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MartinHanczyc_2011S-_生命与非生命的界线_
So historically there has been a huge divide between what people consider to be non-living systems on one side, and living systems on the other side . 有史以来 人们所认识的 生命体和非生命体之间 是有巨大差异的
historically:adv.历史上地;从历史观点上说; non-living:adj.非生命的; on the other side:另一面;在另一边;
So we go from, say, this beautiful and complex crystal as non-life , and this rather beautiful and complex cat on the other side. 比如说 这个美丽而复杂的晶体 和这个可爱而复杂的小猫之间的差异
complex:adj.复杂的;合成的;n.复合体;综合设施; crystal:n.水晶; adj.晶莹的; non-life:n.非寿险;
Over the last hundred and fifty years or so, science has kind of blurred this distinction between non-living and living systems, and now we consider that there may be a kind of continuum that exists between the two. 在过去约一百五十年间 科学发现对 生命和非生命的界线逐渐模糊 现在我们认为二者之间存在 连续性物质
blurred:adj.模糊不清的; v.玷污; (blur的过去式和过去分词) distinction:n.区别;区分;差别;卓越; continuum:n.[数]连续统;[经]连续统一体;闭联集;
We'll just take one example here: a virus is a natural system, right? 举个例子: 病毒是个自然系统,是吧？
But it's very simple. It's very simplistic . 但它非常简单
simplistic:adj.过分简单化的;过分单纯化的;
It doesn't really satisfy all the requirements, it doesn't have all the characteristics of living systems and is in fact a parasite on other living systems in order to, say, reproduce and evolve . 它并不满足生命的所有条件 它不具备一个生命系统的 所有特征,而是一个 寄生于另一生命体 来繁殖和进化
satisfy:vt.满足(要求,需要等):使满意:使确信: characteristics:n.特征;特点;品质;(characteristic的复数) parasite:n.寄生虫;食客; reproduce:v.繁殖;复制;再现;生育; evolve:v.(使)逐渐形成;进化;进化形成;
But what we're going to be talking about here tonight are experiments done on this sort of non-living end of this spectrum -- so actually doing chemical experiments in the laboratory , mixing together nonliving ingredients to make new structures , and that these new structures might have some of the characteristics of living systems. 但是今晚我将谈到的 是更接近非生命这一端的 实验 通过实验室内的化学实验 将非生命的物质混合 创造出新结构 这些新结构就很可能 具有生命的一些特征
spectrum:n.光谱;频谱;范围;余象; chemical:n.化学制品,化学药品;adj.化学的; laboratory:n.实验室,研究室; mixing:n.混合;混频;录音;v.混合,掺和,融合;调配;配制;相容;(mix的现在分词) nonliving:adj.无生命的;非生物的; ingredients:n.成分;(尤指烹饪)原料;(成功的)要素;(ingredient的复数) structures:n.结构; v.建造(structure的第三人称单数形式);
Really what I'm talking about here is trying to create a kind of artificial life. 我要说的就是 创造人造生命
artificial:adj.人造的;仿造的;虚伪的;非原产地的;武断的;
So what are these characteristics that I'm talking about? These are them. 那这些特征都是什么？ 我们来看
We consider first that life has a body. 首先是具备形体
Now this is necessary to distinguish the self from the environment. 这是将自身与环境区别开的 必要条件
distinguish:vt.区分;辨别;使杰出,使表现突出;vi.区别,区分;辨别;
Life also has a metabolism . Now this is a process by which life can convert resources from the environment into building blocks so it can maintain and build itself. 生命同时会新陈代谢 这是生命将从环境中获得的资源 转化为维持和发展自身的 基本构件的一个过程
metabolism:n.[生理]新陈代谢; process:v.处理;加工;列队行进;n.过程,进行;方法,adj.经过特殊加工(或处理)的; convert:v.转换; n.改变宗教(或信仰、观点)的人; resources:n.[计][环境]资源; v.向…提供资金(resource的第三人称单数); building blocks:(儿童玩的)积木;建筑砌块;堆积木;建筑砖块;基石; maintain:v.维持;保持;维修;保养;坚持(意见);
Life also has a kind of inheritable information. 生命还要遗传信息
inheritable:adj.可继承的;会遗传的;
