In fact

The problem that Lin Fan faced was very simple... The world is not virtual.

It's like an alien paradox proposed by Fermi back then, when talking about aliens, he always asks 'Where are they?', no one can explain this problem, everyone believes that there are aliens in the universe.

After that, he proposed one of the most famous calculations in the scientific community... The Drake equation estimates how many intelligent civilizations may exist in the Milky Way, and calculates the possibility that we are not alone in this vast universe.

For some terms in this equation, human beings already have full understanding, such as the number of stars in the Milky Way, the proportion of planets in the habitable zone of the star system, but some items are too little known, such as the probability of planets developing intelligent life, and even some terms, which are unattainable dreams of human beings.

But despite this,

The Drake equation makes it possible to draw an important dividing line for the number of intelligent civilizations that may exist.

The professor who asked the question at hand came up with the interesting idea that the whole world might be just a simulation of a supercomputer operated by aliens.

Faced with this assumption,

Then calculate the value of this probability.

It sounds ridiculous, but this is the proper science, which involves mathematics as well as philosophical concepts.

At this point,

When Lin Fan said to Liu Yun'er that this question was to send money, several people present were a little surprised, but this trace of surprise did not last long, and contempt occupied every cell in the province.

Sending money?

As one of the brightest scientists at Oxford University and winner of the Wolf Prize in Physics, Professor Ellie's questions are always sharp and challenging, how can she easily get her money?

"Ahem!"

"Lin Fan?" Wu Yun coughed lightly and said seriously: "So... No problem with you?"

"It's a bit of a problem, but if you say it's worth 10,000 pounds, there's no problem. Lin Fan said seriously: "Putting aside the money... This question is indeed a very interesting concept, and I admire the professor who can come up with it. ”

She is Professor Elle, one of the brightest scientists at the University of Oxford. Wu Yun said: "When Chen Dayu and I studied abroad, we were students of Professor Ai Li. ”

"Oh!"

"I see. Lin Fan suddenly realized, shook his head silently, and said, "I don't know... But that doesn't stop me from having respect for her. ”

As soon as the voice fell,

Lin Fan continued: "Then I'll start... This problem is different from the kinetic hybrid mechanic that I solved for you before, and it may take me many, many hours, probably... An hour or so, if you can... Borrow me a notebook, basic math and physics simulation software, and give me some manuscript paper and a pen. ”

"No problem!"

Wu Yun nodded hurriedly.

Perhaps because they were anxious to see Lin Fan's jokes, in less than ten minutes, Wu Yun and his party borrowed a laptop, including some manuscript paper and a black magic pen.

"Huh?"

"Chenguang brand gel pen?" Lin Fan looked at the black pen in his hand and said with a smile: "Our brand of Shenshi." ”

Then

Liu Yun'er said indifferently: "This company has sponsored two million for our laboratory. ”

"Really?"

"It seems that everything is fate, baby... When the time comes, you take a picture, and I'll think of the slogan for you, Chenguang gel pen - the pen that solves the problems of Oxford University. Lin Fan said with a smile: "Then send the photo to the person in charge of this company, thank you for your help to us." ”

"Hmm..."Liu Yun'er nodded, she also thought Lin Fan's idea was quite good.

subsequently

Liu Yun'er looked at Lin Fan and entered the serious mode that she was very obsessed with, in fact, the big goblin classified Lin Fan's usual state into three categories, such as LSP mode, salted fish mode and serious mode, he was in salted fish mode during the day, and switched to LSP mode at night.

But... Occasionally, there will be errors in the system, such as this serious mode.

In fact, these three modes,

Liu Yun'er likes it a lot, of course, what she likes the most is this highly focused and serious mode at this time, and Lin Fan has an indescribable charm at this time.

now

Lin Fan is using a piece of software to create a valuation model of computing power. Let's assume that humans may be the product of simulation.

In fact, there are many games that use computers to simulate entire civilizations, such as Civilization 6, so it is assumed that in an advanced civilization system, individuals may run games that simulate a society composed of conscious beings.

therefore

The result is a very interesting premise of how many of the world's seven billion people are simulated.

Based on this idea, Lin Fan began to conceive a formula that could be calculated, and there was no shortcut in this process, only to keep putting forward ideas, then making mistakes, then putting forward ideas, and then correcting errors... It's enough to do it over and over again.

In science,

Failure is always the main theme, and success is only temporary.

