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GabrielaGonzalez_2017U-_ligo_如何发现重力波及其后的可能_
A little over 100 years ago, in 1915, 大約一百多年前,在 1915 年,
Einstein published his theory of general relativity , which is sort of a strange name, but it's a theory that explains gravity. 愛因斯坦發表了他的廣義相對論, 這個理論命名有點奇怪, 但它的說明對象是重力。
relativity:n.相对论;相关性;相对性;
It states that mass -- all matter, the planets -- attracts mass, not because of an instantaneous force, as Newton claimed , but because all matter -- all of us, all the planets -- wrinkles the flexible fabric of space-time . 這個理論指出質量── 所有物質和星球──會互相吸引, 並非基於牛頓所提出的瞬時力, 而是因為所有物質, 包括我們人類和所有星球, 使富彈性的時空結構出現了皺摺。
mass:n.块,团; adj.群众的,民众的; v.聚集起来,聚集; instantaneous:adj.瞬间的;即时的;猝发的; Newton:n.牛顿(英国科学家);牛顿(力的单位); claimed:v.宣称;声称;断言;索取;认领;索要(claim的过去分词和过去式) wrinkles:n.皱纹;皱痕;v.起皱纹;皱起;(使)起皱褶;(wrinkle的第三人称单数和复数) flexible:adj.灵活的;柔韧的;易弯曲的; fabric:n.织物;布料;(社会,机构等的)结构; space-time:adj.时空的;n.时空(等于spacetime);
Space-time is this thing in which we live and that connects us all. 我們活在時空中, 時空聯繫我們所有人,
It's like when we lie down on a mattress and distort its contour . 情況好比我們躺在牀墊上, 使其形狀發生改變。
mattress:n.床垫;褥子;空气垫; distort:v.使变形;扭曲;使失真;歪曲; contour:n.轮廓;等高线;周线;电路;概要;v.画轮廓;画等高线;
The masses move -- again, not according to Newton's laws, but because they see this space-time curvature and follow the little curves , just like when our bedmate nestles up to us because of the mattress curvature. 我重申,質量移動 並非基於牛頓定律, 而是基於時空曲率, 物質跟隨那些微弱的曲線移動, 就好像牀墊凹了下去, 使枕邊人向我們靠攏一樣。
masses:n.民众;大量(mass的复数);包块;v.集中;聚集(mass的三单形式); according to:根据,据说; curvature:n.弯曲,[数]曲率; curves:n.曲线; v.(使)沿曲线运动; (curve的第三人称单数和复数) bedmate:n.同床者;夫或妻; nestles:vi.舒适地坐定;偎依;半隐半现地处于;vt.抱;安置;
(Laughter) （笑聲）
A year later, in 1916, 一年後,在 1916 年,
Einstein derived from his theory that gravitational waves existed, and that these waves were produced when masses move, like, for example, when two stars revolve around one another 愛因斯坦從自己的理論 推論出重力波的存在, 重力波在質量移動時產生, 比如當兩個星體互繞著對方轉動,
derived:adj.导出的;衍生的,派生的;v.得到;推断(derive的过去分词);由…而来; gravitational:adj.[力]重力的,[力]引力的; revolve:v.(使)旋转;(非正式)以…为主要(考虑);以…为中心(兴趣);
and create folds in space-time which carry energy from the system, and the stars move toward each other. 在時空造成帶有系統能量的摺皺, 星體便互相靠近。
However, he also estimated that these effects were so minute, that it would never be possible to measure them. 不過,他預計 其作用太微小, 不大可能加以測量。
estimated:adj.估计的;预计的;估算的;
I'm going to tell you the story of how, with the work of hundreds of scientists working in many countries over the course of many decades, just recently , in 2015, we discovered those gravitational waves for the first time. 但我想告訴你 上百名在眾多國家工作的科學家 是怎樣埋頭苦幹數十載, 終於在最近 2015 年, 首次觀測到重力波。
recently:adv.最近;新近;
It's a rather long story. 這是個漫長的故事,
It started 1.3 billion years ago. 一切從 13 億年前開始。
A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away -- 很久很久以前, 在一個遙遠的星系,
galaxy:n.银河;[天]星系;银河系;一群显赫的人;
(Laughter) （笑聲）
two black holes were revolving around one another -- "dancing the tango ," I like to say. 兩個黑洞互繞著對方轉動, 我會說它們就好像在「跳探戈」。
revolving:adj.旋转的;v.旋转;环绕;转动;(revolve的现在分词) tango:n.探戈舞;探戈舞曲;vi.跳探戈舞;