Now we, as humans, we store our information as DNA in our genomes and we pass this information on to our offspring . 比如人类将信息 储存于基因中的DNA 将其遗传给后代
genomes:n.[遗]基因组(genome复数); offspring:n.后代,子孙;产物;
If we couple the first two -- the body and the metabolism -- we can come up with a system that could perhaps move and replicate , and if we coupled these now to inheritable information, we can come up with a system that would be more lifelike , and would perhaps evolve. 二者结合－形体和新陈代谢－ 就能得到一个 可以运动和复制的系统 如果结合信息遗传 这个系统就更像生命 也许可以进化
come up with:提出;想出;赶上; replicate:vt.复制; vi.重复; adj.复制的; n.复制品; lifelike:adj.栩栩如生的;逼真的;
And so these are the things we will try to do in the lab, make some experiments that have one or more of these characteristics of life. 这些就是我们在实验室的研究 通过一些实验来创造 这其中一个或更多的生命特征
So how do we do this? Well, we use a model system that we term a protocell . 我们是怎么做的呢？ 我们首先用一个模型系统来定义原始细胞
protocell:原始细胞;
You might think of this as kind of like a primitive cell. It is a simple chemical model of a living cell, and if you consider for example a cell in your body may have on the order of millions of different types of molecules that need to come together, play together in a complex network to produce something that we call alive. 你也许觉得这会是种 原始形态的细胞 它是一个活细胞的简单化学模型 比如说你体内的一个细胞 由成千上万个不同的分子 组成起来 成为一个复杂系统 来生成我们赖以生存的东西
primitive:adj.原始的,远古的;简单的,粗糙的;n.原始人; molecules:n.[化学]分子,微粒;[化学]摩尔(molecule的复数);
In the laboratory what we want to do is much the same, but with on the order of tens of different types of molecules -- so a drastic reduction in complexity , but still trying to produce something that looks lifelike. 我们在实验室里进行的实验 基本就是此类工作 但只有几十个不同的分子－ 复杂度大大降低 但是仍然能产生类似生命的物质
drastic:adj.激烈的;猛烈的;n.烈性泻药; reduction:n.减少;缩小;降低;减价;折扣;缩图; complexity:n.复杂性;难以理解的局势
And so what we do is, we start simple and we work our way up to living systems. 我们开始的工作很简单 然后一步一步向生命体迈进
Consider for a moment this quote by 试想一下
quote:v.引用;报价;举例说明;开价;为(企业的股份)上市;n.引用;
Leduc, a hundred years ago, considering a kind of synthetic biology : "The synthesis of life, should it ever occur , will not be the sensational discovery which we usually associate with the idea." 勒杜克在一百年前说的话 是关于合成生物学的 “合成生命一旦出现 将不会像我们以为的那样 耸人听闻”
synthetic:adj.综合的;合成的,人造的;n.合成物; biology:n.(一个地区全部的)生物;生物学; synthesis:n.综合,[化学]合成;综合体; occur:v.发生;出现;存在于;出现在; sensational:adj.轰动的;耸人听闻的;非常好的;使人感动的; associate with:v.联合;与…联系在一起;和…来往;
That's his first statement . So if we actually create life in the laboratories , it's probably not going to impact our lives at all. 这是第一 如果我们真的在实验室创造出生命 可能对我们的生活没有任何影响
statement:n.声明;陈述,叙述;报表,清单; laboratories:n.实验室;(laboratory的复数) impact:n.影响;效果;碰撞;冲击力;v.挤入,压紧;撞击;对…产生影响;
'"If we accept the theory of evolution , then the first dawn of synthesis of life must consist in the production of forms intermediate between the inorganic and the organic world, or between the non-living and living world, forms which possess only some of the rudimentary attributes of life" “如果我们认可进化论 那么合成生命的出现必然不外乎 无机和有机世界之间 产生的形态 或者是非生命 和生命世界之间的 只具备基本生命要素的物质形态”
