Were the Foundations of Astronomy Crumbling?

The Xia Country Great Hall.

Xia Country's foremost physicists and astronomers took their seats.

The Head Councillor sat at the front of the hall, his expression grave.

Deep worry lingered in his eyes.

"Ahem!"

The Head Councillor reached out to straighten the microphone and cleared his throat.

Once everyone below the stage had turned toward him, Senator Li paused briefly before speaking.

"Professors, academicians, I called you here on such short notice because of some news I just received."

As he spoke, Senator Li switched on the projector in the Xia Country Great Hall.

A paper appeared on the enormous projection screen.

Every professor and academician present frowned at the sight of it.

A quiet murmur of discussion followed.

"Is this... the paper published in Nature a few days ago?"

"Yes, I remember this paper quite well."

"Why is Senator Li Chief showing us this paper now... what is he trying to tell us?"

"I don't know... perhaps the sun really has entered its declining years?"

"Nonsense! How is that possible?!"

"..."

As he watched the audience break into discussion, Senator Li's expression grew even more serious. "Quiet!"

"Based on the data in this paper and the Xia Country Astronomical Observatory's observations over the past month..."

"Professor Lü Yongchang performed a series of calculations and reached a conclusion."

"The sun is aging at an unprecedented rate. According to the model's predictions, it will become a red giant within ten years and undergo a helium flash within fifteen!"

Senator Li paused briefly, then added, "These calculations have been verified by Ye Nangeng of the Xia Country Astronomical Observatory."

"..."

As his words fell, silence descended over the vast Xia Country Great Hall.

The pupils of every attendee instantly shrank to pinpoints!

More than ten seconds later, an uproar erupted!

"What?!"

"Impossible!"

"Professor Lü Yongchang? Doesn't he research controlled nuclear fusion? Why has he suddenly started studying astronomy?!"

"I heard he's only a second-year undergraduate. This... this has to be a joke!"

"But... even Professor Ye accepted Professor Lü's calculations. Doesn't that mean..."

"Let's not jump to conclusions. Wait for the Head Councillor to explain!"

After several minutes, the discussion gradually died down.

Senator Li swept his gaze over the audience and spoke again. "To be honest, I find this conclusion hard to believe myself."

"I've called you all here today to verify it."

As he spoke, the image on the projection screen changed.

Looking at the neatly arranged lines of mathematical derivations, every professor furrowed his brow.

"This is the solar model Professor Lü Yongchang has just developed. Please examine it and see whether you can find any flaws."

"Furthermore... according to this model, extremely intense auroras will appear worldwide at approximately 22:50 tonight."

The moment they heard this, everyone turned toward the windows.

The sky outside was pitch-black, without the slightest sign of an aurora.

The Head Councillor raised his wrist and checked his watch.

21:56

There was less than an hour until the predicted time.

"Academician Yang Jianchuan, what do you make of this claim?"

Senator Li asked quietly, his expression calm.

Having been called on, Academician Yang Jianchuan frowned deeply and muttered, "Impossible..."

"Although an extremely intense auroral event occurred in 1958, that was during a major surge in solar activity."

"According to recent observations, solar activity is nowhere near that level!"

Senator Li nodded slightly. "In other words, the likelihood of a global aurora occurring right now is extremely low. Is that correct?"

Seeing Academician Yang Jianchuan nod, Senator Li drew a deep breath. "Then that means, if a global aurora really does occur in an hour..."

Senator Li left the rest unsaid.

None of those present were fools. They naturally understood what the Head Councillor meant.

After a brief silence, Senator Li spoke again, his expression solemn. "Professors, we still have some time. For now, let's examine Professor Lü's model!"

22:35 that night.

Every professor and academician frowned as they studied the page of derivations on the projection screen.

"Professor Yang, have you found any problems?"

Concern showed in an academician's eyes as he quietly addressed Yang Jianchuan beside him.

Yang Jianchuan slowly shook his head. "I... I can't find any problems."

"In fact, after studying this model, I feel there may be something wrong with the stellar models we developed before."

"What?!" The academician was stunned and hurriedly said, "This... Professor Yang, you mustn't joke about something like that!"

As a leading authority in Xia Country's astronomical community, Professor Yang was rarely wrong in his judgments on astronomy.

Precisely for that reason, his views directly influenced the judgments of most others!

Professor Yang's expression was grave as he let out a deep sigh. "I hope that isn't the case, too."

"Human history is far too short, and our technological capabilities are still too limited."

"The only star we can truly study up close is the sun, so... it would hardly be surprising if our models contained errors."

Seeing the expressions of disbelief on the faces of several nearby professors, Professor Yang softened his tone slightly.

"Of course, our models may be correct. Perhaps the sun has developed some problem we don't know about, causing this strange phenomenon..."

At those words, the professors' expressions eased somewhat.

After all, if the fundamental stellar model was wrong, it meant the very foundations of humanity's edifice of astronomy had been shaken!

That was something no researcher could accept!

"Ahem..."

The sound of the Head Councillor clearing his throat came from the stage. "Everyone, have you found any flaws?"

"Or does anyone disagree with the results of these derivations?"

Time slowly ticked away.

The vast Xia Country Great Hall was silent.

Over a hundred professors and academicians lowered their heads, unwilling to meet the eyes of the Head Councillor on the stage.

Several veteran academicians in astronomy and physics also sighed and shook their heads helplessly.

At the sight, a flicker of disappointment crossed Senator Li's eyes.

He slowly closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

"In that case, then..."

Before he could finish, a startled cry rang out from the audience!

"An aurora!"

"There really is an aurora!"

Senator Li's eyes snapped open, and he turned to look out the window!

A brilliant streak of red light appeared above Capital City!

The red light gradually spread across the entire sky.

Beneath the aurora's glow, even the once-bright moon took on a blood-red hue, as though foreshadowing humanity's future!