It started slowly, but as they emitted gravitational waves, they grew closer together, accelerating in speed, until, when they were revolving at almost the speed of light, they fused into a single black hole that had 60 times the mass of the Sun, but compressed into the space of 360 kilometers. 剛開始速度很慢, 但隨著它們釋放重力波, 它們加速接近對方, 直至彼此都以光速轉動, 最終融合成一個黑洞, 它的質量是太陽的 60 倍, 但給壓縮成 360 公里的空間,
emitted:adj.射出的;v.排放(emit的过去分词);发散; accelerating:adj.促进的,[物]加速的;催化的; fused:adj.装有熔断器的;v.(使)融合,熔断(fuse的过去分词和过去式) black hole:n.黑洞(宇宙中包括光线在内的任何东西都无法逃逸的强引力区域); compressed:adj.(空气或气体)压缩的; v.(被)压紧; (compress的过去式和过去分词)
That's the size of the state of Louisiana , where I live. 正是我所定居的 路易斯安那州的面積。
Louisiana:n.美国路易斯安那州;
This incredible effect produced gravitational waves that carried the news of this cosmic hug to the rest of the universe. 這個奇妙的作用產生了重力波, 把黑洞融合的消息傳開去。
incredible:adj.难以置信的,惊人的; cosmic:adj.宇宙的;
It took us a long time to figure out the effects of these gravitational waves, because the way we measure them is by looking for effects in distances. 我們花了很長時間才發現重力波, 因為我們須找出距離的變化 才能測量重力波。
We want to measure longitudes , distances. 我們想要量度經度、距離。
longitudes:n.[地理]经度;经线;
When these gravitational waves passed by Earth, which was in 2015, they produced changes in all distances -- the distances between all of you, the distances between you and me , our heights -- every one of us stretched and shrank a tiny bit. 當重力波經過地球, 時為 2015 年, 它們改變了所有距離, 包括你們所有人之間的距離, 你和我之間的距離, 還有我們的高度, 我們每個人都伸長又縮小了少許。
between you and me:只限于咱俩之间;我们之间的秘密; stretched:v.拉长;撑大;有弹性(或弹力);拉紧;(stretch的过去式和过去分词) shrank:v.收缩(shrink的过去式);缩小;
The prediction is that the effect is proportional to the distance. 科學家預測其變化與距離成正比。
prediction:n.预报;预言; proportional to:与…相称,与…成比例;
But it's very small: even for distances much greater than my slight height, the effect is infinitesimal . 但變化很小, 即使是比我那細微的身高 變化大許多的距離, 其變化也是極微小的。
slight:adj.轻微的;略微的;细小的;纤细的;n.侮慢;冷落;轻视;v.侮慢;冷落;轻视; infinitesimal:adj.无穷小的;无限小的;极小的;n.无限小;极微量;极小量;
For example, the distance between the Earth and the Sun changed by one atomic diameter . 假如地球和太陽之間的距離 僅改變了一原子直徑,
atomic:adj.原子的,原子能的;微粒子的; diameter:n.直径;对径;放大率;放大倍数;
How can that be measured ? 我們可以測量到這個變化嗎？
measured:adj.缓慢谨慎的; v.测量; (measure的过去分词和过去式)
How could we measure it? 我們可以怎樣進行測量呢？
Fifty years ago, some visionary physicists at Caltech and MIT -- 50 年前, 加州理工學院和麻省理工學院 一些有遠見的物理學家,
visionary:adj.梦想的;幻影的;n.空想家;梦想者;有眼力的人; physicists:n.物理学家;机械唯物论者(physicist的复数); Caltech:n.加利福尼亚理工学院;
Kip Thorne, Ron Drever, Rai Weiss -- thought they could precisely measure distances using lasers that measured distances between mirrors kilometers apart. 例如:基普·索恩、 朗納·德瑞福、萊納·魏斯, 他們認為可以利用雷射 量度公里以外的鏡子間的距離, 從而精確地測量距離。
Weiss:n.外斯(原子磁矩单位);白色;
It took many years, a lot of work and many scientists to develop the technology and develop the ideas. 為了發展這項科技和意念, 科學家耗費了大量時間、人力和物力。
technology:n.技术;工艺;术语;
And 20 years later, almost 30 years ago, they started to build two gravitational wave detectors , two interferometers , in the United States. 20 年後, 即大約 30 年前, 他們開始在美國建造兩座干涉儀, 它們是重力波探測儀器。
detectors:n.探测器;侦测设备(detector的复数); interferometers:n.[物]干涉仪;(interferometers是interferometer的复数); United:adj.联合的; v.联合,团结; (unite的过去分词和过去式)