evolution:n.演变;进化;发展;渐进; dawn:n.黎明;开端;vt.破晓;出现;被领悟; consist in:在于;存在于; intermediate:adj.中间的; v.起调解作用; n.中级学生; inorganic:adj.[无化]无机的;无生物的; possess:vt.控制;持有;迷住;具备; rudimentary:adj.基本的;初步的;退化的;残遗的;未发展的; attributes:v.把…归因于; n.属性; (attribute的第三人称单数和复数)
- so, the ones I just discussed -- "to which other attributes will be slowly added in the course of development by the evolutionary actions of the environment." 那么我刚刚提到的一点 “其他的要素 在环境的演化进程中 慢慢加入”
in the course of:在…过程中;在…期间; evolutionary:adj.进化的;发展的;渐进的;
So we start simple, we make some structures that may have some of these characteristics of life, and then we try to develop that to become more lifelike. 所以从简单入手 首先我创造了 具备几个基本特征的结构 然后将其发展至 更接近生命的结构
This is how we can start to make a protocell. 这就是我们创造原始细胞的方法
We use this idea called self-assembly . 我们应用的概念是自我集成
self-assembly:adj.自己组装的;n.自装配;
What that means is, I can mix some chemicals together in a test tube in my lab, and these chemicals will start to self-associate to form larger and larger structures. 意思就是 在我实验室,我把几种化学物质放进试管 这些化学物质通过自我联结 形成越来越大的结构
chemicals:n.化学制品;化学品;(chemical的复数) test tube:adj.人工授精的;在试验管中作成的;n.试管;试验管;人工受精;
So say on the order of tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of molecules will come together to form a large structure that didn't exist before. 于是成千上万的分子 经上万次联结 聚集并形成之前不存在的 更大结构
And in this particular example, what I took is some membrane molecules, mixed those together in the right environment, and within seconds it forms these rather complex and beautiful structures here. 在这个具体例子里 我取了一些膜分子 置于适宜的环境里混合 几秒内就形成了 复杂而美丽的结构
membrane:n.膜;薄膜;羊皮纸;
These membranes are also quite similar, morphologically and functionally , to the membranes in your body, and we can use these, as they say, to form the body of our protocell. 这些膜无论是形态或结构 都跟你体内的膜分子 十分相似 我们可以用它 来形成原始细胞
membranes:n.细胞膜(membrane的复数);薄膜;膜皮; morphologically:adv.词法地;形态学上地; functionally:adv.功能地;函数地;职务上地;
Likewise , we can work with oil and water systems. 类似的 可以用在水和油上
Likewise:adv.同样地;也;
As you know, when you put oil and water together, they don't mix, but through self-assembly we can get a nice oil droplet to form, and we can actually use this as a body for our artificial organism or for our protocell, as you will see later. 众所周知水油不容 但是通过自我集成 就可以形成油滴 并用此来形成 人造组织或者原始细胞 一会儿你们就能看到了
droplet:n.小滴,微滴; organism:n.生物;有机体;有机组织;(尤指)微生物;
So that's just forming some body stuff , right? 这只是形成一些形体
stuff:n.东西:物品:基本特征:v.填满:装满:标本:
Some architectures . 一些结构
architectures:n.建筑;架构(architecture的复数);
What about the other aspects of living systems? 那么生命系统的其他方面呢？
aspects:n.方面;相位;面貌(aspect的复数);
So we came up with this protocell model here that I'm showing. 这是我们的原始细胞的 模型
We started with a natural occurring clay called montmorillonite. 我们是从一种叫做蒙脱土的 天然粘土着手
occurring:n.事件;事故;事变; clay:n.黏土;陶土;
This is natural from the environment, this clay. 这种粘土在环境中自然形成
It forms a surface that is, say, chemically active. 它形成一种具有化学活性的表面
chemically:adv.用化学;以化学方法;
It could run a metabolism on it. 可以在其上进行新成代谢活动
Certain kind of molecules like to associate with the clay. For example, in this case, RNA, shown in red 有种分子易于这种粘土结合 比如 红的这部分 RNA
- this is a relative of DNA, it's an informational molecule -- it can come along and it starts to associate with the surface of this clay. 跟DNA相似 是一种信息分子 它会跟粘土的表面 结合
