I Know What Science Doesn’t

Chapter 002

Daniel Hayes dragged his suitcase down the street at a leisurely pace, taking in the city with fresh eyes.

Everything felt different now. In his previous life, the passing cars and endless pedestrians would have grated on him. Now, even without knowing what the future held, joy bubbled up inside him.

His former advisor's call came quickly, the familiar booming voice just as Daniel remembered it.

"Daniel Hayes! Heard you gave Robert Sterling hell. Well done!"

"Dr. Vance!" Daniel replied politely.

Elias Vance had been his doctoral advisor before moving to Kingsley University six months ago. Even after the school assigned Daniel a new advisor, Dr. Vance had looked out for him.

Dr. Vance kept going. "I called the school about your experiment, and you know what Robert Sterling told me? He said it doesn't matter whether you did the experiment or not. What matters is that the data is fake and wrong."

"Can you believe that logic? Experimental fraud and experimental error are not the same thing! They've lost all sense of reason over there."

After venting his frustration, his tone softened with concern. "Julian Brooks told me everything. You got expelled? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Just strolling down the street with my luggage."

"Good. Come work with me here. We'll continue the experiments and projects together. With your ability, graduating in two or three years won't be a problem."

"On my way!" Daniel said with a grin. "Without your call, I might have ended up sleeping on a park bench."

"Your call really is a godsend."

Dr. Vance let out a short laugh. "Still got the energy for running your mouth, huh? Sounds like you really are fine. That's a relief."

"Come on over. Head straight to the Applied Electromagnetics Research office and find me there."

After hanging up, Daniel felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The worst was behind him. He would cross that bridge when he came to it, and there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel. He could continue his doctorate at Kingsley University under his original advisor.

He bought a ticket for Kingsley, watching the city of his remembered life slip past the window with nostalgia and apprehension. Everything was starting over.

Once settled into his seat, Daniel closed his eyes to rest, but his mind kept circling back to the experiment.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.

"Wait. Something's not right."

"Why am I so certain the experiment is real?"

Experimental results that violated the laws of physics should have been wrong. Even his predecessor had not been completely sure, yet Daniel was certain.

"Why?"

He thought it over carefully, then closed his eyes and began sifting through his memories.

The predecessor's memories held knowledge, people, events... and something that did not belong to memory. A system? He froze.

The system had two parts. The first was a personal data evaluation:

Intellect: 77 

Physique: 59 

Academic Reputation: -177 

Wealth: 7309

Below that was a note: Knowledge can increase Intellect. Exercise can increase Physique.

The second part was labeled "Special Ability."

He possessed an ability called Truth Perception, which allowed him to judge whether a conclusion was correct.

"Truth Perception?"

So his belief that the experiment was correct came from Truth Perception...

"The experiment really is correct?!"

The realization sent his blood racing. His brain kicked into overdrive, buzzing with excitement.

He had assumed this trust came from the predecessor's memories. Now he knew it was his own. The experiment was right.

The process was sound, the conclusion valid, and the air-molecule fluctuations real. The results pointed to previously undiscovered physics. Replicating the experiment would not merely disprove fraud. It would be a groundbreaking achievement.

"I have to replicate that experiment."

"Go to Kingsley University. Work with Dr. Vance on metamaterials research. Continue the experiments."

Once his excitement settled, curiosity about Truth Perception took over. "It can judge whether an experiment is correct. But what about ordinary math and physics problems? Or research papers?"

"Can it evaluate other things?"

A balding middle-aged man sitting nearby started talking. "Everyone says government jobs are tough, but my whole family works for the government. Police, tax bureau, all doing great."

The verdict was false.

"I'm on a business trip to Washington this time. It was a conference the department required. Department requirement..."

Again, false.

"Tons of leaders at the conference. Even city government people. Secretary, Arthur Prescott. Ever heard of him?"

Again, false.

"Even Washington needs investment, right? Our company's putting in two hundred million. I'm heading there to do the site inspection..."

Daniel turned to look at the balding man, unable to keep from thinking, *You just said all that and not a single word was true?*

The judgment of "false" was vague. Was every word false, or only part of it? He mulled it over.

The listeners across from the man nodded along earnestly, as if they believed every word. Noticing Daniel's reaction, the balding man asked, "Where you headed, kid?"

"He was heading to Kingsley."

"Going home? You look early twenties. College student?"

"Yeah, I'm a student." Daniel answered honestly. "Got expelled from my old university. Switching to a new one."

Everyone nearby paused, then burst out laughing.

"You're hilarious!"

"Universities can expel students? And you can just switch to another one?"

"You're going to visit a school, right?"

Daniel smiled but didn't answer.

Nobody believed the truth these days. He turned back to studying Truth Perception, which could judge experiments and everyday claims, if not exactly how much was false.

