The Evolution of Genius: Every Night, I Get Smarter!

The moment arrived for Aleksey Yekimov and Louis E. Brus to step onto the stage.

The king of Sweden approached them, carrying medals of honor. As the hall held its breath, the king carefully placed the medals around their necks.

Symbolizing the highest recognition for their exceptional contributions to the field of chemistry.

The crowd erupted into applause.

A split second after the two Nobel Prize winners gracefully exited the stage, another speaker took the spotlight.

This time, the focus shifted to the Nobel Prize in Physiology.

The audience’s attention was captivated as the speaker discussed the award, recognizing the groundbreaking discovery of extinct hominins and the extensive research on human evolution.

The group called "hominins" includes current humans, extinct human species, and all of our direct ancestors.

Svante Pääbo was the one receiving the Noble Price.

As he also left the scene, the time came for the Nobel Prize in Physics.

On the stage entered a distinguished man with grey hair and a sharp blue suit.

I recognized him as the 2003 Nobel laureate, Anthony James Leggett.

He studied the Bose-Einstein condensate theory and high-temperature superconductivity as part of his work to directly prove the quantum properties of physical systems.

His work may not have been directly connected to the subject for which I won the Nobel Prize, but it did connect with the research I have been doing lately.

The man with grey hair and a blue suit approached the microphone.

He began by expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to give the speech, acknowledging that he had been following the Nobelists’ research and discoveries for the past two years.

With a confident tone, he declared, "I believe that the person I’m about to introduce is the smartest person to ever walk the earth."

The man looked at me and said, "Professor Maximilian Sullivan, I believe your recent work will also be recognized. We might have someone on our hands who will join the list of people who have won the Nobel Prize more than once."

The anticipation in the room intensified as he announced, "For the discovery of a monopole, for the theoretical base and the practical creation of a monopole, as well as the practical use of the monopole to create a practical fusion engine, this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics goes to you, Professor Maximilian Sullivan."

The room erupted into applause, and I felt gratitude for the acknowledgment of my work.

Stepping onto the stage, I approached the microphone, ready to deliver my short acceptance speech.

"Thank you," I began, addressing the gathered audience.

"I appreciate everyone who has played a role in helping me accomplish what I set out to do. The scientists and engineers."

As the applause continued, I continued, "I won’t dwell on this achievement for too long because, in my mind, this is just the beginning. I’m young, and I have dreams I want to accomplish. I plan to do even more. Thank you all for this incredible honor."

I could see Oliv clapping her hands with a smile.

With that, I acknowledged the applause with a nod and a smile, taking a moment to savor the moment.

The King of Sweden then put on a gold medal with Nobel’s face carved on it.

I left the stage right after that.

The American author Louise Glück won the Nobel Prize in Literature. She was praised for her exceptional command of language and her deep explorations of family, love, and personal identity.

Turning to the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, the focus shifted to Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and Michael Kremer.

These economists were praised for their experimental approach to reducing poverty around the world, which involved using new study methods to come up with effective policies and programs.

After the Nobel Prize Ceremony finished, it was time for the grand banquet at the Stockholm City Hall. Me and Oliv decided to walk there, enjoying the crisp evening air.

We weren’t alone—many others also chose to walk while others entered their cars in the parking lot.

As we strolled, the city lights sparkled, and the atmosphere was lively with people chatting and laughing.

It wasn’t far to the Stockholm City Hall.

Together with Oliv and a crowd of well-dressed guests, we entered the hall where tables, one after the other, were well-prepared on both sides.

Some students were already seated.

Despite numerous invitations to join other Nobel laureates or physicists, Oliv and I decided to join a table with some young students.

The students were visibly happy that we joined them. All of them were top students, either from Sweden or doctoral students, who came here together with their professors.

We looked forward to some good food and company.

While I was enjoying the lively atmosphere of Stockholm City Hall, I was pleasantly shocked to see Professor Milik sitting in front of me.

As soon as he noticed that I saw him, he laughed and jokingly said, "Hahaha. I thought you would never realize."

I grinned and exclaimed, "Professor Milik!"

He chuckled and remarked, "I see Olivia quite often, but you, Maximilian... It’s been a while."

I looked over at his side and saw a girl sitting there. She looked about 17 years old, or maybe just younger than most students. She had brown eyes and blonde hair.

She seemed engrossed in our conversation. I asked Professor Milik, "And who might that be?" While glancing at her.

Professor Milik threw a glance at her and replied, "Oh! This is my newest student, Alice. She is 16 years old, but she is already taking graduate classes."

My eyes widened, and I said, "Congratulations, Professor Milik. You’ve got yourself a talented pupil."

Alice seemed visibly embarrassed, curling up while sipping her tea.

Professor Milik laughed and said, "No, no. You are way more talented, Maximilian."

Oliv put her hand on my shoulder and chimed in, "Yes, he is!" I looked at her in a slightly puzzled manner, and Professor Milik laughed again.

The hall quickly filled to the brim, and I noticed that no one seemed eager to sit on my other side—perhaps a mix of awe or apprehension.

Eventually, a male student took the spot next to me since he had no other place to sit.

As the evening progressed, at some point, waiters circulated and everyone received a glass of champagne.

A wave of anticipation swept through the room, and soon we all stood up to partake in a collective toast. Glasses clinked, and laughter echoed as we raised a toast to celebrate the achievements.

After sitting back down, conversations buzzed around the hall as waiters gracefully moved among the tables, offering a variety of delightful delicacies.

Surprisingly, the student who had taken the seat next to me gathered the courage to speak up.

"Professor Maximilian," he cautiously said.

I turned my head toward him and replied, "Yes?"

He appeared a bit nervous but proceeded to ask, "I’m a student at Stockholm University, about to begin my doctoral studies. I wanted to ask your opinion. What do you think would be the best field to explore? I’m torn between astrophysics and chemical physics."

I smiled and pondered for a moment. "Those are two very different fields. Hmm," I mused.

"It might sound strange coming from someone who received a Nobel Prize in chemical physics, but I would choose a topic in astrophysics. I can tell you right now that there are breakthroughs incoming in that field that will elevate astrophysicists to even greater importance."

The student nodded appreciatively.

I asked, "What’s your name?"

He responded, "Hugo Gustav."

I nodded again and wished him luck.

He expressed gratitude, visibly pleased.

Turning back to Oliv, we discussed my plans after the banquet. I informed her that I would need to leave for a few more days to take care of something.

As we conversed, Professor Milik initiated a conversation with me, exclaiming, "Max!"

I turned to Professor Milik, and he asked, "Max, what are your plans now? I saw your Unified Quantum Theory. It’s not my cup of tea, but people are studying it. Many think it’s controversial, but there are a few who are already thinking of ways to somehow prove it."

I responded, "What are my plans now? I’m working on something called Enhance String Harmony. Or, if not taking into account my theory, Enhanced Quantum Entanglement. You’re going to see."

I then continued, "Also... I’m planning to either create a new space company or maybe I will just join SpaceZ and give them some ideas. I don’t care about the money."

As I spoke about my ideas, Oliv interrupted and said, "Max! I forgot about it! Or did your parents already tell you?"

I turned to her, asking, "Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Your parents have been following your NeuralDream company’s progress. There is going to be a first human test."

I was surprised, "This quickly?"

She affirmed, "Yes. There is an older lady who agreed to everything. I heard it must be performed in Canada due to regulations."

Professor Milik looked at me stupefied and remarked, "Max... I think I should ask, what are you NOT working on?"