relative:adj.相对的;有关系的;成比例的;n.亲戚;相关物;[语]关系词;亲缘植物; informational:adj.情报的;报告的;新闻的;
This structure, then, can organize the formation of a membrane boundary around itself, so it can make a body of liquid molecules around itself, and that's shown in green here on this micrograph . 这个结构就能够在其周围 形成一种膜结构 就在周围形成 液体分子 这是显微照片上绿色部分
organize:v.组织;安排;处理;分配;管理; boundary:n.边界;范围;分界线; micrograph:n.显微照片,显微图;微动描记器;
So just through self-assembly, mixing things together in the lab, we can come up with, say, a metabolic surface with some informational molecules attached inside of this membrane body, right? 这样通过自我集成 在实验室里混合物质就得到了 一种能代谢的表面 携带有信息分子 存在于膜机体的内部
metabolic:adj.变化的;新陈代谢的; attached:adj.依恋;v.重视;把…固定;(attach的过去分词和过去式)
So we're on a road towards living systems. 这样我们就越来越接近生命系统
But if you saw this protocell, you would not confuse this with something that was actually alive. 但是你看到这个原始细胞 并不会以为它是真的活细胞
confuse:v.混同;使迷惑;使糊涂;使更难于理解;
It's actually quite lifeless . Once it forms, it doesn't really do anything. 它实际上没有生命 形成以后并没有任何活动
lifeless:adj.无生命的;死气沉沉的;无趣味的;
So, something is missing. 因此有什么缺失了
Some things are missing. 有些部分缺少了
So some things that are missing is, for example, if you had a flow of energy through a system, what we'd want is a protocell that can harvest some of that energy in order to maintain itself, much like living systems do. 这部分就是 比如说有能量流入一个系统 我们需要的是 一个能采集能量 从而维持自身的原始细胞 就像生命系统一样
So we came up with a different protocell model, and this is actually simpler than the previous one. 于是我们采用了一个不同的模型 这个比之前的更简单
previous:adj.以前的;早先的;过早的;adv.在先;在…以前;
In this protocell model, it's just an oil droplet, but a chemical metabolism inside that allows this protocell to use energy to do something, to actually become dynamic , as we'll see here. 这个模型里只是个油滴 但是其内的化学代谢 能让这个原始细胞利用能量 具有动态 就像这里看到的
dynamic:n.动力; adj.充满活力的;
You add the droplet to the system. 把一个油滴加入系统
It's a pool of water, and the protocell starts moving itself around in the system. 这是一滩水 这个原始细胞就开始在系统里运动
Okay? Oil droplet forms through self-assembly, has a chemical metabolism inside so it can use energy, and it uses that energy to move itself around in its environment. 油滴是通过 自我集成形成的 内部的化学代谢令其能利用能量 让自己在环境中 动起来
As we heard earlier, movement is very important in these kinds of living systems. 正如我们所知 运动对生命系统是很重要的
It is moving around, exploring its environment, and remodeling its environment, as you see, by these chemical waves that are forming by the protocell. 它在运动着 探索着周围环境 通过形成的这些化学波 来改造环境
exploring:v.探索:考察:探查;(explore的现在分词) remodeling:n.重塑;重构(remodel进行式);改建;
So it's acting, in a sense , like a living system trying to preserve itself. 这样它就像一个生命系统一样运动 去维持自身
in a sense:在某种意义上; preserve:vt.保存;保护;维持;腌;禁猎;n.保护区;禁猎地;加工成的食品;
We take this same moving protocell here, and we put it in another experiment, get it moving. Then I'm going to add some food to the system, and you'll see that in blue here, right? 我们将同一个运动的原始细胞 放入另一个环境 运动起来 我对环境加入食物 就是这个蓝色的
So I add some food source to the system. 我对环境加入食物
The protocell moves. It encounters the food. 原始细胞运动着 碰上了食物
encounters:v.遭遇(encounter的第三人称单数);邂逅;n.遭遇战(encounter的复数);相见;
