The Three-Body Problem begins during the Chinese Cultural Revolution when scientist Ye Wenjie, after witnessing her father’s death, discovers a way to send signals into space and inadvertently contacts an alien race, the Trisolarans. The Trisolarans’ planet suffers from extreme instability due to its three suns, leading them to seek a new planet to colonizeβEarth.
In the present day, nanomaterials researcher Wang Miao becomes entangled in mysterious occurrences within the scientific community. He uncovers a global conspiracy where scientists are being manipulated and a secret organization, the Earth-Trisolaris Organization, is helping the aliens prepare for an invasion.
As Wang investigates further, he learns that the Trisolarans have advanced technology and plan to invade Earth. Humanityβs survival is in jeopardy as the aliensβ superior knowledge of science and their technological weapons pose an existential threat.
The novel explores themes of human nature, the consequences of scientific progress, and the fragility of civilization. It reflects on humanityβs place in the universe, highlighting the conflict between human ideals and the cold logic of the alien Trisolarans.