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Operation Guzheng
A sophon is a super-computer contained in a proton (hence the name, which combines the word proton with the word “sophia,” the Latin word for wisdom). After a complex process of trial and error, the Trisolarans were able to unfold a 9-dimensional proton into two dimensions, program it with incredible amounts of data, and refold it. The Trisolarans then sent the sophons to earth, where these tiny particles could enter into laboratories and confuse humans’ experimental results, therefore stalling all scientific progress. The sophons are also intelligent enough to report back all information on earth to Trisolaris, effectively meaning that humans are constantly being surveilled by the Trisolarans.
Sophon Quotes in The Three-Body Problem
The The Three-Body Problem quotes below are all either spoken by Sophon or refer to Sophon. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 33
Quotes
“Even in nature, the destruction of universes must be happening at every second—for example, through the decay of neutrons. Also, a high energy cosmic ray entering the atmosphere may destroy thousands of such miniature universes…You're not feeling sentimental because of this, are you?”
“You amuse me. I will immediately notify the propaganda console and direct him to repeatedly publicize the scientific fact to the world. The people of Trisolaris must understand that the destruction of civilizations is a common occurrence that happens every second of every hour.”
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Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Three-Body Problem LitChart as a printable PDF.
Sophon Term Timeline in The Three-Body Problem
The timeline below shows where the term Sophon appears in The Three-Body Problem. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 33. Trisolaris: Sophon
...Trisolarans decided to turn a single proton into a giant supercomputer—a project they called Project Sophon. To do this, the princeps and his science consuls created a giant particle accelerator; they...
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...proton shell. But, at last, the experiment was successful: the Trisolarans had successfully created a “sophon,” or a proton with wisdom. The scientists boasted that “this is the smallest artificial intelligence...
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The scientists began to give the sophon a series of commands, and the two-dimensional shape folded itself first into three dimensions, then...
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Creating the next three sophons was a much quicker and easier process, and eventually, the Trisolarans were ready to launch...
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Because each of the sophons would be capable of multiplying and moving between particle accelerators, the Trisolarans would indeed be...
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While Ye Wenjie finishes reading about the creation of the sophons, the people at the Battle Command Center meet to discuss what they have learned from...
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Chapter 34. Bugs
...to what the Trisolarans have. “Long live bugs!” shouts Ding, giving a toast. “Long live sophons! Long live the end of the world!”
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