It reconfigures itself and actually then is able to climb to the highest concentration of food in that system and stop there. 自身重组 然后到达食物的中心 并停留在那里
reconfigures:vt.重新配置; concentration:n.浓度;含量;集中;专心;
Alright? So not only do we have this system that has a body, it has a metabolism, it can use energy, it moves around. 这样这个系统里 不仅具有机体,并且存在代谢 能消耗能量并运动
It can sense its local environment and actually find resources in the environment to sustain itself. 能感知周围环境 并找到环境里的 资源来维持自身
sustain:v.支持;支撑;遭受;证实;
Now, this doesn't have a brain, it doesn't have a neural system. This is just a sack of chemicals that is able to have this interesting and complex lifelike behavior. 但它没有大脑 没有神经系统 只是一堆化学物质 具有类生命的有趣而复杂的行为
neural:adj.神经的;神经系统的;背的;神经中枢的; a sack of:一袋;
If we count the number of chemicals in that system, actually, including the water that's in the dish, we have five chemicals that can do this. 如果我们算一下系统里的化学物质 算上水 有五种化学物质 来做到这个
So then we put these protocells together in a single experiment to see what they would do, and depending on the conditions, we have some protocells on the left that are moving around and it likes to touch the other structures in its environment. 我们把这些原始细胞 放到一个单一环境里看看会怎样 依据不同的环境 左边的原始细胞 四处运动 并接触环境里的另一个结构
On the other hand we have two moving protocells that like to circle each other, and they form a kind of a dance, a complex dance with each other. 另外一边的两个原始细胞 他们围着对方转圈 好像绕着对方跳着一种复杂的舞
On the other hand:另一方面;
Right? So not only do individual protocells have behavior, what we've interpreted as behavior in this system, but we also have basically population-level behavior similar to what organisms have. 这样不仅是个体原始细胞 有行为特征 就是刚刚看到的在系统内的行为 同时像生物体一样 有群体行为
individual:n.个人;有个性的人;adj.单独的;个别的; interpreted:v.诠释;说明;把…理解为;领会;口译;(interpret的过去式和过去分词) basically:adv.主要地,基本上; organisms:n.[生物]生物体(organism的复数);[生物]有机体;
So now that you're all experts on protocells, we're going to play a game with these protocells. 现在你们都是原始细胞专家 下面我们就用这些原始细胞来做个游戏
We're going to make two different kinds. 我们创造了两种原始细胞
Protocell A has a certain kind of chemistry inside that, when activated , the protocell starts to vibrate around, just dancing. A具有一种化学物质 一旦激活 这个原始细胞就开始四处跳动
activated:v.使活动;激活;使活化;(activate的过去式和过去分词) vibrate:vi.振动;颤动;摇摆;踌躇;vt.使振动;使颤动;
So remember, these are primitive things, so dancing protocells, that's very interesting to us. (Laughter) 记住这些是原始物质 所以跳动的原始细胞 是很有趣的（笑声）
The second protocell has a different chemistry inside, and when activated, the protocells all come together and they fuse into one big one. Right? 第二种原始细胞有不同的化学物质 一旦激活 这些细胞就聚集到一起 然后形成一个大的细胞
And we just put these two together in the same system. 我们把这两种原始细胞 放到一个系统里
So there's population A, there's population B, and then we activate the system, and protocell Bs, they're the blue ones, they all come together. They fuse together to form one big blob , and the other protocell just dances around. And this just happens until all of the energy in the system is basically used up, and then, game over. 这是A群体 这是B群体 然后激活系统 蓝色群体B 它们聚集一起 然后形成一个大的 其他的则在周围跳动 这样一直到 系统的能量耗尽
blob:n.一滴;一抹;v.弄脏;把…做错;得零分;
