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SteveRamirez_2013X-_老鼠，雷射光束和被操控的记忆_
Steve Ramirez : My first year of grad school, 史蒂夫·拉米雷斯:就读研究生的第一年,
Ramirez:拉米雷斯;拉米雷兹; grad:n.毕业生;校友;
I found myself in my bedroom eating lots of Ben & Jerry's watching some trashy TV and maybe, maybe listening to Taylor Swift . 我常常待在自己的卧室里, 大吃Ben & Jerry*s 冰淇淋, 看看一些没营养的电视节目, 或许,或许还听听泰勒·斯威夫特的歌。
trashy:adj.没用的;碎屑的;垃圾似的;无价值的; Swift:n.[鸟]雨燕; adj.飞快的;
I had just gone through a breakup. 我刚刚经历一场失恋嘛。
(Laughter) （笑声）
So for the longest time, all I would do is recall the memory of this person over and over again , wishing that I could get rid of that gut-wrenching , visceral " blah " feeling. 所以很长一段时间里,我所做的 就是一边反反复复地回忆有关我前任恋人的一切, 一边希望自己能摆脱那种 令人五脏都纠结的痛楚。
recall:v.记起;回想起;使想到;勾起;召回;n.记忆力;记性;回归请求;回收令; over and over again:adv.一再地;反复不断地; gut-wrenching:adj.极度痛苦的,撕心裂肺的; visceral:adj.内脏的;出于本能的;发自肺腑的;粗俗的; blah:n.废话;空话;瞎说;int.废话;
Now, as it turns out, I'm a neuroscientist , so I knew that the memory of that person and the awful, emotional undertones that color in that memory, are largely mediated by separate brain systems. 现在,我成为了一名神经科学家, 我也知道了有关那个人的记忆, 以及那记忆中所挟带的痛苦情感, 其实很大程度上是由不同脑区调控的。
neuroscientist:n.神经系统科学家; emotional:adj.情绪的;易激动的;感动人的; undertones:n.低音;浅色;小声;潜在的含意; largely:adv.主要地;大部分;大量地; mediated:vt.仲裁,调停;调解(mediate的过去式及过去分词形式);
And so I thought, what if we could go into the brain and edit out that nauseating feeling but while keeping the memory of that person intact ? 所以我就想:我们是不是能深入到人们的大脑中, 仅仅剔除那种令人食不下咽的痛苦 却同时完好地保留关于那个前任恋人的记忆？
what if:如果…怎么办? edit:v.编辑;剪辑;编纂;编选;n.编辑[校订]工作; nauseating:adj.令人厌恶的;令人恶心的;v.使恶心;使厌恶;使厌烦;(nauseate的现在分词) intact:adj.完整的;原封不动的;未受损伤的;
Then I realized, maybe that's a little bit lofty for now. 然后我意识到也许这个想法对现在来说 或许还是有些不切实际。
lofty:adj.高的;崇高的;高级的;高傲的;
So what if we could start off by going into the brain and just finding a single memory to begin with? 那么我们是不是可以先从在大脑中 找出一个单一记忆开始着手做起呢?