Each one is four kilometers long; one is in Livingston, Louisiana, in the middle of a beautiful forest, and the other is in Hanford, Washington, in the middle of the desert. 干涉儀每座長四公里; 一座位於路易斯安那州利文斯頓, 在美麗的森林中央, 另一座位於華盛頓漢福德, 在沙漠之中。
The interferometers have lasers that travel from the center through four kilometers in-vacuum, are reflected in mirrors and then they return. 干涉儀備有雷射, 可從中心發送, 給鏡子反射回原點。
reflected:adj.反射的;得自他人的;v.反射;思考;(reflect的过去式和过去分词)
We measure the difference in the distances between this arm and this arm. 我們會計算兩臂所測量的距離的差。
These detectors are very, very, very sensitive; they're the most precise instruments in the world. 這些探測儀非常,非常靈敏, 是世上最精密的儀器。
precise:adj.准确的;确切的;精确的;明确的; instruments:n.器械;仪器;器具;手段(instrument的复数)
Why did we make two? 為什麼要有兩座？
It's because the signals that we want to measure come from space, but the mirrors are moving all the time, so in order to distinguish the gravitational wave effects -- 那是因為我們想要測量 來自太空的訊號, 而鏡子總是在移動, 為了識別重力波的作用──
distinguish:vt.区分;辨别;使杰出,使表现突出;vi.区别,区分;辨别;
which are astrophysical effects and should show up on the two detectors -- we can distinguish them from the local effects, which appear separately , either on one or the other. 重力波是天體物理學的作用, 我們可以把重力波從分開出現的 局部作用中區分出來, 那些效果將在其中一座干涉臂可見。
astrophysical:adj.天体物理学的; separately:adv.分别地;分离地;个别地;
In September of 2015, we were finishing installing the second-generation technology in the detectors, and we still weren't at the optimal sensitivity that we wanted -- we're still not, even now, two years later -- but we wanted to gather data. 在 2015 年九月, 我們正在完成在探測儀上 裝置第二代技術的工作, 我們仍未取得期望的最佳靈敏度── 即使兩年後的今天 仍未達至最佳效果── 但我們希望收集數據。
installing:v.安装;设置;建立(程序);(install的现在分词) second-generation:n.第二代; optimal:adj.最佳的;最理想的; sensitivity:n.敏感;敏感性;过敏;
We didn't think we'd see anything, but we were getting ready to start collecting a few months' worth of data. 我們認為將不會有什麼發現, 但已準備要收集數個月份量的數據。
And then nature surprised us. 然後,大自然給我們送上驚喜。
On September 14, 2015, we saw, in both detectors, a gravitational wave. 在 2015 年 9 月 14 日, 我們在兩座探測儀 都發現到重力波。
In both detectors, we saw a signal with cycles that increased in amplitude and frequency and then go back down. 在兩座探測儀, 我們都看見了一個訊號,
amplitude:n.振幅;丰富,充足;广阔; frequency:n.频率;发生率;重复率;频繁;
And they were the same in both detectors. 而且兩座儀器 探測到的訊號都是一樣。
They were gravitational waves. 它們是重力波。
And not only that -- in decoding this type of wave, we were able to deduce that they came from black holes fusing together to make one, more than a billion years ago. 分析這種波動不但讓我們得出結論: 它們是在超過十億年前, 多個黑洞合而為一時造成的,
only that:只是;要不是; decoding:v.解码;破译(尤指密码);译解,理解(外文);(decode的现在分词) deduce:v.推论;推断;演绎; fusing:n.熔断,熔化; v.熔化;
And that was -- 而且那是……
(Applause) (掌聲)
that was fantastic . 那是非常美妙。
fantastic:奇异的,空想的
At first, we couldn't believe it. 最初,我們無法相信這是事實,
We didn't imagine this would happen until much later; it was a surprise for all of us. 我們沒想像過會發生 這樣的事情,直至後來; 對我們來說,這是一個驚喜。
It took us months to convince ourselves that it was true, because we didn't want to leave any room for error. 我們花了數個月時間說服自己, 因為我們不希望有任何出錯的地方。
convince:v.使确信;使相信;说服,劝说;