So then I repeated this experiment a bunch of times, and one time something very interesting happened. 我将此实验重复了几次 有一次 发生了很有趣的现象
a bunch of:一群;一束;一堆;
So, I added these protocells together to the system, and protocell A and protocell B fused together to form a hybrid protocell AB. 我把这些原始细胞加入系统 A原始细胞和B原始细胞 结合形成了AB细胞
fused:adj.装有熔断器的;v.(使)融合,熔断(fuse的过去分词和过去式) hybrid:n.杂种,混血儿;混合物;adj.混合的;杂种的;
That didn't happen before. There it goes. 这在之前都没发生过
There's a protocell AB now in this system. 现在系统里有原始细胞AB了
Protocell AB likes to dance around for a bit, while protocell B does the fusing , okay? AB会转圈 B会结合
fusing:n.熔断,熔化; v.熔化;
But then something even more interesting happens. 接下来有趣的现象发生了
Watch when these two large protocells, the hybrid ones, fuse together. 看看这两个大的细胞 这两个合成细胞,结合了
Now we have a dancing protocell and a self-replication event. Right. (Laughter) 就有了跳动的原始细胞 和自我复制的活动 （笑声）
Just with blobs of chemicals, again. 仅仅是通过化学物质
blobs:n.斑点(blob的复数);v.溅污(blob的三单形式);
So the way this works is, you have a simple system of five chemicals here, a simple system here. When they hybridize , you then form something that's different than before, it's more complex than before, and you get the emergence of another kind of lifelike behavior which in this case is replication . 这一切发生的机制是 一个有五种化学物质的简单系统 当它们结合的时候 形成新的形态 相比之前的更复杂 这样另一个类生命的 行为就出现了 这里是复制
hybridize:vt.使杂交;混合生成;vi.杂交;混合; different than:不同于; emergence:n.出现,浮现;发生;露头; replication:n.复制;回答;反响;
So since we can make some interesting protocells that we like, interesting colors and interesting behaviors, and they're very easy to make, and they have interesting lifelike properties, perhaps these protocells have something to tell us about the origin of life on the Earth. Perhaps these represent an easily accessible step, one of the first steps by which life got started on the early Earth. 既然我们能创造有趣的原始细胞 有趣的颜色和 有趣的行为 而且这不是很难 它们具备有趣的生命特征 也许这样原始细胞 能揭开地球生命起源的秘密 也许这代表着 简单易行的一步 当初地球生命开始的那第一步
origin:n.起源;起因;源头;出身; represent:v.代表;表现;描绘;回忆;再赠送; accessible:adj.易接近的;可进入的;可理解的;
Certainly, there were molecules present on the early Earth, but they wouldn't have been these pure compounds that we worked with in the lab and I showed in these experiments. 当然早期地球肯定存在多种分子 但是它们肯定不象是 我实验室那些实验里的 纯化合物
compounds:n.混合物,化合物;大院(compound的复数形式);
Rather, they'd be a real complex mixture of all kinds of stuff, because uncontrolled chemical reactions produce a diverse mixture of organic compounds. 他们可能是更复杂的 混合物 因为不受约制的化学反应 会创造出多种生物结构
mixture:n.混合;结合体;混合物;集合体; uncontrolled:adj.不受控制的; reactions:n.反应;回应;抗拒;生理反应;副作用(reaction的复数) diverse:adj.不同的;多种多样的;变化多的;
Think of it like a primordial ooze , okay? 就像是原始物的稀泥
primordial:adj.原始的;根本的;原生的; ooze:vt.渗出;泄漏;vi.渗出;泄漏;n.[地质]软泥;
And it's a pool that's too difficult to fully characterize , even by modern methods, and the product looks brown, like this tar here on the left. A pure compound is shown on the right, for contrast . 很难分类区别这一堆东西 即使是用现代技术 产生物就像左边这个焦油一样棕色的 而纯化合物 则是右边用于对照的这样
characterize:v.描述;是…的特征;以…为典型;使…具有特点(或最引人注目的特征); contrast:n.对比;对照;反差;明显的差异;v.对比;对照;形成对比;
So this is similar to what happens when you take pure sugar crystals in your kitchen, you put them in a pan, and you apply energy. 这就像你从厨房取一些 纯糖 放在煎锅里
