The entire venue had frozen in place.
Sounds of people drawing sharp breaths filled the air...
After all, the couple were both teachers from the educational sector.
Especially on Li Jiangao's side, with university professors and researchers from major research institutes, such personnel in frontline scientific research positions made up at least ninety percent.
Therefore, even though Qiao Ze spoke lightly, they could comprehend the significance of his few casual words.
They began to look at each other in dismay.
Even the children, who seemed to sense the seriousness in the expressions of the adults, became well-behaved.
The family members, who understood!
The 119th element of the Periodic Table of Elements signified the start of the eighth period of the table, heralding the beginning of a new period. Chemists and physicists alike would be busy again.
Of course, the importance of this matter was never as simple as just adding content to textbooks.
A new element meant new physical and chemical properties, which in turn signified that everyone could go crazy updating their materials libraries again.
For example, stronger material properties could translate to higher energy storage efficiency in technology, better alloys, more efficient catalysts, or even more terrifying weapons...
Below the stage, Edward Whitten sensitively noticed the change in expression of his tablemates and subconsciously asked Xu Dajiang beside him, "What's wrong? Did Qiao Ze say something he shouldn't have?"
"Hmm... No, he only mentioned he wanted to give a gift," Xu Dajiang said, as if talking in his sleep.
"The naming rights to element 119."
"What?" Edward Whitten suddenly felt his brain wasn't working adequately and instinctively asked, "Has Huaxia already developed its own Particle Collider and put it into use?"
It was no wonder Edward Whitten asked such a question.
After all, the discovery of new elements was inseparable from large apparatus like colliders.
For instance, element 118, Oganesson (Og), was created by accelerating calcium ions to high energies and colliding them with a plutonium target, producing Oganesson and some of its isotopes in the process.
Although these isotopes existed for only a very brief period, it was long enough for scientists to confirm Oganesson's creation through the signatures of its decay.
Of course, Oganesson still falls within the original Periodic Table, being the last element of the seventh period.
But this unnamed element 119 was different, symbolizing the beginning of a new period, with challenges not even comparable to those of previous discoveries.
Xu Dajiang just shook his head...
How could he possibly know that?
He had never paid attention to such matters!
He was still full of questions!
This kind of breakthrough, capable of making headlines in any top-tier science and technology journal… Qiao Ze had somehow managed to not leak a whisper of it beforehand.
Lu Xiuxiu, who was happily chatting with the relative at her side, also froze, puzzled by the bizarre atmosphere at the wedding.
"Hmm, is this element 119 very impressive?"
"Yes, darling, what's with everyone's reaction?" Qiao Ze's mother-in-law asked curiously.
Su Lixing exhaled deeply and said with a complicated expression, "Well... you know about Madame Curie, right?"
"Nonsense, of course we know Madame Curie, we did go to school!"
"Her life's greatest achievements can be summarized as the discovery of radium and polonium, as well as the initiation of research into radioactive elements, all of which continue to be remembered to this day," he explained succinctly.
"Well, she discovered two elements, too, and Qiao Ze has only discovered one. Is that reason enough for such fright?" Ms. Su said disparagingly.
With a wry smile, Su Lixing explained, "It's not the same! Let me put it this way; right now, material discoveries are all about exploiting what's already known because everything that could be found within existing physics has been discovered. The material models Qiao Ze developed before are just based on the existing framework, exploiting the remaining value within it.
But the 119th element means breaking away from the previous framework, constituting a brand-new beginning. It gives new materials at this stage entirely new possibilities. The difficulty is completely different compared to that era!"
"So what you're saying is, the material base you're working on has better prospects now?" Ms. Su asked curiously.
Su Lixing didn't know how to respond.
What is 'better prospects'?
This was wealth and prestige that were nearly suffocating him.
At the next table, a group of academicians were also exchanging puzzled looks.
Had Qiao Ze cooperated with CERN or other research institutions and led the discovery of a new element?
Xilin didn't have such a thing either!
So element 119 just came out of nowhere ?
As for Li Jian's parents and parents-in-law, they too were stunned.
Ah, this wedding gift...
They had never heard of it.
It seemed to be too valuable.
It was too meaningful.
Especially for those in education, they were already considering how future textbooks might recount this extraordinary tale.
But the strangest thing at the moment was that no one felt Qiao Ze was exaggerating or seeking attention or joking...
Everyone took for granted that this was indeed what had happened.
Qiao Ze had either confirmed the discovery or successfully synthesized element 119.
Once again, he had opened a new chapter in fundamental chemistry and physics.
This was probably the most baffling part of all.
For the time being, everyone was waiting for Qiao Ze to continue speaking.
Curiosity had been piqued, and there was too much to find out.
The half-life of the new element, the presence of stable isotopes, its chemical reactivity, physical state, electron configuration, and how it interacts with other materials or elements...