The Three Body Problem: Cixin Liu in conversation with Jim Al-Khalili
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- čas přidán 12. 04. 2023
- This event took place on 6 April 2023. The information below is correct as of the publication date.
For this exclusive online event, Cixin Liu talks to British physicist, author, broadcaster and science communicator Jim Al-Khalili, host of the BBC Radio 4 programme, The Life Scientific.
Cixin Liu is China's best-known author of science fiction: the first Asian writer to receive a Hugo Award. His monumental Three-Body Trilogy - first published between 2006 and 2010, and translated into English by Ken Liu, is Chinese science fiction’s most acclaimed work, and will soon be appearing as a major Netflix series.
The trilogy concerns the catastrophic consequences of humanity’s attempt to make contact with extraterrestrials. It is one of the most ambitious works of science fiction ever written: the story begins during the Cultural Revolution and ends 18,906,416 years into the future. There is a scene in ancient Byzantium, and a scene told from the perspective of an ant. The first book is set on Earth, though several of its scenes take place in virtual reality representations of Qin dynasty China and ancient Egypt; by the end of the third book, the stage has expanded to encompass an inter-civilisational war that spans not only the three-dimensional universe but other dimensions too.
Jim Al-Khalili is a theoretical physicist at the University of Surrey where he holds a Distinguished Chair in physics as well as a university chair in the public engagement in science. He received his PhD in nuclear reaction theory in 1989 and has published widely in the field. His current interest is in open quantum systems and the application of quantum mechanics in biology. He is a prominent author and broadcaster who has written 14 books on popular science and the history of science, between them translated into 26 languages. His latest book, The World According to Physics, was shortlisted for the Royal Society Book Prize. He is a regular presenter of TV science documentaries, such as the Bafta nominated Chemistry: a volatile history, and he hosts the long-running weekly BBC Radio 4 programme, The Life Scientific. Jim is a past president of the British Science Association and a recipient of the Royal Society Michael Faraday medal and the Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Medal, the Institute of Physics Kelvin Medal and the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. He received an OBE in 2007 and a CBE in 2021 for ‘services to science’.
Liu Cixin was born in Beijing in 1963. He was an engineer before writing science fiction. In 1989 he wrote Supernova Era and China 2185 and his first published short story, Whalesong, appeared in Science Fiction World in 1999. In the same year his novel With Her Eyes won the Chinese Science Galaxy Award. In 2000 he wrote The Wandering Earth and received the Galaxy Award again. The first volume of The Three-Body Problem was originally serialised in Science Fiction World in 2006 and published as a standalone book in 2008, becoming one of the most successful Chinese science fiction novels of all time. Two other two famous novels are Supernova Era and Ball Lightning.
This event accompanies the British Library’s exhibition Chinese and British.
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Cixin is a genius and Jim’s the one who got me into physics ❤
This man should have received a Nobel prize in literature.
What a great writer with great flights of fancy. Ask him to ignore Star Wars.
Indeed, the best sci-fi novel human ever wrote, is the technology development of the human beings history itself! I’m TREMBLING~
Woh the previous past few decades winners of that prize are not that impressive. Is that even worthy of Cixin Liu's achievements.
Nobel prize in literature is just a political prize, a joke
Not really. To some extent you are right. However Nobel peace prize is definitely a joke. They gave it to Obama and that was like WTF moment. Didn't knew Nobel board would bow to the likes of BLM.@@user-om4gn1cl7v
The new thirty-part Chinese TV adaptation of 'The Three-Body Problem' is really fantastic. I am one of many who are sceptical about the upcoming Netflix series. By the way, every time I listen to or read an interview with Cixin Liu, I am always impressed by how accurately, fastidiously and thought-provokingly he tries to answer the questions asked. Thank you for this discussion, it was a pleasure to see and hear. Not only are his books excellent, he himself is an open-minded and likeable person.
Thank you for this comment, I had no idea there is a TV adaptation, but now I am extremely curious to check it out after I finish reading the book! I picked up The Three-Body Problem yesterday and read half of it basically in one sitting, that's how much it pulled me in
'Really fantastic' might be pushing it. I certainly liked it, but 30 episodes was a bit too much. Like there are 3 episodes that are mainly about Wang Miao freaking out about the countdown. I could've benefited from some sharper editing. Less is more, and all that. Still, I certainly enjoyed it. But I guess they will only do the first book? I don't see any way in which they could adapt book 2 and 3 with their budget. Luckily we have the Netflix adaption to look forward to (I'm one of the few who's sure it will be an enormous success).