Could we jump-start that memory back to life, maybe even play with the contents of that memory? 我们是否可以跳转到一段过往记忆并在 现实中重新演绎, 甚至也许可以稍稍改编一下记忆的内容？
jump-start:v.强力推动;快速启动;助推启动;n.助推启动法 contents:n.内容; v.知足; (content的第三人称单数和复数)
All that said, there is one person in the entire world right now that I really hope is not watching this talk. 不过现在,全世界有一个人,我倒是希望她 现在没看到这段演讲。
(Laughter) （笑声）
So there is a catch. There is a catch. 所以啦,凡事都有代价。
These ideas probably remind you of "Total Recall," 也许以上这些设想会让你想起《全面回忆》、
remind:v.提醒;使想起;
'" Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," 《暖暖内含光》、
Eternal:adj.永恒的;不朽的; Sunshine:n.阳光;日光;欢乐;幸福 Spotless:adj.无可挑剔的;无瑕疵的;纯洁的;
or of " Inception ." 或者《盗梦空间》这些电影。
Inception:n.起初;获得学位;n.《盗梦空间》(电影名);
But the movie stars that we work with are the celebrities of the lab. 但是和我们研究人员合作的 电影明星 却都是实验室的大牌。
celebrities:n.名人;名誉;(celebrity的复数)
Xu Liu: Test mice. 刘旭:（也就是）试验鼠。
(Laughter) （笑声）
As neuroscientists , we work in the lab with mice trying to understand how memory works. 作为神经科学家,我们通过研究老鼠, 来尝试理解记忆的运作,
neuroscientists:n.神经系统科学家;
And today, we hope to convince you that now we are actually able to activate a memory in the brain at the speed of light. 今天,我们希望向你们证明 我们事实上能够在大脑中 快速激活一段记忆。
convince:v.使确信;使相信;说服,劝说; activate:vt.刺激;使活动;使活泼;使产生放射性;vi.激活;有活力;
To do this, there's only two simple steps to follow. 要完成这个任务,我们只需要两个简单的步骤。
First, you find and label a memory in the brain, and then you activate it with a switch. 首先,在大脑中找到并且标记一段记忆, 然后用开关激活它。
label:n.标签;标记;谓;唱片公司;v.贴标签于;用标签标明;
As simple as that . 就是这么简单。
As simple as that:那样简单;如此简单;就这麽简单;
(Laughter) （笑声）
SR: Are you convinced ? 史蒂夫:你们信服了吗？
convinced:adj.坚信; v.使确信; (convince的过去分词和过去式)
So, turns out finding a memory in the brain isn't all that easy. 其实,在大脑中找到一段记忆并非如此简单。
XL: Indeed. This is way more difficult than, let's say, finding a needle in a haystack , because at least, you know, the needle is still something you can physically put your fingers on. 刘旭:确实。这其实要比 在稻草堆中找到一根针要难得多, 因为至少,针还是一个 你能确实触摸到的实物。
a needle in a haystack:大海捞针啊;海底捞针;被忽略的人;
But memory is not. 但记忆不是。
And also, there's way more cells in your brain than the number of straws in a typical haystack. 并且,大脑中的脑细胞可比 稻草堆中的稻谷要多得多。
straws:n.[作物]稻草;吸管(straw的复数形式); typical:adj.典型的;特有的;象征性的;
So yeah, this task does seem to be daunting . 所以,这个任务似乎异常艰难。
daunting:adj.令人生畏的:令人胆怯的:v.使胆怯:使失去信心;(daunt的现在分词)
But luckily, we got help from the brain itself. 但幸运的是,我们从大脑自身得到了帮助。
It turned out that all we need to do is basically to let the brain form a memory, and then the brain will tell us which cells are involved in that particular memory. 事实上我们只需要 让大脑自己生成一段记忆, 然后大脑会告诉我们哪些脑细胞 参与了这一段记忆的组成。
basically:adv.主要地,基本上; involved:adj.有关的; v.涉及; (involve的过去式和过去分词)
SR: So what was going on in my brain while I was recalling the memory of an ex? 史蒂夫:那么在我回忆前任恋人的时候, 我的大脑中究竟发生了什么呢？
recalling:v.记起;回忆起;回想起;召回;(recall的现在分词)
If you were to just completely ignore human ethics for a second and slice up my brain right now, you would see that there was an amazing number of brain regions that were active while recalling that memory. 如果你们能暂且抛开人类道德, 即刻将我的大脑切片解剖, 你们就能看到在我回忆那段记忆时, 很多脑区正处于活跃状态。
ignore:v.驳回诉讼;忽视;不理睬; ethics:n.伦理学;伦理观;道德标准; slice:n.片; v.切成片; (很容易地)切开; regions:n.地区;地域;行政区;左近;(region的复数)
