At a meeting between Vladimir Putin and young scientists, sensational details of the present and future structure of the Universe were revealed

On September 8, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with young scientists in Sarov, Nizhny Novgorod region, and taught them what he himself knew. Kommersant special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov – with details from the Russian President on how to look for neutrinos, find a wife, and not give up.

This meeting began late in the evening, after the opening of roads and visiting temples and monasteries. Everything was settled and it was possible to focus on the conversation without rushing about important things.

The city of Sarov has been a federal nuclear center for some time now, after one of these visits by Mr. Putin. About such places they say, either with a breath or with a shudder: “Nuclear shield.” However, where there is a shield, there is a sword. In general, a difficult place.

The young scientists sitting at a small table around Mr. Putin (the week-long quarantine allowed them not to feel the distance was insurmountable) work at the Russian Federal Nuclear Center – the All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics. Vladimir Putin recalled that he was already in Sarov in 2014, “at that time only our ill-wishers took the first steps in attempts to limit our technological sovereignty and hinder our development.”

– And I must say that, firstly, our forecasts were confirmed, everything was as they said: it will be like this – that’s how it all happened! – the president exclaimed. – They also provoked this conflict in Ukraine (if it were wrong, in fact.- A.K.) and took advantage of it! I think that this was generally done purposefully in order to create additional conditions to limit our economic growth and restrain the development of Russia.

This is when it only becomes clearer. How many years must pass for the truth to be revealed? Then, in 2014, everything was not so obvious. But now every day it’s becoming clearer and clearer. And even clearer and clearer. And further…

Vladimir Putin was aware that he was speaking to scientists, otherwise he would not have said:

— I guess that’s it, I’ll finish my quasi-introductory remarks here.

A few hours ago, at a meeting with the builders of the M-12 Vostok road, he did not utter such words. And then I allowed myself.

“Please, no difficult questions, no special questions,” the president made a reservation.

It really was already a difficult day. Moreover, he understood into what abyss these seemingly harmless young people could instantly plunge him.

— Vladimir Vladimirovich, one thing is possible (quasi.— A.K.) word literally in addition to your (quasi.— A.K.) opening remarks?.. – asked the head of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev. – If I may, I would like to remind you of one more visit – this is the end of November 2020, the very height of the pandemic… A huge number of uncertainties… But you are making a decision here about creation of the National Center for Physics and Mathematics and the branch of MSU Sarov!

Indeed, the memories of the visit in 2014 somehow eclipsed the memories of the visit three years ago.

“Under your pressure,” Mr. Putin nodded.

Alexey Likhachev also remembered one, as he said, intractable student, discovered back in 2021 – Maxim Vyalkov.

“I promised myself then: I will do everything for this guy to come,” said Alexey Likhachev. “He arrived, he is now sitting at the table, he is already a graduate, he is entering graduate school.”

It’s worth saying right away that Alexey Likhachev, following the results of the meeting with the president, had the right to think about whether it was in vain that he did everything as he planned in 2021.

Maxim Vyalkov first spoke about the rector of Moscow State University Viktor Sadovnichy:

— Viktor Antonovich paid a lot of attention. I especially want to note that he sent us mead on Tatiana’s day. Special thanks to him.

– Did you go well? – Vladimir Putin asked.

“Very good,” Maxim Vyalkov agreed sedately.

The atmosphere could already be qualified as blissful. But this was a meeting with the president.

— Alexey Evgenievich (Mr. Likhachev.— A.K.) he greeted us with cakes – without liquor, but very tasty! – he continued. – Separately, I want to say that not only were we greeted with cakes, but Alexey Evgenievich came to us literally every month, raised us like a father, mentored us and made us into the Russian elite, I’m not afraid of this word!

And apparently he did. Otherwise, young people would not be sitting in front of the president now and would not be talking to him so easily about mead and cakes.

“Like many, or rather, like the majority of those who came here, they came for the sake of science, in order to build the foundation for future Nobel Prizes,” continued Maxim Vyalkov.

Yes, it was no coincidence that the young man was here in a checkered suit, a vest, a bright purple tie and a multi-colored handkerchief in his breast pocket. Ambitions were fully visible already in this scarf. Our scientists do not go to a meeting with the president with a handkerchief in their pocket. A Nobel Prize, in short, is the least that will suit him.

— Here I take off my hat (and he also has a hat.— A.K.) and I want to say a huge thank you to Alexander Mikhailovich Sergeev,” Maxim Vyalkov nodded towards the academician, who was also sitting at the table. “As President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, he managed to find time to give us a whole large course on laser physics. It was amazing! Separately, I would like to say thank you to Alexander Mikhailovich for those conversations over a glass of coffee about the fate of Russian science, the Academy of Sciences! It was amazing!

So a glass of coffee appeared in addition to the cake and mead. Maxim Vyalkov, it seems, took time out for everyone so that they could talk with him about the fate of Russian science.

There was only one person who has not yet succeeded. But this had to be fixed:

“And here, since we are talking about science, I want to say that I am involved in neutrino physics,” Maxim Vyalkov turned to Vladimir Putin. “The neutrino is an amazing particle, yes, absolutely!” You probably know better than me!

– No. “This is too much,” admitted Mr. Putin.

That is, this was exactly what turned out to be too much. And what Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin had previously said at the opening of the highway about the highest level of his competencies and the decisive value of his instructions is no, not too much. And in general, everything that everyone had said before at all meetings, assessing the quality of his mastery of any subject in the world – no, not too much. But about neutrinos – too much.

