For practitioners in the international biology community, "Cell", published at the beginning of each month, is a must-read professional journal. This journal has published many major life science research advances and is a good place to understand the latest developments and trends in the biology community.

important way.

On September 5th, in an office in the Department of Plant Science at the University of California, Davis, Marcin Sheridan was still grinding coffee beans, and his assistant sent the freshly baked "Cell" to the school not long ago.

》The journal was delivered and placed on the desk.

Professor Sheridan quickly brewed the coffee, added a lump of sugar into the coffee cup, and slowly stirred it with a spoon. Then he smelled the rich coffee aroma and was ready to enjoy this issue of "Cells."

Yes, "enjoy". Professor Sheridan is a loyal reader of "Cell". For the past twenty years, he has never missed a monthly issue of "Cell" and has read almost every article in it.

Unfortunately, "Cell" mainly publishes the latest research findings in the fields of experimental biology such as cell biology, molecular biology, neuroscience, immunology, virology and microbiology, human genetics, systems biology, etc.

Most of them are papers on animals and humans. Plants are not the mainstream, accounting for less than one tenth, and are mainly in the cutting-edge fields of cells, molecules, DNA and other subdivisions.

The University of California, Davis, is the world's agricultural and environmental science research and education center, among which it is most famous for plant science, animal science, agricultural economics and management science. As a professor in the Department of Plant Science, Maxin Sheridan has been engaged in all his life.

It is research on agronomy and plant breeding. "Cell", which I prefer to read, does not contain many papers in the professional field that I am most familiar with. How could Professor Sheridan not feel regretful?

While drinking coffee, he glanced at the cover of "Cell" as usual, but unexpectedly found that the cover style was a little different from usual.

On the cover, there is a pair of big hands composed of "0" and "1" and dense mathematical symbols, holding a small sprouting green seed.

"Eh? This cover... seed?"

Professor Sheridan was immediately attracted by this unique cover. He looked closely at the cover and saw that the title of the cover article of this issue actually read——

"My God, "Theoretical Model System of Computational Seedology"? A paper on plants has been selected as the cover article? This is the first time I have seen it!"

Professor Sheridan was really surprised this time.

Being on the cover means that it is a heavy recommendation in this issue, which is of great significance. You must know that "Cell" has always been strict in selecting manuscripts, which can even be called strict. It is very rare to publish a paper in it. Professor Sheridan

In the past twenty years, only three papers have been published on it, which shows how difficult it is to pass review and get published.

It is even more difficult to stand out from the ten to fifteen selected professional papers in each issue and become the cover article. At least no industry giant like Professor Sheridan has ever received such an honor.

Professor Sheridan muttered the title again, wondering in his heart: "Computational seed science...is there such a subject?"

He asked himself that he was familiar with various subdivisions of plants, but he had never heard of "computational seed science".

"No matter, let's take a look first." Professor Sheridan opened the journal with interest and quickly found this article.

Generally, cover articles will have comments, which may be comments from the editorial department or comments from reviewers. This article "Theoretical Model System of Computational Seedology" is the comments from reviewers.

"The reviewers are Professor Horn Sandoval from Wageningen University and Research Center and Professor Jeroen Lucifergers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences?" Seeing these two names, Professor Sheridan asked again

Moved.

Both of these are world-renowned experts in botany and agronomy, especially Professor Horn Sandoval, who is regarded by the industry as an authoritative representative of computational biology. Professor Sheridan has participated in several academic

I communicated with them at the conference and was deeply impressed by their professionalism.

Professor Horn Sandoval commented passionately:

“When I first saw the names of the authors of this paper, my first reaction was, aren’t these the two Fields Medal winners who just exposed Obadiah Shawn’s academic fraud? Oh my God, what?

Will mathematicians be able to steal the jobs of us biologists? I read this paper with a half-funny and half-sceptical attitude, and then I found that I was wrong, very wrong! Rigorous logic, exquisite conception

, an amazing idea! This is undoubtedly a great paper that will change the entire botany. It provides a subversive and highly efficient method of plant cultivation. I believe that as long as you master it, you will be able to

Solve 'famine', a persistent disease that has plagued mankind for thousands of years, within twenty years!"

Professor Geron Lucifergues’s evaluation is also ridiculously high:

"I can't describe in words my feelings after reading this paper, amazing! astonishing! It's incredible, so amazing! The ancient discipline of agriculture will take this paper as an opportunity to regain its vitality! I strongly

It is recommended that all experts, professors, and even students who study botany read this paper repeatedly and regard it as a classic! But by the way, this paper requires a high level of mathematics. In order to fully understand this paper, I asked

The mathematics professor in our school gave me a three-day class, specifically explaining the mathematical thinking in it - so please be mentally prepared. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that the authors of this paper are two students from Xia State.

A young Fields Medal winner!”

Seeing such highly praised reviewer opinions and the fact that the author was a "Fields Medal winner", Professor Sheridan's curiosity was completely aroused. He put down his coffee cup, sat on his office chair, and read line by line.

Read the content of the paper carefully.

After only reading for a while, he was completely immersed in the world of the paper. It wasn't until his assistant came to remind him that there was a class he was going to teach soon. Professor Sheridan woke up as if from a dream. He looked at the time and saw that it was already afternoon.

Three o'clock!

He studied this paper for six hours! He even forgot to eat lunch!

Professor Sheridan took one last look at the author of the paper, silently wrote down the names "Qin Ke" and "Ning Qingyun", then closed the "Cell" journal without finishing his thoughts, held it in his hand, and stood up to go

Classes are held in the teaching building.

Along the way, his mind was filled with "computational seed science", and the shock in his heart could not dissipate for a long time.