@@Neptunellaand which book is your favorite?
@@FluffspeareTencent have already announced adaption of the second book
I watched the Chinese subtitled version and was blown away.
Incredible books, completely challenged my concept of the universe in new ways, these storys are in my opinion about to blow up and become science fiction classics. They will expand human culture and open our eyes not only to the potential beauty but the challenges of our future.
Imagine Earth like dark forest and remember how trisolarians loved human culture ;)
What do you think about the NETFLIX series so far ? How do you think they’ll be able to present the rest of the book series?
@@lavirgenpervertida2711I liked the Netflix version. I hope there is a sequel
Me, too. It was very clever. The problem was the juvenile prose.
Love you Liu Cixin, hopefully you are doign well!
I'm obsessed with the body problem trilogy
I love it, i don't know if there will be another like it in my life time.
there will be .
1. destiny exam
2. roche limit
3.futur's past
4.organized chaos
2026
@@kai-ninja8935 what is that?
I recommend the Hyperion Quartet. Watching three body problem (not read it) put me in mind of the hyperion quartet multiple times. I would say there are similarities in themes.
@@daviddines479 OMG, Hyperion is epic!
@@israfaeldari5532 Ah cool you know it. Not many people i speak to have read it/know it. I loved the ending of the fourth book and it felt like a very worthwhile pay off after 4 books and that the bulk of the story fed the pay off. It took till about book 4 before i started to feel what was coming.
I first heard of 3 body problem on Quinns ideas youtube channel but it was seeing the netflix adaptation existed that really made me pay attention, I watched all 8 episodes in one hit and loved it. In the real world I say lets go. Time to get off this rock whether were alone or everyones hiding.
Need more of these type of in-depth interviews that focuses on the author, and their works.
By far the best contemporary science-fiction writer, not only is he on par with the greats from the past, but him being contemporary makes his writing much more pertinent and interesting. I hope his well never dries.
What an amazing author
❤ and MASSIVE RESPECT from 🇮🇳, venerable Liu sir!
🙏
I admire him so much!
Thank you British Library for presenting this interview. Liu Cixin is one of the foremost scifi authors of our era. In the not too distant future, I look forward to a successful adaption of the Dark Forest for tv....it should be terrifying, I hope 😉🙏💙
23:05 SO interesting that he went and reached out to young people… and, obviously, they told him that they don’t care about history. He was aiming for market success from the very beginning. Very strategic writer.
When I read the books, I thought he was really young.
My first acquaintance with science fiction was via Analog magazine's serialization of Dune by Frank Herbert. From Herbert I was led to Norbert Weiner etc. as well as all the science fiction of the time. Several years ago I became aware of Jim Al Khalili and his work via CZcams which has led me to Cixin Liu and to the British Library. So thank you all three and I will now buy The Three Body Problem which I had never heard of until an hour ago. Perhaps a dual language version, if I can find one.
The books were amazing, each better than the last. I hope the series lives up to them.
Do check out the live action 30 episode series from Tencent, i've watched it and the series was loyal to the book. Truly a well made series!
They blew my mind.
New ideas from new cultures. Exactly what the world needs. Asia was the original spiritual and philosophical leader.
Nothing new about his culture, he wants to have China destroyed.
Shhh
I'm not sure if Asia was the original, or why it matters whether it is, but your hyperbole diminishes your point.
I am pretty sure Africa is the first in many things
We’re the furthest things from new 😂 we’re one of the first ancient civilisations but thanks
It would good (and inclusive) if the cc subtitles/captions in English etc were enabled for this video as English language deaf people cannot access both sides of this discussion. Lip reading is very difficult on videos. Presumably the same problem exists for deaf Chinese speakers also. British Library should endeavour to adopt inclusive measures especially when available
An absolutely brilliant writer! I was introduced to his writing in his book The Wandering Earth and have now also read Remembrance of Earth's Past, and I look forward to reading more of his works!
Awesome interview, thx!.
Excellent interview. Thanks for bringing this on.
This was a great interview. I just finished reading The Three Body Problem last week, and started The Dark Forest. Such a great book. Currently watching the Three Body tv series from China. Looking forward to the Netflix version.
This was really interesting. I love the books and it's fascinating to hear the author discuss Chinese scifi in depth.
Such incredible honesty and humility.
I enjoyed both the original CCTV & Netflix editions.
