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JimAlKhalili_2015G-_量子生物学如何解答关于生命的最重要问题_
I'd like to introduce you to an emerging area of science, one that is still speculative but hugely exciting, and certainly one that's growing very rapidly. 我想给大家介绍一个新兴的科学领域, 这个领域还处在理论阶段,但也很激动人心, 当然目前发展也很迅猛。
emerging:adj.新兴的;v.出现,浮现,露出;暴露;(emerge的现在分词) speculative:adj.投机的;推测的;思索性的;
Quantum biology asks a very simple question: 量子生物学提出了一个非常简单的问题:
Quantum:n.量子论;额;美国昆腾公司(世界领先的硬盘生产商); biology:n.(一个地区全部的)生物;生物学;
Does quantum mechanics -- that weird and wonderful and powerful theory of the subatomic world of atoms and molecules that underpins so much of modern physics and chemistry -- also play a role inside the living cell? 量子力学—— 这是个关于原子和分子的亚原子世界理论, 一个既神秘又奇妙还很强大的理论, 也是支撑着现代物理学和化学的理论—— 那它是否也在活体细胞里起着重要作用呢？
quantum mechanics:n.量子力学; weird:adj.奇怪的;奇异的;离奇的;n.命运;宿命;命运女神; subatomic:adj.[化学]亚原子的;原子内的; atoms:n.[物]原子(atom的复数); molecules:n.[化学]分子,微粒;[化学]摩尔(molecule的复数); underpins:v.加强,巩固,构成;加固(墙)基;(underpin的第三人称单数)
In other words: Are there processes , mechanisms , phenomena in living organisms that can only be explained with a helping hand from quantum mechanics? 换句话说:在生物体当中, 是否有一些过程、生理反应、现象, 是只能借助量子力学来解释的呢？
processes:n.过程; v.处理(process的第三人称单数形式); mechanisms:n.机制;[机]机构(mechanism的复数);机械;[机]机构学; phenomena:n.现象(phenomenon的复数); organisms:n.[生物]生物体(organism的复数);[生物]有机体;
Now, quantum biology isn't new; it's been around since the early 1930s. 其实量子生物学也不算新学科; 它的历史可追溯至20世纪30年代。
But it's only in the last decade or so that careful experiments -- in biochemistry labs , using spectroscopy -- have shown very clear, firm evidence that there are certain specific mechanisms that require quantum mechanics to explain them. 但是直到十年前左右,才有了周密的实验—— 就是在生化实验室,利用光谱仪来做的实验—— 结果给出了非常明确有力的证据,说明确实有某些生理反应 需要通过量子力学来解释。
biochemistry:n.生物化学;生物化学过程; labs:n.实验室;实验大楼;(lab的复数) spectroscopy:n.[光]光谱学; evidence:n.证据,证明;迹象;明显;v.证明; specific:adj.特殊的,特定的;明确的;详细的;[药]具有特效的;n.特性;细节;特效药;
Quantum biology brings together quantum physicists , biochemists , molecular biologists -- it's a very interdisciplinary field. 量子生物学集合了物理学家、生化学家 和分子生物学家——是一个极其跨学科的领域。
physicists:n.物理学家;机械唯物论者(physicist的复数); biochemists:n.生物化学家; molecular:adj.[化学]分子的;由分子组成的; biologists:n.生物学家(biologist的复数); interdisciplinary:adj.各学科间的;
I come from quantum physics, so I'm a nuclear physicist. 我来自量子物理学领域,是个核物理学家。
nuclear:adj.原子能的;[细胞]细胞核的;中心的;原子核的;
I've spent more than three decades trying to get my head around quantum mechanics. 我花了三十多年的时间 来试图理解量子力学。
One of the founders of quantum mechanics, Niels Bohr, said, If you're not astonished by it, then you haven't understood it. Niels Bohr,量子力学之父之一, 说过,谁要是第一次听到量子理论时没有感到震惊,那他一定没听懂。
founders:n.创办人;造物者(founder的复数); astonished:adj.吃惊的;
So I sort of feel happy that I'm still astonished by it. 我还蛮庆幸自己现在还挺震惊的。
That's a good thing. 这是个好事。
But it means I study the very smallest structures in the universe -- the building blocks of reality. 这是个好但这也说明我研究的只是这个宇宙最小的结构, 这个建立现实世界的一砖一瓦。
structures:n.结构; v.建造(structure的第三人称单数形式); building blocks:(儿童玩的)积木;建筑砌块;堆积木;建筑砖块;基石;