Now one brain region that would be robustly active in particular is called the hippocampus , which for decades has been implicated in processing the kinds of memories that we hold near and dear, which also makes it an ideal target to go into and to try and find and maybe reactivate a memory. 在这其中, 海马体是最为持续活跃的脑区域。 这一脑区负责处理 对我们来说独具意义的记忆, 这一点也使得海马体成为可供深入研究的理想目标, 我们可以试着在海马体中找到,并或许激活一段记忆。
robustly:adv.要用体力地;粗鲁地;坚定地; in particular:尤其,特别; hippocampus:n.[解剖][脊椎]海马;马头鱼尾怪兽(神话中的一个形象); implicated:adj.密切关联的; v.涉及(某人); (implicate的过去分词和过去式) processing:v.加工;处理;审核;数据处理;v.列队行进;缓缓前进;(process的现在分词) reactivate:vt.使恢复活动;使恢复现役;使再开工;vi.再度活动;使恢复活力;
XL: When you zoom in into the hippocampus, of course you will see lots of cells, but we are able to find which cells are involved in a particular memory, because whenever a cell is active, like when it's forming a memory, 刘旭:当你聚焦于海马体, 当然你会看到许多脑细胞, 但我们也能够找到参与 某一特定记忆的那些细胞, 因为每当一个脑细胞在活动时, 比如说当它正在形成一段记忆时,
it will also leave a footprint that will later allow us to know these cells are recently active. 它也会同时留下“足迹”,通过这些足迹我们可以得知 这些脑细胞近期有活跃过。
footprint:n.足迹;脚印; recently:adv.最近;新近;
SR: So the same way that building lights at night let you know that somebody's probably working there at any given moment, in a very real sense, there are biological sensors within a cell that are turned on only when that cell was just working. 史蒂夫:这就好比通过夜晚的大楼灯光, 你可以推知有人可能在某一时段在那里工作过。 事实上,每一个细胞中都有一些传感器, 这些传感器 只有在该细胞工作时开启。
biological:adj.生物学的;生物的;与生命过程有关的;加酶的;n.[药]生物制品; sensors:n.[自]传感器,感应器;感测器(sensor的复数);
They're sort of biological windows that light up to let us know that that cell was just active. 它们就像透出亮光的生物窗, 告诉我们某一细胞刚刚处于激活状态。
XL: So we clipped part of this sensor, and attached that to a switch to control the cells, and we packed this switch into an engineered virus and injected that into the brain of the mice. 刘旭:因此我们获取这种传感器的一小部分, 并将这一部分连接到用于控制脑细胞的开关上, 然后我们将这一开关植入于人造病毒中, 并注射于实验鼠大脑。
clipped:adj.省略一部分的;发音清楚的;v.剪除(clip的过去分词); attached:adj.依恋;v.重视;把…固定;(attach的过去分词和过去式) injected:v.(给…)注射(药物等); (inject的过去分词和过去式)
So whenever a memory is being formed, any active cells for that memory will also have this switch installed . 所以每当一段记忆形成时, 人造开关就会被安装到。 参与其中的每一个脑细胞
installed:v.安装;设置;使就职(install的过去分词和过去式)
SR: So here is what the hippocampus looks like after forming a fear memory, for example. 史蒂夫:这就是海马体 形成一段记忆后的形态。
The sea of blue that you see here are densely packed brain cells, but the green brain cells, the green brain cells are the ones that are holding on to a specific fear memory. 你们所看到的这一蓝色区域 密集分布着许多脑细胞; 但是这些绿色标记的脑细胞, 则是与某一特定的恐惧记忆有关。 则是与某一特定的恐惧记忆有关。
densely:adv.浓密地;密集地; 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;
So you are looking at the crystallization of the fleeting formation of fear. 所以你们现在看到的就是“恐惧”形成瞬间的结晶 所以你们现在看到的就是“恐惧”形成瞬间的结晶
crystallization:n.结晶化;具体化; fleeting:adj.转瞬即逝的;短暂的;闪现的; formation:n.形成;编队;组成;队形;
You're actually looking at the cross-section of a memory right now. 你们现在看到的其实是一组记忆横截面
cross-section:n.横截面;横断面;
XL: Now, for the switch we have been talking about, ideally , the switch has to act really fast. 刘旭:现在来看看我们刚刚提到的开关, 理论上这个开关的运作速度要非常快。
ideally:adv.理想地;观念上地;
It shouldn't take minutes or hours to work. 运作这一开关不能耗上几分钟或几小时。
It should act at the speed of the brain, in milliseconds . 相反它的工作速度单位 要以大脑的运作速度（毫秒）为单位。
