Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Ever since the successful Johnson & Johnson experiments, Professor Grange had been at the center of public opinion.
Most people were against the development of human cryonics technology.
Even though it provided another chance of life for terminally ill patients, most people couldn’t afford to keep a freezer running for decades.
A technology like this was destined to only serve the upper class, hence there was no reason for the bottom class to support its existence.
A Dutch performance artist even painted a satirical oil painting on this issue. He portrayed a frozen mummy in an ice coffin, sitting on a throne. A group of servants in suits was kneeling around the mummy. He was ridiculing the servants that thought they could one day be sitting on the throne, similar to Pharaohs thousands of years ago.
A North American science fiction writer painted a picture of a dystopian society, ruled by servants that never woke their masters up.
In that dystopian society, people lived an extremely poor life, social development was stalled, and society solidified to the point where it was almost impossible for a person to climb up the class rankings through their own efforts. This was because most of the wealth was controlled by the “frozen mummies”.
In some sense, these viewpoints were quite extreme. But there was a logic behind them. Therefore, they attracted quite a bit of attention.
The question of whether this technology was ethical was discussed both in and out of the academic circle.
While the debates were going on, a major event happened.
While everyone was busy writing their own opinions on this technology, Jinling Institute for Advanced Study quietly established a human cryonics dormancy research group. They invited Liu Zuobing, who was the director of the Laboratory of Cell Cryogenic Medicine at PLA General Hospital, as the project manager.
As soon as the news broke out, there was an uproar in the international community.
They wouldn’t care if it were some no-name institute, but this was the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study!
They were the ones that invented controllable fusion technology!
They were the ones that designed the Skyglow aerospaceplane!
Most importantly, Professor Lu was the head of the institute…
People who were against cryonics suddenly began to worry.
Sh*t!
Professor Lu is interested!
What if he actually succeeds?!
Even though Lu Zhou had never displayed talent in the field of biology, nor had he ever been involved in biology research, so no one was certain of his true abilities.
After all, Lu Zho had made numerous miracles before.
Some of the more observant people noticed that Professor Liu Zuobing was the head of the research project, and they pointed out that Liu Zuobing’s name was quoted in Professor Grange’s thesis…
All of these signs indicated that Lu Zhou wasn’t joking around and that he was serious about solving this problem.
At the Department of Economics building, Princeton University.
Angus Deaton sat in his office. He took off his glasses and threw the newspaper on the table.
“This is unbelievable!”
Professor Witten sat across from him. Witten smiled and took a sip of tea.
“What’s wrong? My friend.”
Five years ago, Witten started to go bald, and now, only strands of hair could be seen on his head.
That’s life.
Born in 1951, he was now over seventy years old, and he had reached his final years.
Two years ago, Professor Atiyah passed away in the midst of his quest to solve Riemann’s conjecture. This took quite a toll on Witten. Up until now, Witten had lived a secluded life in Princeton.
“I don’t know why Lu Zhou would do something like this! There is no way a man as smart as him doesn’t realize this!” Professor Angus angrily opened his email, and his fingers trembled as he typed on the keyboard.
Witten looked at his old friend and smiled.
“Stay calm, my friend, we’re not young anymore, watch out for your blood pressure.”
“But… I have to stop him!”
Witten put down the teacup and thought for a moment before speaking, “Maybe… he has his own reasons?”
Angus stopped typing on the keyboard. He frowned and looked at Witten.
“You’re saying… The Chinese government is forcing him to do this?”
“Not quite, but it is possible!” Edward Witten smiled and said, “He’s a very opinionated person, so he wouldn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do. On the contrary, he succeeds at everything he puts his mind on.”
Angus went silent, and he leaned back in his chair.
“Since you know him so well, why is he doing this?”
“You’re wrong, I don’t know him well. Even when he was at Princeton, I only knew of him as a talented scholar,” Witten said. “On the contrary, Professor Fefferman knew him a lot better than I did. I just think of him as a respectable scholar.”
Professor Angus said angrily, “But he’s using his knowledge to do something that is morally wrong!”
“Who knows what will happen in the future. Maybe I’m being politically incorrect, but I really don’t think human cryonics dormancy is as bad as you think.” Professor Witten smiled and said, “It’s not going to be worse than the invention of cell phones, right? All millennials do is go on their phones these days.”
Angus shook his head and said, “You don’t understand.”
Wittens smiled and said, “You’re right, I don’t understand economics, I’m just a physicist. But I think we are more similar than you think. I use mathematics to study physics, you use mathematics to study economics.”
Angus said, “But my economics models are phenomenological models that have been carefully tested! It objectively predicts human activities.” Angus then said sarcastically, “If you think it’s so easy, why don’t you use a mathematical economics model to win a Nobel Prize?”
Witten smiled and said, “Oh… I’m too old for that, maybe I’ll be able to use cryonics technology to win a Nobel Prize.”
“We all die in the end, my friend. There is nothing wrong with accepting death.” Angus looked at Witten and said, “I know Atiyah’s passing had a huge effect on you, but the same will come for us. There is nothing to worry about.”
“I don’t want to talk about this with you.” Witten smiled and said, “Since you have something to say to Lu Zhou, why don’t you talk to him face to face? Every time I talk to him in person, I become a little wiser… If it weren’t for my doctor recommended me to fly less, I would come with you.”
“Great idea!”
Professor Angus turned off his computer and slowly stood up from his office chair. He started to walk out of the office.
Witten looked at his old friend leaving the office and smiled.
“Remember to say hi to Professor Lu for me, and tell him that his friend wants to play cards with him!”
Angus didn’t respond.
He was long gone.
Witten smiled and shook his head. He held the sofa armrest and slowly stood up.
“Time really flies by when you’re old…”
He looked outside the window and noticed a turtledove on a tree branch. He suddenly muttered to himself, “That’s nice.”