He kept listening to the passengers and testing his ability until he drifted off to sleep.

When he opened his eyes again, the train was pulling into Kingsley.

The balding man had woken him. "Hey, kid! Wake up! We're here!"

"You slept the whole way!"

Daniel blinked groggily, heard the station announcement over the speakers, thanked the man, and hurried to grab his luggage before getting off.

Since crossing over, he had barely rested, but the train ride left him refreshed. He took a bus to Kingsley University, left his luggage at a youth hostel, napped for two hours, then headed to campus.

Kingsley University was vast, divided into several college districts like a small town.

Dr. Vance worked in the Department of Physics Applied Electromagnetics Lab on the south side of the College of Natural Sciences district.

The research office was on the first floor of the lab building.

Daniel found the office empty and learned that Dr. Vance was in the second-floor conference room.

As he reached the second floor, he heard voices discussing experimental issues in the conference room beside the stairwell.

He'd barely reached the doorway when he spotted Dr. Vance inside. Dr. Vance noticed him too and waved him in. "You're here! Come on in."

Daniel stepped inside and took a seat on a bench along the wall.

Dr. Vance was deep in discussion with two other middle-aged men. A few younger researchers sat listening. "Our characterization of bismuth telluride has shown that multilayer bismuth atomic layer-covered substrates can grow high-quality stanene."

"But the actual results don't match the predictions. No difference from the last round either."

"Could there be an issue with the calculations?"

One of the other middle-aged men immediately shook his head. "Calculations are my group's responsibility. We've cross-checked every single data point, verified every step multiple times. There's no way there's a problem."

"If the experimental data hasn't changed and the calculations are fine, then where's the problem?"

"It could also be..."

Daniel listened carefully and pieced together the broad picture: metamaterials research.

Dr. Vance was involved in a nationally funded electromagnetic metamaterials research project titled "Theoretical Design and Characterization of Metamaterials."

Electromagnetic metamaterials were artificially synthesized advanced electromagnetic materials with unusual properties, including negative refraction and electromagnetic-wave control. The fundamental project was an important frontier in materials science, which was why Dr. Vance had joined the Kingsley University Applied Electromagnetics Research Lab.

The issue they were discussing now involved a preliminary experiment. That experiment had proven that a specially arranged bismuth atomic layer-covered substrate could grow high-quality stanene.

But the actual experiment still produced poor-quality material, and they were trying to learn why.

They re-analyzed the preliminary experiment and again found no problems.

Daniel half-understood what he was hearing but followed the general thread. He tried activating Truth Perception.

"Is the preliminary experiment wrong?"

As he used his ability, the answer came instantly in his mind.

The answer was yes, but it offered no explanation.

Truth Perception only provided results, not causes or analysis.

The room kept circling the issue without finding the problem.

Daniel glanced around. When his eyes met Dr. Vance's, he raised his hand tentatively and spoke up. "Dr. Vance, is it possible your preliminary experiment is wrong?"

"Maybe there's an error in the calculated conclusions, or maybe the experiment itself has an issue..."

"That was impossible!"

Before Dr. Vance could respond, one of the younger researchers cut in sharply. "We've characterized bismuth telluride multiple times and reached a clear conclusion!"

"The multilayer bismuth atomic layer properties combined with the existing data already prove..."

"Leo Bennett!"

One of the middle-aged men barked a sharp rebuke, then glanced at Dr. Vance.

Dr. Vance waved it off casually. "It's fine. This is Daniel Hayes, a doctoral student I advised at Aldridge University. I'm planning to have him join the project."

Dr. Vance gestured toward two middle-aged men standing nearby. "Professor Croft, Professor Graham."

Daniel stood and offered a polite smile. "Professor Croft, Professor Graham, pleasure to meet you."

Richard Croft gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

Walter Graham, however, seemed caught off guard. He pointed at Daniel, confusion creasing his brow. "Your student? A doctoral candidate? How old is he?"

Dr. Vance glanced at Daniel, momentarily uncertain how to frame the answer.

"I'll turn twenty-three in September," Daniel answered himself, then added a clarifying detail, "gifted youth program."

Both Graham and Croft froze. Daniel was barely twenty-two, which meant he had begun his PhD at twenty-one.

Professor Graham turned to look at his own student, then let out a rueful chuckle. "Aldridge University really is overflowing with talent, isn't it?"

The discussion resumed, but no one revisited the preliminary experiment.

The preliminary experiment was wrong? Everyone thought that was impossible.

Leo Bennett's blunt rejection had spoken for everyone in the room. Professor Graham, Professor Croft, the associate professors, the doctoral students, all of them had complete confidence in that preliminary experiment. It represented the most significant breakthrough they'd achieved in the past six months.