crystals:n.[晶体]晶体(crystal的复数形式);石英晶体; apply:v.申请;涂,敷;应用;适用;请求;
You turn up the heat, you start making or breaking chemical bonds in the sugar, forming a brownish caramel , right? 然后你点上火 糖的化学键就断开 形成棕色的焦糖
brownish:adj.呈褐色的; caramel:n.焦糖;饴糖;焦糖糖果;
If you let that go unregulated , you'll continue to make and break chemical bonds, forming an even more diverse mixture of molecules that then forms this kind of black tarry stuff in your pan, right, that's difficult to wash out. So that's what the origin of life would have looked like. 如果不加控制继续下去 就会继续破坏和形成新的化学键 形成更复杂的分子化合物 最后就是你煎锅里 黑乎乎的东西 很难洗掉 这就是生命最初的样子
unregulated:adj.未经调节的;[仪]未校准的; tarry:vi.等候;逗留;耽搁;vt.等待;n.逗留;adj.涂了焦油的;
You needed to get life out of this junk that is present on the early Earth, four, 4.5 billion years ago. 要从45亿前地球上 这样的混沌里 产生生命
So the challenge then is, throw away all your pure chemicals in the lab, and try to make some protocells with lifelike properties from this kind of primordial ooze. 挑战就是 抛弃实验室里纯化合物 而是从那原始物的稀泥里 产生出类生命的原始细胞
throw away:adj.信口开河的;用后可扔的;n.废品;
So we're able to then see the self-assembly of these oil droplet bodies again that we've seen previously , and the black spots inside of there represent this kind of black tar -- this diverse, very complex, organic black tar. 我们就能看到 那些刚才见到的 油滴的自我集成 内部那些黑点 就代表着黑焦油 多样的 非常复杂的 有机黑焦油
previously:adv.先前;以前;
And we put them into one of these experiments, as you've seen earlier, and then we watch lively movement that comes out. 我们将其放到你刚刚看到 那些实验之一 观察出现的活动
They look really good, very nice movement, and also they appear to have some kind of behavior where they kind of circle around each other and follow each other, similar to what we've seen before -- but again, working with just primordial conditions, no pure chemicals. 看起来非常有意思 同时也显示出 相互转圈相互跟随的 行为特征 就像我们刚刚看到的 强调一下只是在原始物质的条件下 不是纯化学物
These are also, these tar-fueled protocells, are also able to locate resources in their environment. 这些焦油原始细胞 也能够在其环境里 定位资源
locate:v.确定…的准确地点;把…安置在(或建造于);创办于(某地);
I'm going to add some resource from the left, here, that defuses into the system, and you can see, they really like that. 我从左边加入一些资源 扩散到整个系统中 你能看到它们很喜欢这个
defuses:vt.平息;去掉…的雷管;使除去危险性;
They become very energetic , and able to find the resource in the environment, similar to what we saw before. 它们变的非常有活力 能找到环境里的资源 就像我们刚刚看到的
energetic:adj.精力充沛的;充满活力的;需要能量的;积极的;
But again, these are done in these primordial conditions, really messy conditions, not sort of sterile laboratory conditions. 但是这些是在模拟原始的情况下进行的 非常乱糟糟的环境 而不是无菌的实验室环境
messy:adj.肮脏的;凌乱的;不整洁的; sterile:adj.不育的;无菌的;贫瘠的;不毛的;枯燥乏味的;
These are very dirty little protocells, as a matter of fact . (Laughter) 就事实来说 他们是很脏的小小的原始细胞
as a matter of fact:事实上;
But they have lifelike properties, is the point. 但是重要的是他们具备生命特征
So, doing these artificial life experiments helps us define a potential path between non-living and living systems. 这些人造生命实验 帮助我们找到生命和非生命间的 潜在路径
define:v.定义;使明确;规定; potential:n.潜能;可能性;[电]电势;adj.潜在的;可能的;势的;
