"Let me share a tricky question with you. Can anyone figure this out? 'As people grow more robotic, and robots more human-like, how can we, who are becoming ever more machine-like, create robots that truly capture the essence of humanity?'

On the dusk of April 23, the Yue Yue Bookstore on Weide Road was abuzz with excitement. A popular science lecture themed "AI Empowers the Future: Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists in Yangpu to Shape a New Digital Intelligence Corridor" was in full swing.

Wu Yuren, a retired physics professor from Tongji University, stood at the experiment table. With her short gray-white hair, work vest, and signature lanyard glasses, she handled a physics device and playfully recited a tongue twister to the audience. Below the stage, children watched with wide eyes, parents captured the moment on their phones, and the room echoed with laughter and exclamations of amazement.

This event was part of the "Daxue Road Bookstore Festival & KIC Knowledge and Art Festival" and marked the second installment of the "Yangpu Influencers Showcase". It featured one of Bilibili's top 100 content creators - "Non-Exercise Advocate Grandma", who guided the audience on a journey to explore the boundless potential of the future of technology. Ranging from electric charge experiments to AI, and from the scientific spirit to the essence of physics, Grandma Wu delivered a truly unique and engaging scientific feast in her signature "non-exercise" style.

From the Lab to the Live Stream: A Retired Professor's Breakthrough Journey

"Paper doesn't have any charge, so why can I use this rubber rod to lift these paper scraps?" At the lecture, Grandma Wu pulled out a piece of fur and started rubbing a rubber rod with it, her eyes on the children below. She then moved the rod close to the table, and a few scraps of paper were effortlessly lifted and stuck to the rod, arousing a round of applause. A curious child asked, "Is it charged now? Why?"

It's not just about the phenomena themselves, but the curiosity they spark. As Grandma Wu puts it, science is not just about finding the "right answer" - it is about asking "why". Her mission in creating the "Non-Exercise Advocate Grandma" account was to encourage children to ask questions and then provide them with answers.

"Science demands a sense of idealism," she explained, citing an example: "Today, some private companies are diving into fusion research, which is incredibly challenging. Their investments might not pay off for decades, so why do they do it? It's driven by passion, idealism, and a deep commitment to contributing to humanity."

Grandma Wu aimed to sow the seeds of scientific idealism in the hearts of children.

Her journey was imbued with science from a young age. Her father was part of the first generation of aerospace workers in New China, and their home was a treasure trove of technological books and blueprints. Growing up in this environment, she was naturally drawn to science, eventually enrolling in the Physics Department of Tongji University. After graduation, she stayed on to teach for over 40 years. Yet, she noticed that many students "suffered" through their studies - they could tackle complex problems but lacked a deep understanding of the underlying principles and showed little enthusiasm. "Endless exercising may yield high scores, but it often drains away curiosity."

In 2009, as she was about to retire, Grandma Wu led the establishment of the "Tongji University Physical Practice Workstation of Shanghai Youth Science and Technology Talent Training Base", aiming to spark children's love for science through hands-on experiments. However, in the beginning, the workstation received only three applications. Upon learning that it was not connected to exams, some parents, simply turned and left.

"Science education is more than just memorizing and testing!" Grandma Wu persevered. On weekends, she and her team launched the "Holiday Physics Club", where they used brooms to stimulate magnetic fields and coins to show resonance, slowly drawing in a group of kids genuinely passionate about discovery.

In 2018, Grandma Wu teamed up with Guan Dayong, a postdoctoral fellow at Tongji University, as well as ten other professors and doctors to launch the "Non-Exercise Club". They began experimenting with using short videos to share scientific knowledge, starting with just a three-person team. In 2020, a short video they created to explain the law of inertia using an egg took off, racking up over a million views. "It seems people don't dislike physics - they just haven't seen how fun it can be!" The team's confidence soared.

Now, "Non-Exercise Advocate Grandma" has amassed over 14 million followers online, with some videos garnering tens of millions of views. At 73, this "silver-haired knowledge communicator" has emerged as a beloved science mentor for numberless children.

"Non-Exercise" Uncovers a Journey to the Joy of Science

"Why do we call it 'non-exercise'? Because science isn't about rote memorization - it's about playful discovery!" At the event, Grandma Wu stressed to the children, "While exercising might teach you formulas, it's through experiments that you truly grasp why they work."