Although he was unable to fully understand the mathematical part of this paper due to limitations in his mathematics level, judging from the rest of the content that he had read five times, the level and creativity of this paper were excellent, and it was simply called

It is an epoch-making masterpiece of biology! No wonder Professors Horn Sandoval and Geron Lucifergues gave it such a high evaluation!

When he arrived at the classroom, looking at the crowd of students in the audience, Professor Sheridan still couldn't recover from the shock that "computational seed science" had brought to him.

He glanced at the textbook "Innovative Application Guide to Plant Cultivation" that his assistant helped put on the podium, and suddenly felt it was boring.

He sighed, picked up the textbook and threw it into the trash can. He turned to the students and said, "There is no need to study this textbook anymore."

The students in the audience screamed in surprise, and the assistant's eyes widened.

Isn’t this a textbook written by the professor himself? The professor is usually very confident in this textbook. He once said that looking at the world, his textbook can at least be ranked among the top three in terms of plant cultivation. How come it was suddenly thrown into the trash can?

Are you saying there is no need to learn?

Professor Sheridan faced the surprised eyes of the audience, shrugged his shoulders and said: "Don't worry, I'm not crazy. "Guide to Innovative Applications of Plant Cultivation" was indeed my work of confidence, but from today on, it has become outdated.

If you are lagging behind, there is no need to learn anymore. Not only this set of textbooks, but probably most of the plant cultivation textbooks in the world will be outdated."

There was another commotion among the students. Some students raised their hands and asked in confusion: "Professor, if we don't study this textbook you compiled, what should we study?"

Professor Sheridan gently touched the cover of "Cell", but his voice was extremely firm: "Computational seed science."

The students looked at each other, and finally another student raised his hand and asked: "Professor, where does this 'computational seed science' come from? Why have we never heard of it?"

"It's normal that you haven't heard of it, because today, the journal "Cell" published this cover article titled "Theoretical Model System of Computational Seedology", announcing that this new and great new discipline of plant cultivation has officially

Jump onto the stage of the international botanical community!" Professor Sheridan paused and continued:

"However, I believe that all scholars and students of botany in the world will soon remember this name, because it will change the future of botany and even biology!"

The students in the audience were in commotion again.

Change the future of botany and even biology! Professor Sheridan actually spoke so highly of this new, unproven subject that has just emerged?

This is Professor Sheridan! Professor Sheridan is known as "the first person to cultivate plants at the University of California"! Even if you look at the botanical community in the United States, he is definitely considered a giant in the industry!

"Botany and even biology are scientific theoretical systems that are constantly evolving and developing. We must keep pace with the times and embrace the latest changes with an open and inclusive attitude! I dare to assert that no one can do without plant cultivation in the future.'

Computational Seedology is a great new discipline. Anyone who clings to past experience and refuses to change will just be like insisting on using pen and paper to do calculations despite the advent of computers. They will definitely lag far behind the new era and will eventually be eliminated!

"

Professor Sheridan raised the "Cell" in his hand and said: "From today on, I will explain this 'Computational Seedology' to everyone. Of course, I have not fully mastered this new subject now, because I just watched

I will write this paper several times. I will write an email to the authors and ask them to provide relevant teaching materials as soon as possible. I will also suggest to the school that we invite the two authors to come to our school to give a special report. Before purchasing new teaching materials, I

I will try my best to explain to my classmates what I understand and study together!"

…

Of course, not everyone is like Professor Sheridan. With his keen intuition and broad mind after decades of working in the industry, he quickly affirmed and accepted the new sub-discipline of "computational seed science". There were also many doubts.

For example, Professor Arry Fitch, a master of biology at Cornell University, publicly stated that the review experts of the paper may have exaggerated the role and significance of this subject. He will personally lead the team to verify the effectiveness of this "computational seed science"

How amazing.

However, as scientific research leaders and academic experts in the biological world published comments of praise, doubt, or verification on the Internet, "computational seed science" and this article were published in "Cell", and it became extremely professional.

The popularity of Qiang's paper has skyrocketed, attracting the attention of more and more biologists, especially experts and scientific researchers in agronomy, botany, and seed science.

Students majoring in biology in Xia State who were studying abroad were surprised and delighted after noticing this cover article in "Cell". They organized spontaneously to organize a meeting held by Qin Ke and Ning Qingyun in Xia State more than a month ago.

The replay video of the national live broadcast titled "Computational Seedology and the "Perfect Desert Sweet Potato"" was accompanied by English subtitles and posted on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other video platforms, and @Cell editor

Department as well as several well-known academic media.

Soon the editorial department of "Cell" forwarded the video on social media and praised: "Great lecture video! Incredible and perfect desert sweet potato! After watching this video, our editorial department was collectively rejoicing.

, the great paper by Professor Qin and Professor Ning that is destined to affect the entire biological world was published in our journal Cell!"

This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! With the status of the journal "Cell" in the biological world and the always proud attitude of the editorial board, it is rare to publicly make such a high evaluation, which also makes

This video, along with "Computational Seed Science" and "Perfect Desert Sweet Potato", quickly became popular. The number of views continued to increase. In a very short period of time, it spread to every corner of the world, causing a huge sensation.

In the video, Ning Qingyun's in-depth explanation of computational seed science, Qin Ke's personal demonstration of the application process by randomly selecting questions, and the amazing properties of the perfect desert sweet potato almost suppressed all doubts.

Even Cornell University professor Alley Fitch, who has always been stubborn, changed his attitude after watching the video, forwarded the video, and claimed: "After watching this video three times, I have planned to retract the original

If you have questions, of course, out of scientific rigor, I will continue to practice it myself, such as first verifying whether sweet potatoes with heart-shaped leaves can be cultivated according to this plan to determine whether a great and far-reaching revolution will occur in the biological world.

technological changes!”

Media from various countries also reported on the news.
To be continued...