When Lin Fan was at the beginning of his idea to be able to come up with a calculation formula, he was hit by a devastating blow, and he found that he had... The valuation model simulated by the computer is unexpectedly unusable, which means that all subsequent settings are carried out in a single error.

No way

I have to start all over again...

meanwhile

Liu Yun'er and her four classmates were staring intently at Lin Fan as they set out to solve Professor Ellie's problem, deriving an estimation model from him, putting forward an interesting hypothesis, then conceiving the calculation formula, and finally starting over...

though

The first attempt ended in a fiasco, but at this moment... Wu Yun and the four of them didn't have any intention of making fun of them, you must know how many people couldn't even take the first step, and Lin Fan not only stepped out, but also took a few steps forward.

This man... It's really powerful!

"Yun'er!"

"You tell me the truth... What the hell do you do as a man?" Wu Yun walked up to Liu Yun'er and asked in an extremely low voice, "I don't believe he just cooked for you at home and then swept the floor... Do you want to know that this step he took is what many people dream of?"

"I..."

"I..." Liu Yun'er didn't know how to answer for a while, her man's situation had been told to her truthfully, but the other party didn't believe it, did she have to weave a beautiful lie in order to gain the other party's trust?

"He..."

"He is..."Liu Yun'er squeaked and whined for a long time, and she didn't say why, and finally she chose to compromise and said: "I am a scientific research worker like me, and I am indifferent to the position of deputy director in my laboratory." ”

Wu Yun looked at her suspiciously, and asked curiously, "No... Why didn't I know that there was such a number one person in the field of physics, it stands to reason that your man's fame is no less than yours. ”

“...”

"That's it, believe it or not, anyway. Liu Yun'er said helplessly: "Don't ask me this question again... I won't say it!"

ultimately

Wu Yun gave up, she felt that Yun'er had changed... It became a little insidious and cunning.

Time passes minute by minute,

After about an hour, Lin Fan got all the key values according to his own ideas, such as the total value of real humans in the world, the probability of computing power, the proportion of computing power used to simulate consciousness, and finally the value of the alien's simulated brain.

Of course

Because the numbers were too large, Lin Fan had to solve an inevitable contradiction, the contradiction between zero and one.

This contradiction,

is at the heart of the whole issue.

If we explain this core in modern physics, it is roughly the uncertainty of quantum properties.

And Lin Fan believed that the professor who came up with this problem needed an explanation in this regard, and she herself was a little powerless, so she took it out and let everyone solve it together in this way.

What to do?

To write or not to write?

What if I don't pay after I write it?

After all, Sir Isaac Newton said... You can calculate the orbits of celestial bodies, but you can't calculate the madness of human nature.

A minute later,

Lin Fan silently put down the pen in his hand, raised his head and said to Wu Yun and the others, "Okay." ”

“...”

"Okay?" Wu Yun came back to her senses, her head involuntarily leaned over, and at the same time, the other three people also came over, and Liu Yun'er couldn't hold back the curiosity in her heart, and also put her head up.

When the five of them saw the process on the three blank papers, a sense of confusion swept through their brains, they couldn't understand what Lin Fan was writing at all, it was too obscure... At this time, Wu Yun's mouth opened slightly, but in the end he still didn't make a sound.

She really wanted to ask Lin Fan what was written on it, but these words undoubtedly lowered her level.

But the last line of English text is completely understood.

[The following can be unlocked for a £10,000 fee]

In a flash

The five of them are going to be autistic, and even Liu Yun'er can't stand it.

"Lin Fan?"

"You... What do you mean by that?" Wu Yun raised his head and looked at Lin Fan, his eyes full of disbelief.

——————

"I'm sorry..."

Lin Fan said with a smile: "If I write down the whole process and don't give me money... So I took precautions, and if I wanted to see the most important content, then please pay the 10,000 pounds that had been agreed upon in advance. ”

"It's not..."

"Do we still owe you money at Oxford?" Wu Yun looked at him in disbelief.

Liu Yun'er also felt that it was too much, and he was not his father, and he even dared to hack the money to buy a diamond ring for his little padded jacket, this is Oxford University... How could the world's top public research university, the oldest university in the English-speaking world, be on its laurels.

In this regard,

Lin Fan sighed deeply and said earnestly: "History has taught me that when trading with capitalism, we need to be vigilant at all times. ”

......