At this moment, Lu Zhou didn't know that the behavior of one of his old friends might bring him a lot of trouble.

However, maybe even if he knew, he probably wouldn't blame him too much.

After all, it's like what he's doing.

Even if he doesn't push this technology, in the future ten or twenty years later, there will definitely be people who will bring this technology to the world. Especially in the context of today's space race, where cryo-dormancy technology is written in the corner of the outline of the space research and development projects of the two superpowers, perhaps this day is just what will happen in the next decade or twenty.

In the same way, even without Professor Krugman's thesis, there would have been someone else who would have played this role and fulfilled his historical mission.

Lu Zhou, who had already foreseen what was going to happen, took the high-speed train back to his hometown on the day after the report meeting at the medical university.

And almost as soon as he returned home on the high-speed train, 301 Hospital and the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study finally belatedly released the news that a certain Fields Medal winner was undergoing cryodormancy.

It's also almost predictable.

Following the sensation caused by the Riemann conjecture, the headline position of the international mainstream media was once again occupied by Professor Lu......

……

Princeton.

Cafe of the Institute for Advanced Study.

Sitting by the window, facing his old friend Professor Angus Deaton, who was sitting across from him, Professor Feverman suddenly sighed softly and said.

"I didn't expect him to do that."

Cryo-dormant.

Recently, the whole of Princeton has been talking about it.

Although I knew in my heart that this was probably the best choice, not everyone could accept such a choice, especially Miss Vera Puyuy's students, whether it was about the lovely and respectable teacher who was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, or the fact that her respectable teacher actually "froze" her and sent her to the future, which caused considerable controversy.

However, Lu Zhou himself seems to be unexpectedly calm, as if he has disappeared from the Internet these days, whether it is Arxiv or mathoverflow information, it has not been updated. Feverman also went to look at the more commonly used scarf in China, and he remembered that he seemed to like to interact with netizens on it, and it turned out that the same was true.

"Actually...... I was expecting it. ”

Stirring the coffee in the cup with a spoon and looking at the swirling milk foam, Professor Angus Deaton was silent for a moment before continuing.

"I once advised him to be cautious about cryo-dormancy. But then I thought about it, those words were not really necessary to be said at all, it would definitely not work, not to mention that even if I persuaded him to give us a little more time to civilize, this day would come. The quest for survival in living beings is eternal, and from the moment our ancestors got hold of the tools, we were destined to have everything we have now, and every choice we made was meant to allow us to live a little longer. ”

Somewhat intrigued by this statement, Feverman gave him a surprise look: "Economics still studies this?" ”

Angus: "It's not economics, it's evolution, it's biological...... It can also be said that it is human nature. ”

In the hallway outside the café, footsteps could be heard.

Soon, an old man in a plain shirt walked in from outside.

"Sorry, I'm a little late...... Peverman? Are you here too? ”

Looking at Feverman, who was sitting across from Professor Angus, Krugman looked at him with a slight surprise, obviously not expecting him to appear here too.

"When I'm not busy, I'm here almost every afternoon...... Today, though, there are some exceptions," said Professor Feverman, smiling softly and gracefully, and continued, "it was Professor Angus who invited me here. ”

Krugman opened his mouth and said, "Okay...... It seems that our professor Angus invited more than one person. ”

Professor Angus: "It doesn't matter how many people you invited, I'm more interested in your research than I am...... I noticed that you seem to have recently submitted a paper? On the impact of cryonohydration technology on macroeconomics. ”

As soon as he heard the old friend talk about his recent research, Krugman's face suddenly appeared with interest, and he pulled a chair and sat next to the two of them.

"Of course, I wrote that paper, but I didn't expect you to see it...... A glass of mocha thanks. ”

The waiter nodded, turned and walked in the direction of the bar.

After clearing his throat, Krugman continued.

"You might not be able to imagine the social change this technology could bring, in fact I only thought about it before I flew in. It may sound a bit ridiculous, but that's okay, I can tell you. ”

After that, it took Krugman about ten minutes to retell the results of his research in its entirety. In particular, he spends a lot of time describing the speculation that "it is possible for human society to break the long-standing equality that has been achieved and is being consolidated by human society since the French Revolution, and finally from new inequality to new equality, as has happened countless times".

Patiently listening to his old friend's impassioned speech, until the cup of coffee he ordered was brought to him by the waiter, and he finally stopped talking because of his dry mouth, Professor Angus smiled softly and said.

"I have an unpublished manuscript here...... Are you interested? ”

Professor Krugman, who was still holding a coffee cup in his hand, was slightly stunned and asked, "Is this good?" ”

Normally, scholars in the same field would try to avoid doing this, but Angus didn't care and just said softly.

"There's nothing good or bad, we've all known each other for so many years, and this trust is still there. Not only you, but Professor Feverman just now. ”

Sitting next to him and playing the role of a listener, Feverman also smiled and said: "Very interesting article, although it may take a little effort for me to fully understand." ”

“…… Since you say so, be sure to show me. ”

"No problem, right here."

Taking the manuscript from Professor Angus's hand, Krugman was slightly stunned for a moment when he looked at the characteristic handwriting, and then his face was filled with disbelief and shock.

Sociology of the Future!

After ten minutes of flipping through the manuscript, Krugman returned it to Angus and said with a complicated expression.