If we think about the scale of size, start with an everyday object like the tennis ball, and just go down orders of magnitude in size -- from the eye of a needle down to a cell, down to a bacterium , down to an enzyme -- you eventually reach the nano-world. 要想知道这个结构的大小, 那么我们从网球这种日常物品开始吧, 然后将物体按大小将序排列—— 从针眼,到细胞,到细菌,再到酶—— 最后才到纳米世界。
scale:n.规模;比例;鳞;刻度;天平;数值范围;v.衡量;攀登;剥落;生水垢; magnitude:n.大小;量级;[地震]震级;重要;光度; needle:n.针;针头;指针;缝针;v.穿过;刺激;拿针缝;拿针穿; bacterium:n.[微]细菌;杆菌属; enzyme:n.[生化]酶; eventually:adv.最后,终于;
Now, nanotechnology may be a term you've heard of. 你们也许都听过纳米技术这个词。
nanotechnology:n.纳米技术;
A nanometer is a billionth of a meter. 一纳米就是十亿分之一米。
nanometer:n.[计量]毫微米(即十亿分之一米); billionth:adj.十亿分之一的;第十亿的;n.十亿分之一;第十亿;
My area is the atomic nucleus , which is the tiny dot inside an atom. 我的研究领域是原子核,也就是原子当中的那小个点。
nucleus:n.核,核心;原子核;
It's even smaller in scale. 它体积比这更小。
This is the domain of quantum mechanics, and physicists and chemists have had a long time to try and get used to it. 这就是量子力学的领域, 而物理学家和化学家花了很长的时间 来努力适应这个领域。
domain:n.领域;域名;产业;地产; get used to:开始习惯于
Biologists, on the other hand , have got off lightly , in my view. 而生物学家,在我看来,很轻松就避开了它。
on the other hand:另一方面; lightly:adv.轻轻地;轻松地;容易地;不费力地;
They are very happy with their balls-and-sticks models of molecules. 他们很满足于这些分子球棍模型。
(Laughter) （笑声）
The balls are the atoms, the sticks are the bonds between the atoms. 这球指的是原子,棍负责把原子连在一起。
And when they can't build them physically in the lab, nowadays, they have very powerful computers that will simulate a huge molecule. 如果在实验室里无法建立起实体的分子模型, 现在,他们也可以用强大的电脑 来建立模拟的巨大分子模型。
simulate:vt.模仿;假装;冒充;adj.模仿的;假装的;
This is a protein made up of 100,000 atoms. 这个蛋白质由100,000个原子组成。
protein:n.蛋白质; made up of:由…组成,由…构成;
It doesn't really require much in the way of quantum mechanics to explain it. 这不怎么需要量子力学来解释。
in the way of:妨碍;关于…方面;
Quantum mechanics was developed in the 1920s. 量子力学从上世纪20年代开始发展。
It is a set of beautiful and powerful mathematical rules and ideas that explain the world of the very small. 这是一套美丽而又强大的数学法则和理念, 帮人们理解这个世界最小的结构。
mathematical:adj.数学的,数学上的;精确的;
And it's a world that's very different from our everyday world, made up of trillions of atoms. 这是个和我们日常生活很不一样的世界, 它由数万亿个原子组成。
trillions:n.[数]万亿;adj.万亿的;num.[数]万亿;
It's a world built on probability and chance. 这是个建立在机率和概率之上的世界。
probability:n.可能性;机率;[数]或然率;
It's a fuzzy world. 是个模糊的世界。
fuzzy:adj.模糊的;失真的;有绒毛的;
It's a world of phantoms , where particles can also behave like spread-out waves. 是个幽灵的世界, 在这里,粒子们也可表现出散开的波状形态。
phantoms:n.[摄]幻影(phantom的复数); particles:n.微粒,粒子;粒子系统;碎木料(particle的复数形式); behave:v.表现;(机器等)运转;举止端正;(事物)起某种作用; spread-out:冒火;喷火;
If we imagine quantum mechanics or quantum physics, then, as the fundamental foundation of reality itself, then it's not surprising that we say quantum physics underpins organic chemistry . 如果我们把量子力学或量子物理学想象成 现实世界的最根本基础,那么, 量子物理学支撑了有机化学, 这种说法就不足为奇了。
fundamental:n.基础; adj.十分重大的; foundation:n.基础;地基;基金会;根据;创立; organic chemistry:n.有机化学;
After all, it gives us the rules that tell us how the atoms fit together to make organic molecules. 毕竟,它有一套原则, 解释了原子如何组合在一起,从而建立起一个有机分子。
Organic chemistry, scaled up in complexity , gives us molecular biology, which of course leads to life itself. 有机化学,随着复杂度的增加, 又建立了分子生物学,而它又将我们带入生命科学。
