Ni Kuang’s Science Fiction Prophecies: From the Wisely Series to Today’s Real‑World Science

Ni Kuang’s Science Fiction Prophecies: From the Wisely Series to Today’s Real‑World Science

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Fifty years ago, Mr. Ni Kuang created the first Wisely novel, The Diamond Flower, launching a series that used science fiction as a shell to constantly question the boundaries of humanity and science. His Wisely stories are not only entertainment; they also resonate surprisingly with the trajectory of real‑world scientific progress today.bailushuyuan+2

The Atomic Dimension (1966) and the End of the World: Nuclear War and Climate Crisis

The Atomic Dimension explores the fate of a world threatened by atomic energy and destructive technology. In today’s reality, nuclear proliferation, great‑power rivalry, and climate change have created a “slow‑motion apocalypse,” echoing Ni Kuang’s warning about technological失控 (loss of control). Scientific discussions of the “Anthropocene” are, in effect, a rational projection of “the end of the world”: not a single atomic blast, but the cumulative risk of countless small decisions.wikipedia+1

Pen Friend (1969) and Artificial Intelligence: From Chatbots to Large Language Models

Pen Friend tells the story of a person who forms an emotional bond with a computer, decades before today’s chatbots, virtual assistants, and large language models. Today’s AI systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can simulate human conversation, provide companionship, and even offer psychological support, much like the “electronic lover” in Pen Friend. The difference is that AI is no longer science fiction; it is embedded in education, healthcare, and customer service, while also sparking new debates over privacy, ethics, and emotional dependence.bailushuyuan+1

Creation (1971) and DNA Modification: The Age of Gene Editing

Creation centers on genetic engineering and the “creation of life,” foreshadowing later developments in biotechnology. Today’s CRISPR gene‑editing technology can precisely modify the DNA of humans, animals, and plants, treating genetic diseases and improving crops, while also raising ethical debates about “designer babies.” The question Ni Kuang posed in the novel—whether humans have the right to play God—has become a real issue for scientists and society alike.wikipedia+1

The Building (1972) and Parallel Spaces: Quantum Physics and the Multiverse

The Building uses a mysterious skyscraper as a stage for the intersection of different dimensions, touching on parallel worlds and the multiverse. Contemporary quantum physics, including the “many‑worlds interpretation” and string theory, explores similar possibilities: the universe may not be unique, but one of countless branching realities. Although these theories are not yet fully proven, Wisely’s imagination of “another self” and “another world” aligns with cutting‑edge scientific speculation.bailushuyuan+1

Hair (1978) and the Origins of Religion: Myth, Faith, and Neuroscience

Hair investigates the origins of religion and miracles through a mysterious strand of hair, suggesting that faith might stem from supernatural or advanced‑technology forces. Today, neuroscience and psychology seek to explain the physiological basis of religious experience, such as brain activity linked to meditation, prayer, and trance states. At the same time, archaeology and anthropology are reinterpreting the origins of religion as early humans’ way of explaining natural phenomena and social order. Ni Kuang’s question—whether religion is merely a trick of a higher civilization—has become a philosophical issue worth pondering in the context of modern science.wikipedia+1

Reserve (1981) and Organ Replication: Regenerative Medicine and 3D‑Printed Organs

Reserve imagines organ replication and “backup bodies,” anticipating later advances in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Today, scientists can grow mini‑organs (organoids) from stem cells and experiment with 3D‑printed hearts, skin, and bones, offering new hope for transplants and regenerative therapies. Yet this also raises ethical concerns: if organs can be mass‑produced, will life become commodified? Ni Kuang’s exploration of “backup bodies” has become a focal point in medical ethics and legal debates.bailushuyuan+1

Other Wisely Themes and Today’s Science

Beyond these titles, other Wisely novels such as Blue Blood Man (extraterrestrial life), The Transparent Light(invisibility), The Golden Ball from Space (cosmic civilizations), and Virus (pandemics and biological weapons) also resonate with today’s space exploration, optical invisibility, searches for alien life, and the COVID‑19 pandemic. Ni Kuang’s science fiction is not pure fantasy; it extrapolates future technologies and social changes from the limited scientific knowledge of his time.wikipedia+1

Conclusion: A Dialogue Between Science Fiction and Science

The Wisely series is called a “prophecy book for science” not because Ni Kuang predicted every technical detail, but because he keenly captured humanity’s fear and curiosity about the unknown and turned it into narrative. When scientists today implement these “science‑fiction” ideas in laboratories, we realize that Ni Kuang’s true contribution is to hold up a mirror, inviting us to rethink humanity, ethics, and the future of civilization in an age of runaway technology.wikipedia+1