“…… Are you done? When...... Written? Don't tell me it's just these days. ”

Putting away the manuscript, Professor Angus said: "Half a year ago, I sent out my first paper, which is the overview of the future of sociology as a promising discipline that you see at the beginning. There have been a few of them, and this manuscript is a simple collation of these contents, at least I think they are enough to support the size of a book. ”

After a pause, Professor Angus continued.

"Once upon a time...... Or just a few years ago, it wasn't really something to discuss. No matter how willful we develop, we will not have the means to directly interfere with the future society, and not many people will deliberately plan the future in a hundred years that no longer exists. Whether we admit it or not, the vast majority of choices we make are based on the current situation. ”

"But now that tacit understanding has been broken, things tend to get troublesome when some people start to think about how to lay the groundwork for the future. Perhaps in a few years, it will not only be soybeans that will be traded by futures, but also the currency of the future will have the attributes of futures trading. ”

"Our work may not be important, but the theoretical work must be done. At the very least, when problems arise, we can provide some objective reference for prudent decision-makers. ”

Krugman opened his mouth and said with a look of remorse.

“…… I didn't expect to be preempted. ”

Professor Angus smiled and said, "You are only now aware that I am a little surprised, I originally thought that a person like you who loves to think about these things should know more about these things than I do, after all, if I were to change it, I would definitely not be able to write a serious ...... This kind of title has a strong Hollywood flavor of the paper. ”

Professor Krugman said with a straight face: "If you actually read my paper, you wouldn't say that. ”

Professor Angus: "Of course I've read your paper, and not only that, but I've been following your research for a while. After all, few economists are as interested in the distant future as we often say the future is unpredictable. ”

Krugman: "...... What the? I can't believe that our professor Angus has become interested in my research. ”

"There's nothing to believe it, the project you're working on is actually the same as what I want to do. Just like your interest in my manuscript, our interests are shared. ”

“…… Future sociology? ”

"Yes," Professor Angus nodded, "prediction is also part of analysis, like our eyes and brains, and only by understanding can we judge whether it is right or not." What do you think? Want to get involved? ”

Faced with the olive branch suddenly thrown at him, Professor Krugman was slightly surprised and blinked his eyelids unconsciously.

It has to be said that this is a very tempting proposition.

And in fact, he was really moved.

“…… I can't give you an answer right away, I need to ask my partner for advice. Of course, I think it's very unlikely that he will refuse, and we are always surprisingly consistent in our judgments on key issues that are critical to the progress of the project. ”

"It's okay, it's not a project that can be completed in a day or two, I can wait quietly...... As long as it's not too long. ”

After a pause, Professor Angus continued to look at Feverman: "Then, next is another opinion of Professor Feverman who has seen my manuscript." ”

He had been watching with interest, but he didn't expect the ball to be kicked at his feet, and Feverman was slightly stunned, then smiled dumbly and said, "...... I? Does this topic have anything to do with me? ”

"Of course," Professor Angus nodded as a matter of course, "all the conditions are in place, except ...... We still lack a good mathematician. ”

Professor Feverman opened his mouth, was silent for a moment, and said, "I think...... I'll have to think about it and give you another answer. In fact, Professor Faltings invited me to participate in a great project, and I'm not sure if there was a time. ”

Krugman said in a somewhat agitated tone, "Is there anything greater than the future?" ”

"That's hard to say. Rather than knowing what is likely to happen in the future, I think living well in the present is more conducive to a better future," Glancing at his watch on his left hand, Feverman reached for his coffee cup, drank the rest of the coffee in one gulp, and then put the cup down, "I have a discussion in a moment, so I won't stay here longer." ”

In fact, though very interested in these things they discussed, as well as brain holes. But if he wants to get involved, he's still a little ...... Not so willing.

Like most mathematicians at Princeton.

Although when it comes to math problems, even if he is as humble as him, he can't help but give birth to the "arrogance" in his heart. This arrogance stems from their pride in their knowledge and the stubbornness that has been carried over from the last century – that mathematics should be for mathematics.

Seeing that Professor Feverman was about to leave, a look of disappointment appeared on Professor Angus's face.

He originally thought that those words were enough to impress him, but he didn't expect to fail.

However, at this moment, Professor Krugman suddenly said, "Professor Lu said that after he solves the Riemann conjecture, he will consider participating in our research." ”

This sentence seems to have worked.

At least Professor Feverman's fingers that had been resting in front of his coffee cup suddenly stopped.

He sat back and looked at Professor Krugman and frowned.

“…… Lu Zhou? That's what he said? ”

"I can swear to God," Krugman held up three fingers together, "if I lie, let Satan take my soul." ”

Feverman: "...... When is it? ”

Krugman replied truthfully: "The day before the IMU conference, we happened to meet at Perelman's house, and I was like he made an invitation......"

Although at the time, both Krugman and his companion Albert interpreted that sentence as a euphemistic rejection.

After all, the phrase "think about ......it after solving the Riemann conjecture" is a phrase that I believe anyone who hears it will have the same thoughts as them.

However......

Who would have thought that in a few days, he would really solve it?!

If it weren't for the Vera incident, why would he be sitting here and talking to Professor Angus, perhaps he would have happily reached a consensus in St. Petersburg and had already begun to study the subject.

After a long silence on this sentence, Professor Feverman suddenly looked up at Professor Angus.

“…… I changed my mind. ”

Under the surprised gaze of the two professors, he smiled slightly and continued.

"I'm interested in what you're saying."

"If it's not troublesome, please let me join."