scaled:adj.有鳞的; v.刮去鳞片; complexity:n.复杂性;难以理解的局势
So in a way, it's sort of not surprising. 所以,从某个角度来说,这不足为奇。
It's almost trivial . 这算是鸡毛蒜皮了。
trivial:adj.不重要的,琐碎的;琐细的;
You say, "Well, of course life ultimately must depend of quantum mechanics." 你会说,“嗯,生命当然最终要靠量子力学来解释。”
ultimately:adv.最终;最后;归根结底;终究;
But so does everything else. 但此外的一切也都是如此。
So does all inanimate matter, made up of trillions of atoms. 所有无机物,也都是由数万亿个原子组成的。
inanimate:adj.无生命的;无生气的;
Ultimately, there's a quantum level where we have to delve into this weirdness . 最后,我们得在量子的层面上 来探究这领域的神秘之处。
delve:vi.钻研;探究;挖;vt.钻研;探究;挖;n.穴;洞; weirdness:n.命运;不可思议;离奇;
But in everyday life, we can forget about it. 但在日常生活中,我们会忘记它的神秘感。
Because once you put together trillions of atoms, that quantum weirdness just dissolves away. 因为,当数万亿个原子聚集在一起时, 量子的神秘感就消失了。
put together:..放在一起;组合;装配; dissolves:v.溶解;分解(dissolve的单三式);溶接;
Quantum biology isn't about this. 量子生物学说的不是这个。
Quantum biology isn't this obvious . 量子生物学没这么浅显。
obvious:adj.明显的;显著的;平淡无奇的;
Of course quantum mechanics underpins life at some molecular level. 当然,量子力学在分子水平上支撑着生命。
Quantum biology is about looking for the non-trivial -- the counterintuitive ideas in quantum mechanics -- and to see if they do, indeed, play an important role in describing the processes of life. 量子生物学旨在寻找重要的东西—— 量子力学当中的反直觉观念—— 然后了解它们是否会在 描述生命进程中起到重要的作用。
non-trivial:adj.非平凡的;面对较重大; counterintuitive:adj.违反直觉的; describing:v.描述;形容;把…称为;做…运动;(describe的现在分词)
Here is my perfect example of the counterintuitiveness of the quantum world. 我有一个完美的例子来解释 量子世界的反直觉观念。
This is the quantum skier . 这是个量子滑雪者。
skier:n.滑雪的人;
He seems to be intact , he seems to be perfectly healthy, and yet, he seems to have gone around both sides of that tree at the same time . 他看起来很完整,看起来很健康, 但是,他也好像同时穿过了那棵树的两边。
intact:adj.完整的;原封不动的;未受损伤的; at the same time:同时;另一方面;与此同时;
Well, if you saw tracks like that you'd guess it was some sort of stunt , of course. 嗯,当然,如果你看到这样的滑雪轨迹, 你可能会觉得这是某种特技。
tracks:n.小道;足迹;车辙;轨道;v.追踪;跟踪;(track的第三人称单数和复数) stunt:n.特技;噱头;特技表演;危险举动;vt.妨碍发展;遏制
But in the quantum world, this happens all the time. 但在量子世界里,这无时不刻都会发生。
Particles can multitask , they can be in two places at once. 粒子是可以进行多任务处理的,它们可以同时出现在两个地方。
multitask:vt.使多任务化;n.[计]多任务;
They can do more than one thing at the same time. 它们在同一时间能执行多项任务。
Particles can behave like spread-out waves. 它们好像散开的涟漪一样。
It's almost like magic. 就好比魔术。
Physicists and chemists have had nearly a century of trying to get used to this weirdness. 物理学家和化学家用了近一个世纪 来适应这种神秘之物。
I don't blame the biologists for not having to or wanting to learn quantum mechanics. 我也不怪生物学家 不用或不想学习量子力学。
You see, this weirdness is very delicate; and we physicists work very hard to maintain it in our labs. 你们看,这种神秘是很微妙的; 我们物理学家在实验室里下了很大功夫来稳定它。
maintain:v.维持;保持;维修;保养;坚持(意见);
We cool our system down to near absolute zero , we carry out our experiments in vacuums , we try and isolate it from any external disturbance . 我们把我们的系统冷却到接近绝对零度, 在真空中进行我们的实验, 我们努力将其从任何外界干扰中分离出来。
absolute zero:n.绝对零度; vacuums:n.真空装置; v.用真空吸尘器清扫; isolate:v.孤立; n.[微]分离菌; external:n.外部;外观;形式;外部情况;adj.外部的;外面的;外界的;外来的; disturbance:n.干扰;骚乱;忧虑;