It would be fantastic if they added subtitles, to see the interview in other languages with CZcams's automatic translation.
learn english or chinese :)
He speaks just like the characters in the trilogy I love it lol
Great interview.
From my perspective mr. Jim is a qualified teacher .
Needs more recognition
so inspiring
Thank you what a treasure 🦋
I really hope his fame leads to his early books being translated into English or French because I can't read Chinese 😢
They were already translated to English long ago.
check out his latest "Of Ants and Dinosaurs" (i found it as an english epub online)
well done !
NETFLIX is already landing the three body problem series, i've been finish the first episode. I'd say truly amazing!
How is the series is it good? Is it also faithfull to the source material?
@@Tirlex I can’t sure about that cause I didn’t read three body novel before I watch Netflix .However, I’m really enjoyed it.
@@TirlexThey changed some story settings (like the modern story is set in London now instead of Beijing) and characters, but I think it’s still a worthy adaptation, just don’t get too fixated on things happening exactly as in the book. If you prefer an exact adaptation then the Tencent series is better
Watch the Amazon series by comparison. It's in Chinese language so you need read subtitles if you don't speak the language.
I found it to be a slower and more detailed burn. It is great for someone who enjoys that style.
I sincerely and strongly recommend TENCENT three body!!! That’s absolutely a masterpiece with a low budget though 😭😭
Great author! Books are amazing.
such an awesome conversation
Completely changed my stance on SETI.
Great Chinese writer. absolut he has lots of Chinese fans. I have been reading his works since I was 18 years old.
我从2001年开始读刘慈欣的小说
我2013@@user-zz1zv8gg9e
This is great!
Jim I’ve been a fan for at least 15 years.
You’re the best science presenter of our era.
Hey go find James Burke while he’s still with us.
Plus the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy is top notch work.
I’m hugely impressed by it.
Good show - I want to read all the books; reminds me of the ideas presented in 'The Killing Star'. It's hard for me to reconcile how a policy of isolationism helps societies in the long view though. I agree with the immediate disastrous effects of contact between assymetrical societies but over longer timescales circumstances improve
Cet homme est un génie !
please add caption for English for deaf and hard of hearing.
Love this man, love his speaking style...
I love the drama produced by Tencent. The main character Wang Miao walks out from the first book of the trilogy, just like Liu said in the conversation. The character is also more lively compared to the book. The details and the performance are so convincing. Since then, I always imagine his face when I think about the book and the character.
I really want to see his half-written novels.
I,d love revue of the " differences or otherwise between the translation from the original Chinese to English..
Why are the books on Jim Al-Khalilis bookshelves all blurred out?
People credit Cixin with the idea of the 'dark forest', that alien races stay quiet for fear of attack, in his 2008 novel of humanity facing extinction by an overwhelming alien invasion, but I saw the idea in Greg Bear's 1987 novel the Forge of God, which used the same 'dangerous forest' analogy for an unstoppable alien attack that destroys human civilisation.
Interesting! I honestly thought Cixin named his book after the theory, but a Google search proved me wrong.
So it was an already established theory, and Wikipedia shows "A similar hypothesis, under the name "deadly probes", was described by astronomer and author David Brin in his 1983 summary of the arguments for and against the Fermi paradox". A few years before Greg Bear. But I'm sure the hypothesis in general probably stretches back even further.
But it seems like Cixin's Dark Forest became the official modern credited term for this hypothesis! That's actually really cool- good for him!
They should definitely make this into a movie and show it on the big screen. I am sure it will be one of the best science fiction movies of all time! Plus, it could be split into different parts just like Avatar.
Why no subtitles? It’s automated by Google, the library just has to turn it on..?
I loved the first volume. The second volume seemed like a whole different writer had written it, and it wasn’t in the same league as the first one.
He's a year older than me, and looks really good.
(Cixin Liu, not Jim Al-Khalili)
Just read The Dark Forest. Probably one of the top 5 science fiction stories I’ve read.
wow
Thanks for such an intricating interview. How did Cixin Liu and Jim Al-Khalili talk in different languages? Was there an online transcribe / translation function by offered the meeting software?
Human interpreters 😅 probably simultaneous interpreting.
It's a shame I would have loved the cold war setting for the first book
Where can I get the book originally in Chinese?
The way he describes how Chinese sci-fi went through cycles of ascent and decline, with the succeeding works inheriting very little from the previous, reminds me of the rise and fall of Trisolaran civilizations. I thought he was intentionally drawing a direct metaphor, but I guess not?
