What constitutes the fundamental essence of our world? Are the elementary particles we commonly recognize truly the smallest units that make up the universe? At 14:30 today, the "Basic Science Conference Series Dialogue" of Zhang Chaoyang's Physics Course will feature its highly anticipated finale of the year. Zhang Chaoyang, founder, chairman of the board, and CEO of Sohu.com, who holds a Ph.D. in physics, will engage in an in-depth conversation with Wen Xiaogang, a condensed matter theoretical physicist and the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics at MIT. Together, they will explore the theme "The Next Revolution in Physics: The Extremely Small, the Extremely Large, or the Extremely Complex?" to investigate the underlying operational logic of the quantum world. The entire session will be broadcast live on the "Zhang Chaoyang" account in the Sohu Video follow feed.
Wen Xiaogang is an internationally renowned physicist whose academic work has reshaped the theoretical framework of modern condensed matter physics. His most influential contributions include proposing the concept of topological order and clarifying that long-range quantum entanglement serves as the microscopic origin of this phenomenon. This achievement transcends the symmetry-breaking theory of matter phases established by the physics giant Landau, creating a new paradigm for research in condensed matter physics. His proposed string-net condensation concept further challenges the traditional view that elementary particles are the fundamental building blocks of the universe, opening fresh perspectives for understanding the origins of matter and spacetime. His research has also laid core theoretical foundations for topological quantum computing and the development of novel quantum materials.
Another highlight of this dialogue lies in the lesser-known connection between the two speakers. Wen Xiaogang entered the Physics Department of the University of Science and Technology of China in 1977 and, in 1981, earned the top score nationwide to pursue advanced studies at Princeton University through the CUSPEA (China-US Physics Examination and Application) program. Zhang Chaoyang graduated from the Physics Department of Tsinghua University in 1986 and, in the same year, secured a CUSPEA scholarship to pursue a doctorate at MIT. As beneficiaries of the same CUSPEA initiative, the two later charted distinctly different life paths: Wen Xiaogang studied under Edward Witten, a founder of superstring theory, delved deeply into theoretical physics, and later transitioned to condensed matter research, becoming a pioneer in topological order and quantum order theories. Zhang Chaoyang, on the other hand, returned to China in 1996 to establish Sohu, emerging as one of the pioneers of the Chinese internet industry. One has remained deeply immersed in the innermost realms of physics, while the other, after expanding into the business world, has now returned to the physics lecture stage. Their passion for physics has never faded, and each, in their own way, actively advances science communication, striving to bring fundamental science to a broader audience.
Beyond his research, Wen Xiaogang is also a science writer. Through a well-known science communication public account in China, he actively disseminates foundational scientific theories and cutting-edge physics ideas, and enthusiastically offers guidance to young students in knowledge communities. In recent years, Zhang Chaoyang has also transformed into a "physics influencer" on the Chinese internet, hosting the knowledge livestream program Zhang Chaoyang's Physics Course on Sohu Video. With a distinctive style of rigorous derivation, he calculates the physics behind everyday life and cosmic phenomena, covering broad areas such as classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, and relativity. Through a series of dialogues with top scientists, he brings internationally cutting-edge scientific perspectives to the public.
From particle collisions to fluid flows, from the collective behavior of electrons to entirely new quantum states of matter, and from searching for the smallest "building blocks" to understanding organizational principles across different scales, physics is expanding the very meaning of "explaining the world." In this dialogue, Zhang Chaoyang will approach from the perspective of fundamental physics, discussing emergence, topological order, quantum many-body systems, elementary particles, and the future of physics with Wen Xiaogang. This is not merely an exploration at the forefront of physics but a feast of ideas for everyone. Whether you are a physics enthusiast or an ordinary person curious about the nature of the world, this dialogue will open a window for you to re-understand the universe.
This conversation serves as the concluding piece of this year's "Basic Science Conference Series Dialogue" for Zhang Chaoyang's Physics Course. On August 12, Zhang Chaoyang engaged with Professor Liu Ruomai, director of the Center for Soft Matter and Living Matter Research at the University of Pennsylvania, to analyze the emergence patterns of classic disordered systems like sandpiles and foams. On August 18, he discussed the controversies and boundaries of the standard model of cosmology with Professor Subir Sarkar, professor emeritus at the University of Oxford. On August 25, tune into the Sohu Video follow feed livestream, join Zhang Chaoyang and Wen Xiaogang as they approach the frontiers of quantum many-body systems and emergence, and ponder together what the world is truly made of and why it has come to look the way it does today.