That's very different from the warm, messy , noisy environment of a living cell. 那和活体细胞里温暖、凌乱又嘈杂的环境大相径庭。
messy:adj.肮脏的;凌乱的;不整洁的;
Biology itself, if you think of molecular biology, seems to have done very well in describing all the processes of life in terms of chemistry -- chemical reactions . 生物学,就分子生物学而言 ,它似乎在化学——化学反应方面 非常好地阐释了所有的生命进程。
chemical:n.化学制品,化学药品;adj.化学的; reactions:n.反应;回应;抗拒;生理反应;副作用(reaction的复数)
And these are reductionist , deterministic chemical reactions, showing that, essentially , life is made of the same stuff as everything else, and if we can forget about quantum mechanics in the macro world, then we should be able to forget about it in biology, as well. 而这都是还原论、确定性的化学反应, 它们显示,生命的成分说到底和其他事物一样, 而且我们要是可以在宏观世界里忘掉量子力学, 那我们也可以在生物学中忘掉它。
reductionist:adj.简化(法)的;分解成简单部分的;n.还原论者;简化论; deterministic:adj.确定性的;命运注定论的; essentially:adv.本质上;本来; stuff:n.东西:物品:基本特征:v.填满:装满:标本: macro:adj.巨大的,大量的;n.宏,巨(计算机术语);
Well, one man begged to differ with this idea. 然而,有个人不同意这个观点。
Erwin Schr? dinger , of Schr?dinger's Cat fame, was an Austrian physicist. 那就是埃尔温·薛定谔,他有个着名的薛定谔猫实验, 是个奥地利物理学家。
dinger:n.全垒打;
He was one of the founders of quantum mechanics in the 1920s. 他是20世纪20年代量子力学创始人之一。
In 1944, he wrote a book called "What is Life?" 1944年,他写了本书叫做《生命是什么？》
It was tremendously influential . 这本书影响巨大。
tremendously:adv.非常地;可怕地;惊人地; influential:adj.有影响的;有势力的;n.有影响力的人物;
It influenced Francis Crick and James Watson, the discoverers of the double-helix structure of DNA. 它影响了弗朗西斯·克里克和詹姆斯·沃森, 就是发现DNA双螺旋结构的那两个人。
influenced:v.影响;对…起作用;支配;左右;(influence的过去分词和过去式) discoverers:n.发现者; double-helix:双螺旋;
To paraphrase a description in the book, he says: 在书中,他表达了这样的意思:
paraphrase:n.释义;解释;意译;vt.释义; description:n.说明;形容;描写(文字);类型;
At the molecular level, living organisms have a certain order, a structure to them that's very different from the random thermodynamic jostling of atoms and molecules in inanimate matter of the same complexity. 在分子水平上,生命体有着某种秩序, 一种结构,使其和其他随机的热力学原子冲撞 以及一样复杂的无机质分子 有着天壤之别。
random:adj.[数]随机的;任意的;胡乱的;n.随意;adv.胡乱地; thermodynamic:adj.热力学的;使用热动力的; jostling:v.(在人群中)挤,推,撞,搡;(jostle的现在分词)
In fact, living matter seems to behave in this order, in a structure, just like inanimate matter cooled down to near absolute zero, where quantum effects play a very important role. 实际上,生命体似乎就是在一个结构中,以这种秩序运转着, 就好像被冷却到近绝对零度的无机质一样, 量子理论在这里起到了很重要的作用。
There's something special about the structure -- the order -- inside a living cell. 活体细胞中的这个结构——这个秩序—— 有着一些特别之处。
So, Schr?dinger speculated that maybe quantum mechanics plays a role in life. 所以,薛定谔推测,也许量子力学在生命学当中起到了某些作用。
speculated:v.推测;猜测;推断;投机;做投机买卖;(speculate的过去分词和过去式)
It's a very speculative, far-reaching idea, and it didn't really go very far. 这是个极具推测性的且影响深远的观点, 但也没怎么发展下去了。
far-reaching:adj.深远的;广泛的;伸至远处的;
But as I mentioned at the start, in the last 10 years, there have been experiments emerging, showing where some of these certain phenomena in biology do seem to require quantum mechanics. 但正如我一开始说的, 在过去10年做了些实验, 实验结果显示生物学中的某些现象 确实需要量子力学来解释。
I want to share with you just a few of the exciting ones. 我想和大家分享几个最激动人心的实验。
This is one of the best-known phenomena in the quantum world, quantum tunneling . 这是量子世界里最有名的现象之一, 叫做量子隧穿。