When there was no internet we use to get radio news in Chinese. I dont know if it was mandrin or other language. I love Chinese or Taiwanese novel on cultivation. It is fun but very few have good storylines.
amazing author
To me this trilogy is the best trilogy in SF since the Foundation trilogy.
it is conceptually richer than foundation
Audio translation please
simultaneous automatic translation?
24:55 *Stranger than fiction* “My principle is based on the following fact. I believe the at among all the stories of our human civilization, from mythology to modern novels, the most shocking, the most fascinating, with the most twists and turns, the most intriguing ones would be the development of science itself. Its development, history, and its achievement of uncovering many natural secrets are fascinating enough to be narrated as sci-fi.”
And here I am two of the best minds together. & nobody is watching. 😢 btw loved it!
一天写多少字这个地方的翻译不对啊，words 和 characters 怎么能 1:1 翻译呢。大概 2 characters= 1 words 才对
Although I have watched and enjoyed the first season of the Netflix adaptation, I would like to see the original Chiese TV series (obviously with subtitles). I think the alien civilization's development as portrayed in fits and starts in the three-body star system is paralleled somewhat by scifi's development in recent Chinese history. Interesting interview.
The spiritual successor to Arthur C Clarke. Real thought- provoking hard SF. The AI- era "Dune" novels with a twist of modern China and its trials and tribulations interwowen. The future of SF is bright and promising indeed!
Li Cixin seems like an open minded person, he said he dun wanna interrupt the creative process of movies/dramas by following story adaptation😊 I think he will still be happy for the adaptation by Netflix
He signed off on its production, I think he already knows what Netflix made
I had the pleasure of meeting Cixin Liu, a great write nice to know him, but he seems very uncomfortable with speaking English. I had my novel signed by him. 😀
我很好奇他们怎们进行了这个对话。一个人在说的时候，另一人在听翻译吗？我觉得这样的话比较尴尬。
Am I the only one who thinks he dodged all the important questions ?? 😂😂😂
Interview starts 7:23
8:50
Netflix 8 episodes or so. Too short, more questions than answers.
Lin Qi😮
The moment a particle is a wave; it has to be a conscious wave!
Nicola Tesla states, “If you want to find the secrets of the universe,
think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration”
Gravity is the conscious attraction among waves to create the illusion of particles,
and creates our experience-able Universe.
Max Planck states: "Consciousness is fundamental and matter is derived from Consciousness".
Life is the Infinite Consciousness, experiencing the Infinite Possibilities, Infinitely.
We are "It", experiencing our infinite possibilities in our finite moment.
Our job is to make it interesting!
No offense, but in my humble opinion, as a sci-fi serie, the Netflix version is an interesting one, while it's a piece of trash as an adaption of the Three-Body Trilogy. I don't really think the Chinese TV version is a very great one. But at least we can obviously see how they try their best to be loyal to the original book and transform the words into images and actors' performance. Besides, even as an adaption, I didn't see much more remarkable or logical new creation in Netflix version, while I can only see many important and impressive personalities of the characters and ideas of the whole story be taken away regretfully.
Actually it is imposible for the planet's inhabitant to survive 2 stars. The planet would be scorched.
Interestingly, budhism version of doomsday or the end of human on earth is when the sun become two, then 3, until total of 7 suns. Mind blowing.
Enjoyed the books even with flat characters. The Culture series creates a less xenophobic strangely more optimistic futurescape with a different cheesy, but still western, Hero pastiche combined with an acceptance of AI’s primacy.
Three body problems is point on how himanity would act during a crisis or genocide. # COVID #gaza
I can't believe that a conversation with a literary genius and philosopher has fewer views than "what I ate today", "everything I bought today" and similar nonsense. This speaks volumes about the human condition.
我和您有一样的看法，感觉对话内容乏味至极…..两位天才没有深刻的聊天内容！！
31:43 *Hyperstition* “[R]ather than saying that sci-fi is an escape from reality, I would say sci-fi helps us to expand the reality. So I would say, that through imagination, sci-fi helps us to expand the reality both in time and also space that we cannot arrive today.“
His work has not been properly publicized. He may well win, but we need to if this has much influence on other authors, and if it is widely read outside China. It has a lot of rather political elements concerning the western imperialist activity in China. Especially the opium wars.
