Science is cautious; it will not have a seismic change on the word of a person, even if said person is the leader of man. Therefore, even if Yao Yuan demanded it, the scientists would not provide the answer to his question on the spot.
This is especially true when we take into consideration the bunch of scientists Yao Yuan was pressuring. They were powerful people in their respective fields. It was not based on ingenuity alone that they reached the heights they were at; they would not be easily pushed.
Yao Yuan was befuddled as to why his commands had had no discernable effect. The scientists paid him no heed. Instead, they ignored him and started discussing the research details of the joint committees. The slew of scientific jargon made Yao Yuan feel even more like an outsider.