best-known:adj.流传久远的,最有名的; tunneling:n.隧道效应;开挖隧道;v.挖隧道(tunnel的现在分词);
The box on the left shows the wavelike, spread-out distribution of a quantum entity -- a particle, like an electron , which is not a little ball bouncing off a wall. 左边的框里有一个量子实体,它像波一样扩散开来—— 这是个像电子一样的粒子, 它和从墙上反弹回来的小球不一样。
distribution:n.分布;分配;分发;分销; entity:n.实体;存在;本质; electron:n.电子; not a little:许多,大量的;
It's a wave that has a certain probability of being able to permeate through a solid wall, like a phantom leaping through to the other side. 它是一个波,可以穿过 一个实心墙,像个幽灵似地从一边穿透到另一边。
permeate:vt.渗透,透过;弥漫;vi.弥漫;透入;散布; leaping:adj.跳跃的,跳跃而行的;n.跳跃;v.跳跃(leap的ing形式);
You can see a faint smudge of light in the right-hand box. 你在右手边的框里可以看到一些微弱的光斑。
faint:n.昏厥;v.昏厥;adj.昏眩;(光,声,味)微弱的;微小的;可能性不大的; smudge:v.弄脏,涂污;用浓烟熏;n.污点,污迹;烟熏火堆; right-hand:adj.得力的;右手的,用右手的;
Quantum tunneling suggests that a particle can hit an impenetrable barrier , and yet somehow , as though by magic, disappear from one side and reappear on the other. 量子隧穿表明,一个粒子能够撞上一堵无法穿透的墙, 然而却又能像魔术一样, 从墙的一侧消失并出现在另一侧。
impenetrable:adj.不能通过的;顽固的;费解的;不接纳的; barrier:n.屏障;障碍;障碍物;关口;v.用栅围住; somehow:adv.以某种方法;莫名其妙地; disappear:v.消失;失踪;不复存在; reappear:vi.再出现;
The nicest way of explaining it is if you want to throw a ball over a wall, you have to give it enough energy to get over the top of the wall. 用最好的方法来解释的话,就是说如果你要把一个球扔到墙的另一侧, 那你要给它足够能量让它越过墙顶。
over the top:adj.过多的;言过其实的;夸大其词的;
In the quantum world, you don't have to throw it over the wall, you can throw it at the wall, and there's a certain non-zero probability that it'll disappear on your side, and reappear on the other. 但在量子世界里,你不需要将它从墙顶上扔过去, 你只要往墙上扔就好了,然后这个球会在你这侧消失并出现在另一侧, 而这个概率为非零。
non-zero:adj.非零;
This isn't speculation , by the way . 这不是推测,顺便提下。
speculation:n.投机;推测;思索;投机买卖; by the way:顺便说一下;
We're happy -- well, "happy" is not the right word -- 我们很高兴——额,“高兴”这个词用得不对——
(Laughter) （笑声）
we are familiar with this. 我们是熟悉这个的。
familiar:adj.熟悉的;常见的;亲近的;n.常客;密友;
(Laughter) （笑声）
Quantum tunneling takes place all the time; in fact, it's the reason our Sun shines. 量子隧穿随时随刻都在发生; 实际上,这也是太阳发光的原因。
The particles fuse together, and the Sun turns hydrogen into helium through quantum tunneling. 粒子融合在一起, 然后太阳通过量子隧穿将氢转化为氦。
fuse:n.保险丝;导火线;v.(使)融合,熔断;熔接; hydrogen:n.氢;氢气; helium:n.[化学]氦(符号为He,2号元素);
Back in the 70s and 80s, it was discovered that quantum tunneling also takes place inside living cells. 七八十年代的时候,人们发现活细胞中 也有量子隧穿。
Enzymes , those workhorses of life, the catalysts of chemical reactions -- enzymes are biomolecules that speed up chemical reactions in living cells, by many, many orders of magnitude. 酶,为维持生命努力运作着,是化学反应的催化剂—— 酶这种生物分子加快了活细胞中的化学反应, 规模大小不一。
Enzymes:n.[生化]酶(enzyme的复数);酶类,酵素; workhorses:n.做重活的人;驮马;重负荷机器;adj.工作重的;吃苦耐劳的; catalysts:[物化]催化剂; biomolecules:n.生物分子(biomolecule的复数形式);
And it's always been a mystery how they do this. 但它们是如何做到这点的,至今任是一个谜。
Well, it was discovered that one of the tricks that enzymes have evolved to make use of , is by transferring subatomic particles, like electrons and indeed protons , from one part of a molecule to another via quantum tunneling. 嗯,人们发现 酶发展出了一种方法, 就是通过传送亚原子粒子,例如电子和当然还有质子这种, 酶通过量子隧穿将它们从分子的一部分传输到另一部分。