And not only that , but it helps us broaden our view of what life is and what possible life there could be out there -- life that could be very different from life that we find here on Earth. 不仅如此 这也扩展了我们对生命 和生命形式的认识 生命也许会和 地球上的生命形式大不相同
only that:只是;要不是; broaden:v.加宽;变宽;(broaden的现在分词)
And that leads me to the next term, which is " weird life." 这让我想起另外一个词 “古怪的生命”
weird:adj.奇怪的;奇异的;离奇的;n.命运;宿命;命运女神;
This is a term by Steve Benner. 这是史蒂芬?本纳的提法
This is used in reference to a report in 2007 by the National Research Council in the United States, wherein they tried to understand how we can look for life elsewhere in the universe, okay, 美国国家研究委员会在2007年 的报告中 引用了这个说法 这个报告旨在研究 如何在宇宙中发现其他生命
in reference to:关于; Council:n.(市、郡等的)政务委员会;市政(或地方管理)服务机构; United:adj.联合的; v.联合,团结; (unite的过去分词和过去式) wherein:adv.在其中;在何处; elsewhere:adv.在别处;到别处;
especially if that life is very different from life on Earth. If we went to another planet and we thought there might be life there, how could we even recognize it as life? 特别是和地球上的生命不一样的生命形式 如果我们去另一个星球 如果那儿有生命的话 我们怎么才知道那是生命呢？
especially:adv.尤其;特别;格外;十分; recognize:v.认识;认出;辨别出;承认;意识到;
Well, they came up with three very general criteria . First is -- and they're listed here. 他们得出了三个基本标准 都列在这儿了
criteria:n.标准,条件(criterion的复数);
The first is, the system has to be in non-equilibrium . That means the system cannot be dead, in a matter of fact. 第一是 系统不能是平衡的 这意味着系统 首先不能是死的
non-equilibrium:adj.非平衡;不均衡;
Basically what that means is, you have an input of energy into the system that life can use and exploit to maintain itself. 也就是要有 能量输入系统 从而生命可以利用并维持自身
input:n.投入; v.把(数据等)输入计算机; exploit:v.利用…为自己谋利;剥削;压榨;运用;发挥;
This is similar to having the Sun shining on the Earth, driving photosynthesis , driving the ecosystem . 这就像太阳照着地球 促进光合作用 和生态系统
photosynthesis:n.光合作用; ecosystem:n.生态系统;
Without the Sun, there's likely to be no life on this planet. 没有太阳 就没有生命
Secondly, life needs to be in liquid form, so that means even if we had some interesting structures, interesting molecules together but they were frozen solid, then this is not a good place for life. 第二 生命应该是液体形式 因为就算存在 有趣的结构或者分子 但如果他们完全是固体形态 那就不是适合生命的地方
And thirdly, we need to be able to make and break chemical bonds. And again this is important because life transforms resources from the environment into building blocks so it can maintain itself. 第三 要能够断开 和结合化学键 这很重要 因为生命要能够将环境中的资源 转化为维持自身的基本单元
transforms:v.[数][电]变换; n.语法转化规则;
Now today, I told you about very strange and weird protocells -- some that contain clay, some that have primordial ooze in them, some that have basically oil instead of water inside of them. 今天我给你们介绍了 奇怪的原始细胞－有些含有粘土 有些有原始物的稀泥 有些含的基本是油 而不是水
Most of these don't contain DNA, but yet they have lifelike properties. 这些大部分不含DNA 但具备类生命的特征
But these protocells satisfy these general requirements of living systems. 但是这些原始细胞具有 生命系统的这几项基本条件
So by making these chemical, artificial life experiments, we hope not only to understand something fundamental about the origin of life and the existence of life on this planet, but also what possible life there could be out there in the universe. Thank you. 通过人造生命的实验 我们希望 对生命起源 和其他星球生命的存在与否 有更好的了解 也对宇宙里 可能存在的生命有更多认识 谢谢
fundamental:n.基础; adj.十分重大的;
(Applause) （掌声）