In 1996 Chou read an article about oceanographic research in which the writer, inspired by everyday experience, described how even in a closed room with no direct light source, scattered sunlight (" ambient light ") entering the room and striking objects is reflected into people's eyes to form images, so that people in the room can still see each other.
一九九六年，周定一閱讀到一篇關於海洋探測的文章，文章作者從生活經驗中突發奇想，指出人們在門窗緊閉的室內，雖沒有直接光源，但太陽光散射游移在房間，碰到物體反射到眼睛成像，因此室內人們仍可以看見彼此，這是許多人有過的經驗。