After weighing various conjectures, Jason still found the concept of "Laplace's Demon" to be the most plausible explanation.
From the perspective of classical physics, scientists once believed that if the fundamental state of every particle in the universe were known, the future could be predicted with absolute certainty.
This led to the birth of the concept known as "Laplace's Demon." The 19th-century physicist Pierre-Simon Laplace proposed that we could view the current state of the universe as the effect of its past and the cause of its future.
If an intellect could know all the forces that set nature in motion, and all positions of all items of which nature is composed, and if this intellect were also vast enough to submit these data to analysis, it would embrace in a single formula the movements of the greatest bodies of the universe and those of the tiniest atom.
To such an intellect, nothing would be uncertain. The future, like the past, would be present to its eyes. This intellect was dubbed "Laplace's Demon."
However, this deterministic view was challenged by the advent of quantum mechanics. According to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, humans cannot simultaneously know the precise position and momentum of a single electron, let alone the entire universe. Therefore, modern physics generally asserts that Laplace's Demon cannot exist.
Yet, even quantum mechanics is not necessarily the final truth. Critics argue that probability waves, matter springing from nothing and wave function collapse, defy causality and seem illogical.
Regardless, everyone had their own theories. Some believed that Calvin's brain possessed a unique computational capacity, allowing him to deduce future probabilities based on known information—a highly advanced form of actuarial science, or perhaps a more scientific version of astrology.
This theory seemed the most reasonable, though "reasonable" was a relative term.
"So, did Calvin predict the success rate of Project Noah?" Jason asked.
"He said that fate is unfathomable and that every tiny variable can trigger a butterfly effect. He can only see high-probability outcomes, but he cannot deal in absolutes," Lily replied.
She then deepened her voice, solemnly imitating Calvin's tone. "Everyone, there is no need to worry. Under the leadership of the Son of God, we humans will definitely find a way out!"
Hearing this, Jason had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. Such ambiguous prophecies were meaningless; they were no different from saying nothing at all, and they conveniently shifted the burden of responsibility entirely onto him. Jason hadn't held much hope anyway; most of Calvin's prophecies were similarly vague.
He was more inclined to believe that humanity would find a way to survive through their own hands and minds, rather than relying on the cryptic words of a prisoner. Could a single prophecy change the future? Obviously not. The path was beneath their feet; they had to walk it to move forward.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Hearing Calvin's grandiose religious tone coming from Lily's mouth was jarring. The key was that she delivered the line with such cold, deadpan earnestness that it became unintentionally comical.
After working together for so long, Jason had realized that Lily was a unique specimen: off the charts in IQ, but scraping the bottom of the barrel in EQ. She was a brilliant scientist, but if she had to survive on social skills alone, she would likely starve to death.
Perhaps this was a common trait among hyper-specialized academics? No, it was more severe than the "absent-minded professor" trope. If you discussed science with her, communication was flawless. If you discussed anything else—life, relationships, social nuance, you would hear some truly baffling conclusions.
"So, do you think Calvin can actually predict the future?" Jason measured his tone before asking.
"Just because something cannot be explained by current science does not mean it does not exist. Our current understanding of the universe reveals very little of the truth."
Lily seemed intrigued by the topic. "Human understanding of our own brains is even more limited than our understanding of the macroscopic universe. I once read a meta-study on 'metahuman' abilities precognition, telepathy, telekinesis, bio-luminescence, bio-electrical generation, and so on. Some have been debunked, some can be explained by natural science, but a significant number remain inconclusive."
" regarding the inconclusive cases, I remain skeptical, neither affirming nor denying them. Researchers eventually integrated these phenomena into a discipline called parapsychology. During the Cold War, major powers conducted extensive research on this, and some prestigious universities even offered related coursework."
"For example, Professor Sterling, a pioneer in bio-physics, wrote extensively on the subject."
"According to the research, people with such abilities usually possess brain structures that differ from the norm. These mutations shouldn't be seen as magic, but rather as subtle evolution a manifestation of human adaptation to nature."
"My father believes that such individuals usually possess strong convictions or willpower. He theorizes they might have a higher success rate for 'Perfect Element' modification."
Her father was Dr. Roman, who had been researching the Perfect Element for four or five years. He was arguably the leading authority in the field.
This was the first time Jason had heard this theory. He lowered his head in thought.
Over his years of military service, he had encountered some "special" individuals people with abnormally high strength, or those who could conduct minor electrical currents. But ultimately, these individuals weren't as exaggerated as comic book superheroes. The "electric men" generated less voltage than an electric eel, and the "levitators" could barely hover for two seconds.
Could such people withstand the lethal modification of the Perfect Element?
Jason remained skeptical.
He had his own thoughts regarding the Perfect Element. Based on existing data, it could transform humans into something far more powerful, Superhumans. Compared to these potential evolved states, baseline humans were simply too weak, lagging far behind in both intelligence and physical resilience.
The most crucial point was that a Superhuman possessed environmental adaptability that ordinary people could never achieve.
This adaptability was all-encompassing. For instance, Jason had been studying intensely over the past few days, constantly pushing his cognitive limits. He could clearly feel his mind becoming sharper, his learning speed accelerating at an astonishing rate.
Of course, people often say the brain is a muscle that gets stronger with use, but his progress was far beyond the norm.
Physically, it was the same. Back when he was training, he would casually break world records. His physical potential seemed bottomless, spiking to absurd levels before the rate of improvement finally plateaued.
To put it bluntly, it was a matter of potential cap. The ceiling for a Superhuman was stratospherically higher than that of a baseline human.
If interstellar travel was truly the future, Jason wanted to transform everyone into Superhumans. The universe is cold and cruel; not every star system would be as gentle as the Solar System. What if humanity encountered a planet with ten times Earth's gravity when they needed to replenish resources?
Under ten Gs, the frail human body would be crushed. Without sufficient automated mining tech, what would they do? Wait for death? Only by evolving into Superhumans could they adapt to the harsh cosmic environment.
Furthermore, a human lifespan of less than a hundred years is simply too short for the scale of space. A single voyage could age the crew to death before they reached their destination. Only by evolving, potentially increasing lifespans tenfold, would they be qualified to wander the galaxy.
Jason suppressed these ambitious thoughts for now. He wasn't the kind of megalomaniac who wanted to be the only god among mortals. There was no point in that. No matter how strong a Superhuman was, they couldn't out-lift a bulldozer; no matter how smart, they couldn't out-calculate a supercomputer.
Only when the entire species evolved would humanity achieve a fundamental breakthrough.
"So, is Calvin a person with special abilities? Does that mean his success rate for Perfect Element modification is higher?" Jason mused.
Undergoing Perfect Element modification currently meant death if unsuccessful. Even the "best" failed outcomes resulted in a permanent vegetative state. The risk was too great.
"Do we have any other special individuals in our base?" Jason asked.
"Uh... perhaps. Yes." Lily fell silent for a moment, then suddenly blushed and stammered.
The socially awkward girl was behaving very unnaturally. It was the first time Jason had seen such an expression on her face. Although he was curious, he wisely didn't press the issue. There was no time to ponder the Perfect Element right now; it was a problem for another day.
Knock, knock, knock.
Suddenly, a rapid rapping came from the door.
"Come in!"
Austin pushed the door open, looking flustered. He spoke in a rush, "Captain, I want to dismantle the Lunar Society!"