evolved:v.(使)逐渐形成;进化;进化形成;(evolve的过去分词和过去式) make use of:使用,利用; transferring:n.[计]转移,传递;v.移动,[计]转移(transfer的现在分词形式); electrons:n.[物]电子(electron的复数形式); protons:n.[物]质子;氢核(proton的复数);
It's efficient , it's fast, it can disappear -- a proton can disappear from one place, and reappear on the other. 这效率非常高,很快,它—— 一个质子能从一个地方消失,然后在另一个地方再出现。
efficient:adj.有效率的;有能力的;生效的;
Enzymes help this take place . 而酶使之成为可能。
take place:发生;举行;
This is research that's been carried out back in the 80s, particularly by a group in Berkeley, Judith Klinman. 这个研究是在80年代进行的, 其中Judith Klinman带领的一个伯克利的团队作用尤其突出。
particularly:adv.特别地,独特地;详细地,具体地;明确地,细致地;
Other groups in the UK have now also confirmed that enzymes really do this. 另一些英国的团队现在也已肯定 酶有这种能力。
Research carried out by my group -- so as I mentioned, I'm a nuclear physicist, but I've realized I've got these tools of using quantum mechanics in atomic nuclei , and so can apply those tools in other areas as well. 我的团队做的研究—— 我之前说过,我是个核物理学家, 但我也意识到,我已在原子核领域应用了量子力学, 那么我也可以把它也应用到其他领域。
nuclei:n.核心,核子;原子核(nucleus的复数形式); apply:v.申请;涂,敷;应用;适用;请求;
One question we asked is whether quantum tunneling plays a role in mutations in DNA. 我们提出的一个问题是 量子隧穿在DNA变异中是否也发挥着作用。
mutations:n.[遗]突变;变化;转变(mutation的复数形式);
Again, this is not a new idea; it goes all the way back to the early 60s. 这仍然不是个新概念;它任然要追溯到60年代早期。
The two strands of DNA, the double-helix structure, are held together by rungs; it's like a twisted ladder . DNA分子链,即双螺旋结构, 是由像阶梯一样的东西连接在一起的;像是个扭曲的梯子一样。
strands:n.线; v.搁浅; twisted:adj.扭曲的; v.使弯曲,使扭曲; (twist的过去分词和过去式) ladder:n.阶梯;途径;梯状物;v.成名;发迹;在…上装设梯子;
And those rungs of the ladder are hydrogen bonds -- protons, that act as the glue between the two strands. 而这些梯子上的阶梯就是氢键—— 质子,其作用是将两束分子链黏合在一起。
rungs:n.[建]梯级(rung的复数形式); glue:n.胶;胶水;v.粘贴;
So if you zoom in, what they're doing is holding these large molecules -- nucleotides -- together. 那么放大来看,你就会发现它们将这些大分子—— 核苷酸——聚合在一起。
nucleotides:n.核甘酸;核甘酸基(nucleotide的复数形式);
Zoom in a bit more. 再放大一点看:
So, this a computer simulation . 这是个电脑模拟。
simulation:n.仿真;模拟;模仿;假装;
The two white balls in the middle are protons, and you can see that it's a double hydrogen bond. 中间的两个白色的球是质子, 你们看得到这是双氢键。
One prefers to sit on one side; the other, on the other side of the two strands of the vertical lines going down, which you can't see. 其中一个喜欢待在这端;另一个,则待在双链的另一端, 这是纵向走向的,你们看不到。
prefers:v.较喜欢;喜欢…多于…;(prefer的第三人称单数) on the other side:另一面;在另一边; vertical:n.垂直线;垂直位置;adj.竖的;垂直的;直立的;纵向的;
It can happen that these two protons can hop over. 这两个质子也有可能跳到另一端。
hop:n.啤酒花;单足短距离跳跃;;v.单脚跳行;齐足(或双足)跳行;突然快速去某处;
Watch the two white balls. 看着两个白球。
They can jump over to the other side. 它们可以跳到另外一端。
If the two strands of DNA then separate, leading to the process of replication , and the two protons are in the wrong positions, this can lead to a mutation. 如果DNA双链分开了,引发复制过程, 而恰好这两个质子的位置错了, 那么就会导致变异。
replication:n.复制;回答;反响;
This has been known for half a century. 这个现象已为人所知半个世纪了。
The question is: How likely are they to do that, and if they do, how do they do it? 但问题来了:它们发生错误的概率是多大, 如果它们出错了,又是怎么出错的呢？
Do they jump across, like the ball going over the wall? 它们就这样跳到另一端,就好像那个球越过那堵墙那样吗？