milliseconds:n.[计量]毫秒(millisecond的复数形式);
SR: So what do you think, Xu? 史蒂夫:所以你怎么看,刘旭？
Could we use, let's say, pharmacological drugs to activate or inactivate brain cells? 你觉得我们能用医学用药 来激活或减退大脑细胞的活动？
pharmacological:adj.药理学的; inactivate:vt.使不活动;使不活泼;阻止活动;
XL: Nah. Drugs are pretty messy . They spread everywhere. 刘旭:行不通吧。 药物太难控制了,它们全身乱跑。
messy:adj.肮脏的;凌乱的;不整洁的;
And also it takes them forever to act on cells. 而且等它们作用到脑细胞上就太慢咯。
So it will not allow us to control a memory in real time . 所以我们不太可能用药物来及时控制记忆。
real time:adj.实时的;接到指示立即执行的;
So Steve, how about let's zap the brain with electricity ? 那史蒂夫,你觉得用电流刺激大脑这个想法如何？
electricity:n.电力;电流;强烈的紧张情绪;
SR: So electricity is pretty fast, but we probably wouldn't be able to target it to just the specific cells that hold onto a memory, and we'd probably fry the brain. 史蒂夫:嗯,电流的速度确实快, 但是我们不太可能将电流精确定位于 参与一段记忆行程的那些特定脑细胞, 而且我们很有可能会把大脑烤糊。
hold onto:抓紧
XL: Oh. That's true. So it looks like, hmm, indeed we need to find a better way to impact the brain at the speed of light. 刘旭:噢,那倒是真的。嗯,那看来, 我们确实得要找到一个更好的方法, 能以光速来控制大脑。
impact:n.影响;效果;碰撞;冲击力;v.挤入,压紧;撞击;对…产生影响;
SR: So it just so happens that light travels at the speed of light. 史蒂夫:对了,光的穿行速度不就是光速嘛。
So maybe we could activate or inactive memories by just using light -- 所以或许我们就可以 用光来激活或消退记忆......
inactive:adj.不活跃的;不活动的;怠惰的;闲置的;
XL: That's pretty fast. 刘旭:那样确实够快
SR: -- and because normally brain cells don't respond to pulses of light, so those that would respond to pulses of light are those that contain a light-sensitive switch. 史蒂夫: 而且由于脑细胞通常 对光波没有反应, 所以能对光波产生反应的 就是那些挟带光敏开光的细胞。
normally:adv.正常地;通常地,一般地; respond:vi.回答;作出反应;承担责任;n.应答;唱和; pulses:n.[电子]脉冲(pulse的复数); v.使跳动; light-sensitive:adj.光敏的;
Now to do that, first we need to trick brain cells to respond to laser beams . 要做到这点,首先我们必须诱使脑细胞 对镭射光产生反应。
beams:[建]梁;
XL: Yep. You heard it right. 刘旭:对！你们没有听错。
We are trying to shoot lasers into the brain. 我们要试着向大脑发射镭射光。
(Laughter) （笑声）
SR: And the technique that lets us do that is optogenetics. 史蒂夫:而我们依靠的技术就是光遗传学
technique:n.技巧,技术;手法;
Optogenetics gave us this light switch that we can use to turn brain cells on or off, and the name of that switch is channelrhodopsin, seen here as these green dots attached to this brain cell. 通过光遗传学我们得到了这个“光开关” 来开启或关闭脑细胞, 这个开关就叫做光敏感通道, 也就是这里显示的附于这个脑细胞的绿色小点。
You can think of channelrhodopsin as a sort of light-sensitive switch that can be artificially installed in brain cells so that now we can use that switch 你们可以将光敏感通道看作一种光敏开关, 它可以被人工安置于脑细胞中, 因此现在我们就可以使用这一开关
artificially:adv.人工地;人为地;不自然地;
to activate or inactivate the brain cell simply by clicking it, and in this case we click it on with pulses of light. 只要简单点击一下开关 我们就能激活或减退脑细胞的活动, 并且我们用的是光波来点击开关。
XL: So we attach this light-sensitive switch of channelrhodopsin to the sensor we've been talking about and inject this into the brain. 刘旭:我们将这一类似光敏开关的紫红质通道蛋白 安装于我们刚刚提到的传感器上, 并将它注于脑内。
So whenever a memory is being formed, any active cell for that particular memory will also have this light-sensitive switch installed in it so that we can control these cells by the flipping of a laser just like this one you see. 所以每当一段记忆形成时, 光敏开关也会被安装到 参与这一特定记忆的每一个细胞上 正如你们所见,我们也就能 通过调控镭射光来控制脑细胞啦。
flipping:v.该死; v.(使)快速翻转; (flip的现在分词)
SR: So let's put all of this to the test now. 史蒂夫:那么我们现在就来测试一下吧。