I don't think you have read his books or any of his interviews if you actually believe that. cixin has been very clear several times that his work should not be seen through a political lens
@@methamphetamineaddict5217
Since Cixin speaks only Mandarin, obviously there is a language barrier and he speaks in very long uninterrupted passages of complex philosophical influences, very difficult to follow if you are not a scholar of Chinese literature. Besides he is under contract to support the Netflix production, so he has to be polite. To get the Chinese nationalism and opium war connection, Read Cindy Yu’s review in the UK Spectator.
I dreamed of three solar system in my head 30 years ago
What was it that you vizualized years ago and aligned with the book?
Saying the same thing twice is very counter productive, next time subtitle the whole thing.
So talking about evils of cultural revolution is no longer a taboo in China ?
早就不是了
箱子里面是五粮液
好眼神😂😂😂
testing
I caught the Netflix series and what intrigues me about this is the arrogance of the human race.
An alien race is contacted and is invited. Now what I think is the height of arrogance, is that the alien would WANT to come to visit. What could it benefit? Why would it expend the energy? and after looking at the options there is only 1 reason.
Food.
Food isn't the reason and wouldn't make sense.
You are correct in asking for what they would invest all this effort - and the second book (and probably second season) will answer that. Hints were dropped at the end of season 1.
They're not coming for a "visit".
@@oerthlingOK - not read the book but the choices are limited which boils down to help them in the future (Arrival) to we have no resources on our planet or we need slaves/food.
So, the visit ends up in us being the food - amirite?
@@PClanner Nope. If you have high tech civilization capable of starflight you don't need aliens to get enough to eat.
Realistic aliens will never come to eat us, steal our water or gold or whatever the usual things are that some scifi authors imagine.
There's plenty of stuff lying around everywhere in asteroids.
Is this under a paywall?
Can I get a version where the annoying Chynese parts are cut out?
Just vote for Trump. I'm sure he can manage it.
Yes, the Chinese version is, by far, the very best. For some reason, Netflix put a bunch of white folk in it... I don't know why. As a white folk, i heartily endorse the Chinese version on Amazon Prime - just flip on subtitles - the actors are brilliant, the music fantastic and, of course, this story is incredible. Cixin Liu is among the greats of sci fi.
In one word, censorship. Some things show up in translation that don't go along with the rest.
I picture Cixin Liu sitting at his desk writing Chinese characters in the same way that Po Chu-I wrote his poems. When I come to a paragraph that doesn't fit, I blame the translation.
The show is already on CZcams now for free and 4K. English subtitles.
@@drewsaga6533 awesome - people should watch it. great stuff!
He's books are good because they are fantastical, awe-inspiring, and thought-provoking. Characters are more like messengers that delivered the story than focus of the story, so it's not a big loss.
Netflix ruined the adaptation so much so, that I was left with disgust after 20 min.
Netflix will butcher this book. Tencent's adaptation will always be superior!
I thought 30 episodes was too much and became a slog.
@@jeffbachman2949 Yeah, they could cut it to at least 25 episodes, but after watching their adaptation you can say that you read the book. Every dialogue and every scene from the book is there xD
@@iphatbass the sophon creation scene and the elimination of the mirrored eye scene was terribly rushed, they should have cut some episodes and get rid of the cartoonish villan thingy and focus on pretty much the hightlight of the book. While Netflix is trash, I hope it does it better in that particular scene, because it's so important both visually and information wise.
@@jeffbachman2949 30 episodes is not uncommon for chinese tv series, and the large amount of episodes actually helped for character development, which the books kind of lacked. the character development enhanced the story even further
@@shira158 I saw the trailer of netflix, and they changed the dynamics of the characters and even swapped genders and ethnicities, so the immersion of the the original characters of the book will be lost.
I saw the series on Netflix and is super woke vandalization. I have decided to stop watching it. Instead will read the books :)
Are you having a laugh?
Why does cixin liu have the same hairstyle as Mao Zedong？
are you joking? Mao Zedong had hairloss, and hardly have hair lol
he just a bold guy
You can take a man out of the Cultural Revolution but you can't take the Cultural Revolution out of the man
U need a new glasses dude. 😂😂😂
4:46 jump to the actual intro. The Chinese girl is very cute but extremely boring,
We shouldn’t be dealing with the Chinese at all. Shame on those that do.
who's we? and why not? burger eaters from the least civilized country on the planet feeling superior to others much?
The "Remembrance of Earth's Past" trilogy is authoritarian propaganda. Discuss.
There's a whole part where the authoritarian government dooms most of humanity by forbidding the development of the curvature drive and forcing everyone into hiding behind Jupiter plan, which Singer foresees in a second and counters.