managed to integrate that knowledge with other knowledge they possessed.

Naturally, given his status and the institute he worked at, only the most meritorious of students in the entirety of human civilization across ten thousand stars were qualified to be in his class, so he was accustomed to this. He never had to deal with dunces.

"That’s an insightful question, Samantha." He nodded with an appreciative smile. "Indeed, you have identified that these theories have different predictions. The reason they are different in their predictions is because of differences in the parameters of the theoretical models of the strings in each theory. Although we all subscribe to some kind of vibrating entity that extends along one dimension, that’s purely a theoretical and qualitative identity. The mathematics are not the same. The fundamental assumptions and premises are a little different. The technicalities of the models are a little different. And these lead to a different number of dimensions predicted by different theories. We will be exploring the differences in these theories in future lectures, as to who is right..."

The man shook his head and laughed. "It is impossible to say. Since nobody has ever set foot in these higher dimensions, nobody can count them. Thus, we have no way of verifying which theory is right and wrong. The cutting edge of theoretical physics is always like this. It exists in the domain beyond our empirical visibility."

It was an unsatisfying answer, but this was the plight of theoretical physicists. They were doomed to make peace with the fact that most of their theories and predictions would never be confirmed or denied. They would die without knowing whether they were right or wrong.

The only way this could change was if they found a way to prolong their life. Longevity potions were an option, but getting one’s hands on them was impossible unless one was a big shot.

The only hope he had was the Immortal Sage Program. He was a nominee, but he would need to make more contributions and make more of an impact before he could become an immortal sage.

Only then would he have an opportunity to drink a drop of the blood of the Emperor of Water, which was said to be able to cure all diseases and repel death itself.

"Alright, any other questions?"

Numerous other students raised their hands, but what caught his eye was an older man who looked to be around thirty years old, seated at the very back.

He had black eyes and black hair, and his appearance felt extremely familiar, yet... obscured. Like a word that was at the very tip of one’s tongue, but beyond recollection.