Or can they quantum-tunnel across, even if they don't have enough energy? 还是它们在没有足够能量的情况下,也能实现量子隧穿那样的穿越呢？
Early indications suggest that quantum tunneling can play a role here. 早期研究提出量子隧穿可能在这发挥了作用。
indications:n.适应症,显示;标志(indication复数形式);
We still don't know yet how important it is; this is still an open question. 我们还不知道其重要性有多大; 目前还没有确切答案。
It's speculative, but it's one of those questions that is so important that if quantum mechanics plays a role in mutations, surely this must have big implications , to understand certain types of mutations, possibly even those that lead to turning a cell cancerous . 现在只有推测, 但如果说量子力学会影响变异的话, 这就是个非常重要的问题之一了, 对于理解某些类型的变异, 甚至是可能导致细胞癌变的变异, 这当然这有着非常重大的意义。
implications:n.蕴涵式;暗指,暗示;含蓄,含意;卷入(implication的复数); cancerous:adj.癌的;生癌的;像癌的;
Another example of quantum mechanics in biology is quantum coherence , in one of the most important processes in biology, photosynthesis : plants and bacteria taking sunlight , and using that energy to create biomass . 生物学中另一个量子力学的例子是, 生物学中最重要的一个过程之一, 光合作用里的量子相干性:植物和细菌吸收了光照, 并利用其中的能量来制造生物质。
coherence:n.一致;连贯性;凝聚; photosynthesis:n.光合作用; bacteria:n.[微]细菌; sunlight:n.日光; biomass:n.(单位面积或体积内的)[生态]生物量;
Quantum coherence is the idea of quantum entities multitasking . 量子相关性指的是量子实体同时执行多任务的现象。
entities:n.实体;存在(entity的复数形式);字符实体; multitasking:n.多重任务处理;多重任务执行;
It's the quantum skier. 这是个量子滑雪者。
It's an object that behaves like a wave, so that it doesn't just move in one direction or the other, but can follow multiple pathways at the same time. 这个物体表现得像波一样, 所以它的移动不是单一方向的, 而是同时能够走不同的路线。
behaves:v.表现;表现得体;有礼貌;(behave的第三人称单数) multiple:adj.数量多的;多种多样的;n.倍数; pathways:n.小路;小径(pathway的复数);
Some years ago, the world of science was shocked when a paper was published showing experimental evidence that quantum coherence takes place inside bacteria, carrying out photosynthesis. 几年前,一篇论文的发布震惊了科学界, 它提出实验证明量子相干性 存在于细菌中, 执行着光合作用。
experimental:adj.实验的;根据实验的;试验性的;
The idea is that the photon , the particle of light, the sunlight, the quantum of light captured by a chlorophyll molecule, is then delivered to what's called the reaction center, where it can be turned into chemical energy. 这个观点说的是,光子,即光粒子,阳光, 光量子被叶绿素捕捉到后, 被传递到叫做反应中心的地方, 在这里它被转化成化学能量。
photon:n.[物]光子;辐射量子;见光度(等于lightquantum); captured:adj.捕获的;被俘的;v.捕获;占领;引起;(capture的过去式和过去分词) chlorophyll:n.[植][生化]叶绿素;
And in getting there, it doesn't just follow one route; it follows multiple pathways at once, to optimize the most efficient way of reaching the reaction center without dissipating as waste heat. 而到达反应中心的路线不止一个; 光量子会同时走多个路线, 最后找出最高效的路线达到反应中心, 从而不会消耗成余热。
optimize:vt.使最优化,使完善;vi.优化;持乐观态度; dissipating:v.驱散,消散(dissipate的ing形式);
Quantum coherence taking place inside a living cell. 量子相干性效应也存在于活细胞里。
A remarkable idea, and yet evidence is growing almost weekly, with new papers coming out, confirming that this does indeed take place. 这是个卓越的观点, 而目前每周也都有新证据、新论文发表来证明这个观点, 证明这个现象的确存在。
remarkable:adj.卓越的;非凡的;值得注意的;
My third and final example is the most beautiful, wonderful idea. 我的第三个也是最后一个例子,是个非常美丽奇妙的观点。
It's also still very speculative, but I have to share it with you. 同样也极具推测性,但我要和你们分享一下。