Well, the thing about neutrinos really caught my eye.

“Through us,” Maxim Vyalkov then decided to tell, although he was asked not to talk about complex, special issues, “10 to the thirty-fifth neutrino passes through us.” We don’t feel them! And if you want to know in detail and well, I am at your service, I will tell you at any time!

One could and should doubt everything in the Universe – but not this. He will come and tell you. And yet, as it turned out, right now:

“And now it’s very short,” warned Maxim Vyalkov. “Actually, what’s interesting about neutrinos?” It does not obey the laws that we currently know! The standard model is like Newton’s law in particle physics, and it does not obey these laws! This means that by understanding neutrinos, we can look at our Universe from a different angle and understand how it really works, understand what principles it is based on and how it can be used for the benefit of humanity.

It was necessary to draw the following conclusion: what does not obey laws and what can only be viewed from a different angle is very necessary for everyone for the good of humanity.

The conclusion was, to put it mildly, controversial in modern times.

“We are implementing a project to study the coherent scattering of neutrinos on an atom and set a record limit on the magnetic moment,” Maxim Vyalkov nonchalantly told the president.

Well, they asked you in Russian!

Damn it, but he’s just started:

– And as a result, in addition to limiting the magnetic moment and studying the electromagnetic properties of neutrinos, we will get a whole zoo of various low-energy neutrino detectors, which we – well, humanity… can then use in other areas, including for the search for dark matter , and this is, if not a Nobel Prize, then about!

Maxim Vyalkov knew where to dig.

— Mikhail Vladimirovich (Chairman of the Government, Mr. Mishustin) came to us in the summer.— A.K.) and inspected the construction stages. And we want to say that thanks to the family atmosphere that we have formed, we were able to achieve, excuse me, a frantic pace of development in two years!

What Maxim Vyalkov drank and ate with Mikhail Mishustin, we did not find out in this turmoil. But something tells me: we’ll find out soon anyway.

– And I ask you on behalf of everyone not to slow down! — Maxim Vyalkov asked Vladimir Putin from the bottom of his heart. “We will work, work and work, study, study and study!” But the main thing is not to slow down!

Or maybe, on the contrary, take a break.

But something had to be answered to the young scientist. It turned out that Vladimir Putin had been listening to him all this time.

—Where will we look for dark matter—in the Universe or closer? – the president asked directly.

“Oh!..” Maxim Vyalkov waved his hands.

“She’s everywhere,” Vladimir Putin guessed.

– She is everywhere! — Maxim Vyalkov agreed. “There is so much of it!” There is more of it than visible matter! I hope that cosmology teachers will not later say that I said something wrong. But we will look here!

– We find it – what are we going to do with it? – Mr. Putin insisted.

But Maxim Vyalkov, it seems, didn’t think that far ahead. Finding dark matter is indeed more than enough for the Nobel Prize. Then why bother? Meaning?

“We’ll get new riddles, and then we’ll watch…” the young scientist shrugged.

“Increase the number…” Mr. Putin apparently realized that Maxim Vyalkov, after the discovery of dark matter, was ready to consider any options.

“First I will receive the Nobel Prize, and then …,” Mr. Vyalkov warned.

In fact, he thinks about it seriously. Like most young scientists.

“Good luck to you in your study of neutrinos,” the president blessed.

“And looking for a wife,” Maxim Vyalkov admonished himself.

– And what! — Vladimir Putin suddenly perked up. “We don’t know what’s more important!” I am not kidding! You come across some girl who is not very keen on science, and what will you do? Forget about neutrinos.

“I may have found a formula: there must be a wife who is an architect,” admitted Maxim Vyalkov.

– Why? — the president was sincerely interested.

“This could take a very long time… I’m afraid that we’ll go beyond the limits now…” the scientist waved his hand, but immediately, of course, explained. “It’s like a man of art… You know, a building has a soul, and it’s laid by architect, she must feel the beauty of the Universe… In the same way, a physicist and a mathematician feel this beauty of the Universe. That is, you can find…

Theoretical physicists always come up with something like this, and then spend their whole lives toiling.

The wife is like the architect of a building in which the soul beats, neutrinos beat… And both acutely feel the beauty of both… Yes, there was definitely something in that.

— He (a physicist and mathematician.— A.K.) must think in images,” Mr. Putin understood in his own way. “You know, just as your institution should not be limited by some stereotypes, you, too, should not be limited by these stereotypes. You must be an “architect” – that’s all, and then you’ll run into some kind of wall (if you’re talking about an architect.— A.K.)! Select a person who thinks in images… And this can be a person of various professions!

Yes, at least anyone!

Well, Vladimir Putin took this information to heart.

“Okay, Vladimir Vladimirovich, I’ll take it into account, I’ll write it down,” and finally Maxim Vyalkov could not resist.

“No, no, it’s your choice,” Mr. Putin warned politely.

“My name is Kuleshova Vitalia, I am also a student at MSU Sarov and a participant in the 10th direction of the NCFM,” said the next participant in the meeting.

– Direction 10? — asked Vladimir Putin.

“Yes,” the girl confirmed.

– What it is? — the president clarified.

“The 10th direction is experimental astrophysics and geophysics,” she nodded and seemed ready to explain.

It was clear from Vladimir Putin’s face that he asked in vain.

Andrey Kolesnikov