But it was true, and to clear up any doubt that the detectors really could measure these things, in December of that same year, we measured another gravitational wave, smaller than the first one. 然而,那是真的,釋除疑惑後, 探測儀真的能測量那些能量, 同年 12 月, 我們測量到另一重力波, 比首次探測所得的波動小。
The first gravitational wave produced a difference in the distance of four-thousandths of a proton over four kilometers. 首次探測到的重力波 產生的距離相差為 每四公里四千分之一質子。 沒錯,第二次探測所得較為微小,
in the distance:在远处; proton:n.[物]质子;
Yes, the second detection was smaller, but still very convincing by our standards . 但按我們的標準來說, 結果仍是可信的。
detection:n.侦查,探测;发觉,发现;察觉; convincing:adj.令人信服的; v.使确信; (convince的现在分词) standards:n.标准,水平,规格(standard的复数)
Despite the fact that these are space-time waves and not sound waves, we like to put them into loudspeakers and listen to them. 雖然這些是時空波動,而非聲波, 但我們喜歡用擴音器 來傾聽這些波動,
Despite:prep.尽管,不管;n.轻视;憎恨;侮辱; loudspeakers:扬声器;扩音器;
We call this "the music of the universe." 並稱之為「宇宙的音樂」。
I'd like you to listen to the first two notes of that music. 我希望你們也來聽聽這支音樂的首兩個音符。
(Chirping sound) （鳴聲）
(Chirping sound) （鳴聲）
The second, shorter sound was the last fraction of a second of the two black holes which, in that fraction of a second, emitted vast amounts of energy -- 第二個較為短促的聲音是 在那一瞬間,它們釋出巨大能量,
fraction:n.分数;小部分;小数;少量;
so much energy, it was like three Suns converting into energy, following that famous formula , 能量之高好比 把三個太陽轉換成能量, 遵從那道有名的方程式:
converting:v.(使)转变,转换,转化;可转变为;归附;(convert的现在分词) formula:n.公式; adj.(赛车)方程式的(指赛车要符合规定的体积,重量及汽缸容量等);
E = mc2. E = mc2.
Remember that one? 你還記得嗎？
We love this music so much we actually dance to it. 我們很喜歡這音樂,事實上還跳舞。
I'm going to have you listen again. 我將讓你再聽一遍。
(Chirping sound) （嗚聲）
(Chirping sound) （嗚聲）
It's the music of the universe! 這是宇宙的音樂！
(Applause) （掌聲）
People frequently ask me now: "What can gravitational waves be used for? 現在人們經常問我: 「重力波可以用來做什麼？」
frequently:adv.频繁地,经常地;时常,屡次;
And now that you've discovered them, what else is there left to do?" 「你現在已經發現了重力波, 還剩下什麼要做？」
What can gravitational waves be used for? 重力波可以用來做什麼？
When they asked Borges, "What is the purpose of poetry ?" 人們問波赫士:「詩歌有何作用？」
poetry:n.诗;诗意,诗情;诗歌艺术;
he, in turn, answered, "What's the purpose of dawn ? 他接著回答: 「黎明有何作用？
dawn:n.黎明;开端;vt.破晓;出现;被领悟;
What's the purpose of caresses ? 愛撫有何作用？
caresses:v.抚摩;爱抚;n.抚摩;爱抚;亲吻;(caress的第三人称单数和复数)
What's the purpose of the smell of coffee?" 咖啡有何作用？」
He answered, "The purpose of poetry is pleasure; it's for emotion , it's for living." 他回答: 「詩歌的作用是帶來愉悅;
emotion:n.强烈的感情;激情;情感;
And understanding the universe, this human curiosity for knowing how everything works, is similar. 而去理解宇宙的慾望, 這種人類對萬物如何運作的好奇心 是很相像的。
curiosity:n.好奇,好奇心;珍品,古董,古玩;
Since time immemorial , humanity -- all of us, everyone, as kids -- when we look up at the sky for the first time and see the stars, we wonder, "What are stars?" 自古以來,人類── 首次仰望天空,看見星星, 我們好奇: 「星星是什麼來的？」
immemorial:adj.远古的,古老的;无法追忆的; humanity:n.人类;人道;仁慈;人文学科;
That curiosity is what makes us human. 那種好奇心是人的特性,
And that's what we do with science. 也是我們發展科學的原因。
We like to say that gravitational waves now have a purpose, because we're opening up a new way to explore the universe. 我們會說重力波現在有用途了, 因為我們開拓了探索宇宙的新方式。
opening up:n.解禁;开放;供开发;启用; explore:v.探索:探测:探险:
