Chapter 36: Sheldon Is Not On The Team
Since David presented the concept of the "Three-Dimensional Scan" experiment—which introduced a temperature dimension—at the UCLA conference, facing sharp questions from Professor Miller, his and Leonard's work focus has entirely shifted to preparing for this experiment.
The two spent tremendous amounts of time in the lab and office; Leonard's desk was covered with detailed experimental design blueprints and circuit diagrams that could make one dizzy just looking at them.
They screened and prepared several topological insulator samples, repeatedly verifying them on various basic characterization equipment, ultimately settling on a nearly perfect thin-film sample as the core for this "Ultimate Verification."
Everything was ready, except for the final element. This "final element" was the "Integrated Cryogenic Measurement System," one of Caltech's crown jewels.
It integrates a powerful superconducting magnet and a precise temperature control system capable of reaching near absolute zero, making it an indispensable platform for their high-difficulty experiment.
That day, David and Leonard, feeling both anticipation and nervousness, walked into the office responsible for managing the equipment. However, reality presented them with a less-than-ideal option.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Hofstadter, Dr. Mitchell," the scheduling administrator said, spreading his hands helplessly while looking at the densely packed reservation screen. "As you know, the 'Cryo Queen' (that's the nickname students gave the machine) is highly sought after. Professor Stephens' team from Quantum Computing has booked it for two full weeks next month, and the Superconductivity Lab team is also waiting in line... Hmm, I see the next available window for a long continuous reservation..."
The administrator scrolled the mouse, and the cursor finally stopped on a time slot.
"See, here, early January, during Winter Break. From January 3rd to January 20th, about two and a half weeks, completely free."
Leaving the equipment management office, a shadow clearly hung over David's face.
"Damn it, the experiment's going to take up the entire Winter Break after all." David couldn't help but complain.
Although Leonard was also disappointed about losing the holiday, he quickly adjusted his mindset, trying to infect his companion with optimism. "Hey, David, look at it from another angle. Winter Break is actually the perfect time slot for our experiment."
David raised an eyebrow at him.
Leonard continued to explain, a hint of excitement in his tone. "Think about it—the students will all be home, and most professors and researchers will be on vacation. Campus will be empty. This means we can apply for several weeks of uninterrupted equipment access! With no one fighting us for machine time, we can focus completely on that long Three-Dimensional Scan! Isn't that way better than fighting for every minute like squeezing toothpaste during the regular semester?"
David pondered for a moment upon hearing this. Leonard certainly had a point. Normally, monopolizing such top-tier equipment would be impossible, but the holiday was the perfect opportunity for projects like theirs that required long-term, stable experimental environments. The shadow on his face dissipated slightly, and he nodded. "You're right, Leonard. This might be the best arrangement."
The two walked down the Physics Department hallway, discussing holiday experiment details. As they passed the bulletin board, a brand-new, brightly colored poster caught Leonard's eye.
"Hey, David, look!" Leonard pointed at the poster. "The Caltech Annual 'Physics Bowl' knowledge competition registration started yesterday!"
The poster featured an exaggerated, enticing trophy adorned with various physics symbols.
Leonard carefully read the rules, his eyes growing brighter. "The experiment doesn't officially start until January, so we have plenty of time now! Let's discuss it with the others and form a team? This is a traditional grand event at Caltech!"
David wasn't usually keen on these competitions, but seeing Leonard so excited, and considering everyone had been quite stressed preparing for the experiment, a change of pace might be good. He agreed with a smile. "Alright, sounds fun. We'll treat it as entertainment and relaxation."
"Fantastic!" Leonard said happily. "Let's hit the cafeteria. The others must be there right now—we can ask them!"
Sure enough, in the corner of the cafeteria, they found Howard and Raj huddled together, pointing at Howard's phone screen, next to Sheldon, who was meticulously eating his carefully selected Wednesday spaghetti.
"Guys! I have great news!" Leonard eagerly announced the Physics Bowl news and extended the invitation to form a team.
"Physics Bowl? Awesome!" Howard immediately perked up. "It's time to show the whole school that I, Howard Wolowitz, not only have the ability to send equipment around Jupiter's moons, but can also dominate the competition arena with knowledge."
Raj nodded in agreement upon hearing this, confirming his participation.
"Physics Bowl?" Sheldon put down his fork at that moment, a look mixing superiority and pity on his face. "This shallow intellectual competition based on rapid recall and conditioned reflexes? No, thank you. My intellect should not be wasted on such a superficial, purely crowd-pleasing spectacle. It's as absurd as asking Einstein to enter a speed math contest."
Leonard had expected this reaction. Instead of being disappointed, he was relieved. "Alright, Sheldon, I respect your choice. In fact, your voluntary refusal prevents an awkward situation—the Physics Bowl rules state a maximum of four people per team. If all five of us wanted to participate, one person would have to sit on the bench as a substitute."
Sheldon snorted, seemingly satisfied that he'd "proactively avoided" a potential interpersonal difficulty, and continued enjoying his pasta.
Having confirmed the roster, the four-person team immediately got into gear. The first order of business after forming the team was choosing a resounding name that reflected their style (or what they perceived as their style).
"I think we should call ourselves the 'String Theory Quartet'!" Howard proposed first, his fingers virtually playing air guitar. "It's elegant, profound, and has artistic flair."
"That's too pretentious, Howard," Raj immediately objected. "We should be called the 'Cosmic Dust Conquerors'! It humbly acknowledges our insignificance in the universe while also showing our ambition to explore the unknown!"
"Sounds like a Dyson vacuum commercial," Leonard quipped, then offered his own idea. "If you ask me, simple and direct is best. How about 'Sheldon Is Not On The Team'? It's clear, concise, and even provides psychological intimidation."
David was amused by the suggestion but felt it was a bit too antagonistic toward Sheldon, so he said, "How about 'Fermi's Followers'? It pays tribute to a physics pioneer and sounds more professional."
The four held firmly to their respective opinions, arguing relentlessly, unable to convince one another. Sheldon, though claiming disinterest, had his ears pricked the entire time. Hearing the team names, the expression on his face gradually turned impatient.
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