{"id":4273,"date":"2026-09-01T11:59:54","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T11:59:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/?p=4273"},"modified":"2026-09-01T11:59:54","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T11:59:54","slug":"summa-cum-confusion-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/?p=4273","title":{"rendered":"Summa Cum Confusion (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">[ The Story So Far: read here <a href=\"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/?p=4229\">https:\/\/eurolit.net\/?p=4229<\/a> ]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five minutes. Four minutes and fifty-eight seconds. Dr Cybelius stared at the chemistry speech. Then at the Physics letter. Then at the ceiling. Then at his cabin bag. Something about the cabin bag caught his attention. The unidentified metal object.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He had packed it without knowing what it was. He took it out. It was a small cylindrical piece of metal with a curious blue button on one end. He pressed it. Nothing happened. He pressed it again. Still nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Never mind,\u2019 he whispered and put the unidentified object into his pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three minutes. The supervisor opened the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Doctor, they are ready for you.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius stood up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Excellent.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018You seem pale.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I have laryngitis.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018But you are speaking.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Only temporarily.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He walked into the auditorium. The room was magnificent. Distinguished scientists, academics, dignitaries and members of the Nobel Committee filled the hall. Dr Cybelius approached the lectern. He looked at the audience. The audience looked at him. He looked at his twenty-page chemistry speech. Then something extraordinary happened. His acute laryngitis failed to materialise. He cleared his throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Good morning.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His voice was perfectly normal. He panicked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018That is unfortunate,\u2019 he whispered, but the microphone magnified his voice, carrying the confession to a stunned crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The audience laughed. Dr Cybelius assumed they were laughing at the joke. He decided to continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Ladies and gentlemen, members of the Nobel Committee, it is an extraordinary honour to stand before you today and speak about&#8230;\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He looked at the first page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018&#8230;the transformative potential of HO\u2082.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was a brief silence. Nobody moved. Dr Cybelius continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018The hydroperoxyl radical&#8230;\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018This is the wrong speech.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few people smiled. Dr Cybelius turned the pages. Page after page. Chemistry. More chemistry. Radicals. Equations. Wastewater. AI-controlled treatment systems. He looked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I have won the Nobel Prize in Physics.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The audience applauded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Unfortunately, I prepared a speech for Chemistry.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Someone laughed. Dr Cybelius felt strangely calm. Perhaps panic had reached its natural limit and had simply given up. He put the speech down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Actually, I may have something to say about Physics.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The audience became attentive. Dr Cybelius thought for a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Six months ago, I accidentally put petrol into my car. Instead of diesel.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few people exchanged glances. One Nobel Committee member leaned forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018The car worked.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I then realised that the car was electric.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The laughter became louder. Dr Cybelius smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018At the time, I considered this an administrative matter.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The audience laughed again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018But now I wonder.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He reached into his pocket and took out the little metal cylinder and held it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018This morning, I found this in my cabin bag. I have no idea what it is.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The audience laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018It appears to be some kind of laboratory component.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He pressed the blue button. There was a faint click. The lights in the auditorium flickered. The projector switched itself on. Every screen in the building suddenly displayed the same image. A rotating three-dimensional model of a molecule appeared. The audience fell silent. Dr Cybelius stared at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I have no idea what that is either.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A physicist in the front row stood up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Doctor!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Yes?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Don\u2019t touch the button.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius immediately touched it again. The molecule disappeared. The auditorium went dark. There was a collective gasp. Then the lights came back on. The screens displayed a series of equations. The physicist was now running towards the stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Doctor Cybelius, where did you get that?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I packed it yesterday.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Where did you find it?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018In my laboratory.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Who gave it to you?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I can\u2019t remember.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Do you know what it does?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018No.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The physicist stared at the screens. Then at Dr Cybelius. Then back at the screens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Do you understand what you have just done?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018No.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018You have demonstrated a previously unknown mechanism for converting ambient electromagnetic fluctuations into usable energy.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius blinked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Is that a good thing?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018It is impossible.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Ah.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The physicist turned towards the Nobel Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018He has just demonstrated it.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius looked at the little device in his hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018But I thought this was a screwdriver.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The audience erupted. A Nobel Committee member stood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Doctor Cybelius, where did you obtain the theoretical model behind this?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius hesitated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I may have written it down.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018When?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Possibly while looking for my passport.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018When did you discover the equations?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I believe I was trying to calculate how many teabags I could fit into my cabin bag.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The physicist looked horrified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018You derived a new field equation while packing tea?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Possibly.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another scientist rushed onto the stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Doctor, this is extraordinary. Your equations appear to unify several unresolved problems in quantum field theory.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius stared at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Are you sure?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Yes.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Because I copied most of them from the back of a restaurant receipt.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The auditorium became completely silent. A woman in the front row whispered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018He\u2019s joking.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius looked at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018No, I am not.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The physicist examined the receipt. His face went white.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018These are correct.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius smiled weakly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018That is fortunate.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Permanent Secretary approached the stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Doctor Cybelius.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Yes?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018We have just realised something.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Another misunderstanding?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018No.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Secretary looked at the Nobel Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Your discovery explains why the car worked.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius stared at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018What?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018The petrol.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Yes?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018It wasn\u2019t the car that was running.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018What was running?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018The new energy system.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius looked at the metal cylinder. Then at the equations. Then at the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018So the car wasn\u2019t actually electric?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018It was.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Then what powered it?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The physicist answered quietly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018You did.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was a long silence. Dr Cybelius looked deeply troubled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Does this mean I have to give the Chemistry speech after all?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018No,\u2019 said the Permanent Secretary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Why not?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Because you have just accidentally changed Physics.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I see.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He returned to the lectern. The audience waited. He looked at his twenty-page speech. Then he folded it in half and put it into his pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Well,\u2019 he said, \u2018I suppose I should thank the Nobel Committee.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He paused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018And apologise to Chemistry.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The audience laughed and applauded. Dr Cybelius looked at the clock. He had exactly eleven minutes left. Then he remembered his acute laryngitis. He cleared his throat. Nothing happened. He cleared it again. Still nothing. He looked disappointed. Finally, he turned towards the supervisor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Could you please read the rest of my speech?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The supervisor stared at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018But you don\u2019t have laryngitis.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018I know.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Then why?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Cybelius picked up his cup of tea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Because I have biscuits.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And, with the Nobel Prize ceremony still in progress, Dr Guy B. Cybelius sat down in the armchair on the podium and began eating them. Nobody in the room noticed that the lucky alarm clock inside his cabin bag had started producing electricity. Nobody except the Nobel Committee. They quietly made a note. There would be another prize. Probably next Tuesday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ The Story So Far: read here https:\/\/eurolit.net\/?p=4229 ] Five minutes. Four minutes and fifty-eight seconds. Dr Cybelius stared at the chemistry speech. Then at the Physics letter. Then at the ceiling. Then at his cabin bag. Something about the cabin bag caught his attention. The unidentified metal object. He had packed it without knowing what it was. He took it out. It was a small cylindrical piece of metal with a curious blue button on one end. He pressed it. Nothing happened. He pressed it again. Still nothing. \u2018Never mind,\u2019 he whispered and put the unidentified object into his<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4274,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[64,123,13],"tags":[347,348,346,349,379],"class_list":["post-4273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-experimental-prose","category-picks","category-trails","tag-chemistry","tag-cybelius","tag-nobel","tag-physics","tag-speech"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4273"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4275,"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4273\/revisions\/4275"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eurolit.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}