Until now, we were able to see the light of the stars via electromagnetic waves. 之前我們能夠使用電磁波 來觀測星光,
via:prep.通过;经由;n.道路;[医]管道; electromagnetic:adj.电磁的;
Now we can listen to the sound of the universe, even of things that don't emit light, like gravitational waves. 現在,我們能夠聽到宇宙的聲音, 即使那些東西並不會放光,
(Applause) （掌聲）
Thank you. 謝謝。
(Applause) （掌聲）
But are they useful? 但它們實用嗎？
Can't we derive any technology from gravitational waves? 我們不能用重力波開發任何科技嗎？
Yes, probably. 能夠的,
But it will probably take a lot of time. 但需要很長時間。
We've developed the technology to detect them, but in terms of the waves themselves, maybe we'll discover 100 years from now that they are useful. 我們已經發展了技術去探測重力波, 但就重力波而言, 可能我們將在 一百年後才發現其用處。
But it takes a lot of time to derive technology from science, and that's not why we do it. 從科學到科技需要大量時間, 但並非我們實行的原因。
All technology is derived from science, but we practice science for the enjoyment . 所有科技都從科學而來, 但我們從事科學是為了享受。
enjoyment:n.享受;乐趣;享有;
What's left to do? 還剩下什麼要做？
A lot. 很多。
A lot; this is only the beginning. 很多;這只是個開始。
As we make the detectors more and more sensitive -- and we have lots of work to do there -- not only are we going to see more black holes and be able to catalog how many there are, where they are and how big they are, we'll also be able to see other objects. 隨著我們使探測儀更趨靈敏── 那已經是很大的工作量, 我們不單會看見更多黑洞, 能夠紀錄黑洞的數量、位置和大小, 我們還能夠看見其他物體。
sensitive:adj.敏感的;感觉的;易受影响的;n.敏感的人;有灵异能力的人; catalog:n.目录册;产品样本;学校便览;一览表;v.(为…)编目录;(把…)按目录分类;
We'll see neutron stars fuse and turn into black holes. 我們將可以看見中子星 融合並轉化為黑洞。
neutron:n.[核]中子;
We'll see a black holes being born. 我們將可以看見黑洞誕生。
We'll be able to see rotating stars in our galaxy produce sinusoidal waves. 我們將可以看見銀河的星星旋轉, 產生正弦波。
rotating:v.(使)旋转,转动;(工作)由…轮值;(rotate的现在分词) sinusoidal:adj.正弦曲线的;
We'll be able to see explosions of supernovas in our galaxy. 我們將可以看見超新星 在我們的銀河爆炸。
explosions:n.[力]爆炸;爆发(explosion的复数);怒气大作; supernovas:n.超新星;(supernova的复数)
We'll be seeing a whole spectrum of new sources . 我們將會看見新事物的完整波譜。
spectrum:n.光谱;频谱;范围;余象; sources:n.来源;出处;起源;根源;原因;v.(从…)获得(source的第三人称单数和复数)
We like to say that we've added a new sense to the human body: now, in addition to seeing, we're able to hear. 我們想說 我們為人類增加了新感官: 現在,除了看得見, 我們能聽得見。
in addition to:除…之外;
This is a revolution in astronomy , like when Galileo invented the telescope . 這在天文學是一項革新, 像伽利略發明了望遠鏡一樣。
revolution:n.革命;旋转;运行;循环; astronomy:n.天文学; telescope:n.望远镜;v.(使)叠套缩短;精简;
It's like when they added sound to silent movies. 情形好比人們為默片增加了聲音。
This is just the beginning. 這只是個開始。
We like to think that the road to science is very long -- very fun, but very long -- and that we, this large, international community of scientists, working from many countries, together as a team, are helping to build that road; 我們認為 科學的路很漫長── 而我們這些科學家 是一個龐大的國際性團體, 來自眾多國家,組成一個團隊, 正協助建設這條路;
community:n.社区;[生态]群落;共同体;团体;
that we're shedding light -- sometimes encountering detours -- and building, perhaps, a highway to the universe. 我們照亮道路—儘管有時會遇上此路不通 — 並且建設一條可能是 直達宇宙的高速公路。
shedding:v.去除;摆脱;使落下;掉落(货物);(shed的现在分词) encountering:v.遭遇,遇到;偶然碰到;意外地遇见;(encounter的现在分词) detours:n.绕路;便道(detour的复数形式);v.绕路而行(detour的第三人称单数形式);
Thank you. 多謝各位。
(Applause) （掌聲）