The European robin migrates from Scandinavia down to the Mediterranean , every autumn, and like a lot of other marine animals and even insects, they navigate by sensing the Earth's magnetic field . 欧洲斯堪的纳维亚的知更鸟 每个秋天都会迁徙到地中海, 就和许多其它海洋动物甚至是昆虫一样, 它们都靠感应地球磁场来感知方向。
robin:知更鸟,罗宾(人名) migrates:vi.移动;随季节而移居;移往;vt.使移居;使移植; Mediterranean:n.地中海;adj.地中海的; marine:adj.海的;海产的;海生的;海船的;n.(尤指美国或英国皇家)海军陆战队士兵; navigate:vt.驾驶,操纵;使通过;航行于;vi.航行,航空; magnetic field:磁场;
Now, the Earth's magnetic field is very, very weak; it's 100 times weaker than a fridge magnet, and yet it affects the chemistry -- somehow -- within a living organism. 地球磁场非常的弱; 它比我们的冰箱贴还弱100倍, 然而它却影响着生物体中的化学反应。
That's not in doubt -- a German couple of ornithologists , 毋庸置疑——德国的鸟类学家夫妇
ornithologists:n.鸟类学者;
Wolfgang and Roswitha Wiltschko, in the 1970s, confirmed that indeed, the robin does find its way by somehow sensing the Earth's magnetic field, to give it directional information -- a built-in compass . 知更鸟的确通过感应地球磁场来探路, 从中获取方向信息——这是一种内置的指南针。
directional:adj.方向的;定向型的; built-in:adj.嵌入的;固定的;n.内置; compass:n.罗盘;指南针;圆规;范围;界限;v.理解;领悟;将…包围;成功办到
The puzzle , the mystery was: How does it do it? 令人不解的谜团是:它们是怎么做到的？
puzzle:n.谜;疑问;智力游戏;不解之谜;v.迷惑;使困惑;
Well, the only theory in town -- we don't know if it's the correct theory, but the only theory in town -- is that it does it via something called quantum entanglement . 嗯,我们现在只有一个理论-- 我们不确定这个理论是否正确,但目前只有这么一个理论-- 就是,它们是通过一个叫做量子纠缠的效应来实现导航的。
entanglement:n.纠缠;铁丝网;缠绕物;牵连;
Inside the robin's retina -- 在知更鸟的视网膜里--
retina:n.[解剖]视网膜;
I kid you not -- inside the robin's retina is a protein called cryptochrome , which is light-sensitive . 我可不是开玩笑啊--在知更鸟的视网膜上有一个蛋白质 叫做隐花色素,它对光很敏感。
cryptochrome:隐花色素; light-sensitive:adj.光敏的;
Within cryptochrome, a pair of electrons are quantum-entangled. 在印花色素里,有一对相互纠缠的电子。
Now, quantum entanglement is when two particles are far apart, and yet somehow remain in contact with each other. 量子纠缠意味着两个粒子相距甚远, 却又能彼此保持联系。
contact:n.接触,联系;v.使接触,联系;
Even Einstein hated this idea; he called it " spooky action at a distance ." 连爱因斯坦都讨厌这个观点; 他把它叫做“鬼魅般的超距作用。”
spooky:adj.幽灵般的;有鬼般的;令人毛骨悚然的; at a distance:在远处;有相当距离;
(Laughter) （笑声）
So if Einstein doesn't like it, then we can all be uncomfortable with it. 那么如果爱因斯坦不喜欢这个观点,那么我们就有理由也不喜欢。
Two quantum-entangled electrons within a single molecule dance a delicate dance that is very sensitive to the direction the bird flies in the Earth's magnetic field. 单细胞当中的两个有着量子纠缠关系的电子 跳着非常微妙的舞蹈, 并对鸟类在地球磁场里 飞翔的方向很敏感。
delicate:adj.精致的,微妙的,脆弱的,熟练的,柔和的;
We don't know if it's the correct explanation, but wow, wouldn't it be exciting if quantum mechanics helps birds navigate? 我不知道这么说对不对, 但是哇哦,如果量子力学能帮助鸟类感知方向,这不是很激动人心的事吗？
Quantum biology is still in it infancy . 量子生物学还处在婴儿时期。
infancy:n.初期;婴儿期;幼年;
It's still speculative. 还处在推测阶段。
But I believe it's built on solid science. 不过我相信它是建立在严谨科学之上的。
I also think that in the coming decade or so, we're going to start to see that actually, it pervades life -- that life has evolved tricks that utilize the quantum world. 我也认为在接下来十年左右, 我们会看到,其实它在生活中无处不在—— 生活已经演变出了许多利用量子世界的技能。
pervades:vt.遍及;弥漫; utilize:v.利用;运用;使用;应用;
Watch this space. 请关注这个领域。
Thank you. 谢谢。
(Applause) （掌声）