She recalled a call from a science teacher in a remote region: "The kids adore lab classes, but with the standardized exams looming at the end of the term, they're forced to resort to rote learning." This left Grandma Wu feeling both saddened and frustrated. Physics textbooks are meant to be a sandbox for nurturing curiosity and exploration, yet in practice, this ideal often falls short. She argued that an overemphasis on standard answers and exam-focused exercises is gradually snuffing out children's creative spark.

"Teenagers are supposed to be the most curious about the world," Grandma Wu shared her educational belief. "When kids ask 'why', it's crucial to steer them toward discovering the answers on their own. At its core, science education is about fostering a scientist's mindset."

Nowadays, Zhiyong Science and Innovation Practice Base, the offline hub of the "Non-Exercise Club", has emerged as a breeding ground for teenagers' scientific aspirations. Equipped with authentic research settings like ecological labs and AI studios, the base is dedicated to nurturing children's interests into lifelong passions, standing by them for a decade or more.

On Grandma Wu's lab table, you won't always find high-end, sophisticated equipment. Instead, she often uses everyday items as her experimental props.

This approach stems from the "Non-Exercise" team's core philosophy: turning intricate scientific concepts into engaging, everyday experiments. In Grandma Wu's videos, a broom illustrates magnetic fields, a pot lid shows sound resonance, and a boiled egg explains inertia. "Physics is everywhere; we just need curious eyes to see it," she said with a smile.

In her videos, she often encourages her followers, saying, "Give it a try at home - it's fun!" This relatable approach to science has captivated not just kids but also rekindled many adults' curiosity about the subject.

"I brought my daughter here; she's about to enter junior high and will start learning physics. I wanted to spark her interest early on," said Ms. Zhang after attending a lecture. "To my surprise, I was completely hooked myself. Grandma Wu's teaching style is truly engaging, even for us adults."

Rooted in Yangpu: Nurturing Future Scientists

With its headquarters in Yangpu, Zhiyong Science and Innovation Practice Base is closely tied to the community. Grandma Wu from Tongji University shared a deep bond with the area. "Many of us on the team are Tongji alumni. We live, work, and study here and have seen it grow. This district holds a special place in our hearts - it's more than just a location; it's a sentiment."

The "Non-Exercise" team has transitioned from the digital realm to the physical world, making their way to Weide Road, the backstreet of Daxue Road, and into Yue Yue Bookstore. This move seems to have brought the joy of science even closer to children. According to Grandma Wu, hosting science education events in physical bookstores feels almost like a natural progression. "Every time I visit Daxue Road, I'm struck by the vibrant energy of the many young people here. The area is also home to numerous bookstores, which are already hubs for knowledge dissemination. By hosting science events, we can infuse these bookstores with new life and purpose."

Daxue Road has evolved far beyond just dining and entertainment. This compact street links several top universities - Fudan University, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and Tongji University, as well as KIC. On weekends and holidays, it becomes a temporary pedestrian street, brimming with a distinctive cultural and innovative spirit. Statistics show that the Daxue Road neighborhood hosts seven bookstores, a notable feature in all of Shanghai.

Now, Grandma Wu's involvement with Daxue Road underscores the unique cultural environment of Yangpu and our vision to "integrate science into the fabric of the city".

As one of the first national innovative urban areas, a key support area for Shanghai Technology Innovation Center, and an "Innovation China" pilot urban area, Yangpu is fostering an integrated innovation ecosystem connecting laboratories, universities, enterprises, and communities. This robust framework supports the seamless integration of industry, academia, and research. Within Zhiyong Science and Innovation Practice Base, a comprehensive suite of full-process innovation services supports countless individuals on their journey from initial interest to deep passion, and ultimately to a clear aspiration. As Grandma Wu put it, "Our district is rich in resources; what we truly need is the spark to ignite curiosity."

As part of the "Yangpu Influencers Showcase" series, Yangpu aims to use this popular science lecture to harness the online influence and appeal of influencers to cultivate an ecosystem where science and the city thrive together.

As Grandma Wu noted in an interview, "While exercising makes examinees, it is questioning that nurtures scientists." On this digital and intelligent belt, a quiet yet powerful movement is underway, with the seeds of science and the future beginning to sprout.