What we can do is we can take our mice and then we can put them in a box that looks exactly like this box here, and then we can give them a very mild foot shock so that they form a fear memory of this box. 我们拿出实验鼠, 将它们放到和这个盒子一模一样的盒中, 然后施于它们一个轻微的足电击, 以使它们对这个盒子形成恐惧记忆。
mild:adj.温和的; n.(英国的一种)淡味麦芽啤酒;
They learn that something bad happened here. 它们记得在这个盒子里发生过不好的事。
Now with our system, the cells that are active in the hippocampus in the making of this memory, only those cells will now contain channelrhodopsin. 现在在我们的大脑中,海马体内有 参与形成这一恐惧记忆的活跃脑细胞, 现在只有这些细胞带有紫红质通道蛋白。
XL: When you are as small as a mouse, it feels as if the whole world is trying to get you. 刘旭:当你像老鼠那么小的时候, 会感觉仿佛全世界都要欺压你
So your best response of defense is trying to be undetected . 而你最好的应对办法 就是尽量把自己藏好。
response:n.响应;反应;回答; undetected:adj.未被发现的;未检测到的;
Whenever a mouse is in fear, it will show this very typical behavior by staying at one corner of the box, trying to not move any part of its body, and this posture is called freezing. 每当老鼠害怕时, 它最典型的表现 就是藏到盒子的一角, 一动也不动 我们称这个姿势为“定格”
posture:n.姿势;态度;看法;立场;处理方式;v.故作姿态;装样子
So if a mouse remembers that something bad happened in this box, and when we put them back into the same box, it will basically show freezing because it doesn't want to be detected by any potential threats in this box. 因此只要老鼠记得在这个盒子里发生过不愉快的事, 当我们将它们放回盒中时, 老鼠就会表现出“定格”行为, 因为它不想被 盒中任何可能的危险捕获。
potential:n.潜能;可能性;[电]电势;adj.潜在的;可能的;势的;
SR: So you can think of freezing as, you're walking down the street minding your own business, and then out of nowhere you almost run into an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend , and now those terrifying two seconds where you start thinking, "What do I do? Do I say hi? 史蒂夫:你们可以将“定格”理解为, 你好好地走在路上,想着你自己的事情, 突然不经意地你就撞上了 你的前女友或前男友, 就在那令人恐慌的两秒内, 你开始想,“我该怎么做？我要打招呼吗？
nowhere:v.无处; n.无处; adj.不存在的; ex-girlfriend:n.前女友; ex-boyfriend:n.前男友; terrifying:adj.令人恐惧的;骇人的;极大的;v.使害怕,使恐怖;(terrify的现在分词)
Do I shake their hand? Do I turn around and run away? 我要和他们握手吗？还是转身就跑？
Do I sit here and pretend like I don't exist?" 还是就坐在这里,假装自己不存在？”
Those kinds of fleeting thoughts that physically incapacitate you, that temporarily give you that deer-in-headlights look. 这些在你脑中一闪而过的念头令你四肢僵硬、 而你脸上的表情就像车头灯照射下的惊恐小鹿。
incapacitate:v.使无能力;使不能;使不适于; temporarily:adv.临时地,临时;
XL: However, if you put the mouse in a completely different new box, like the next one, it will not be afraid of this box because there's no reason that it will be afraid of this new environment. 刘旭:然而当你将实验鼠置于一个截然不同的新盒中, 就像这里的第二个盒子, 它就不会害怕。 因为它没有理由对这个新环境产生恐惧。
But what if we put the mouse in this new box but at the same time , we activate the fear memory using lasers just like we did before? 但是如果我们将实验鼠放于这个新盒中 同时用镭射光 激活之前的那段恐惧记忆
at the same time:同时;另一方面;与此同时;
Are we going to bring back the fear memory for the first box into this completely new environment? 我们能否将对于第一个盒子的那段记忆 在这个新环境中重现呢？
SR: All right, and here's the million-dollar experiment. 史蒂夫:不错,这就是那个耗价百万的实验。
Now to bring back to life the memory of that day, 现在就让我们把那一天的记忆重现,
I remember that the Red Sox had just won, it was a green spring day, perfect for going up and down the river and then maybe going to the North End to get some cannolis , #justsaying. 我记得那一天波士顿红袜队正巧打赢一场比赛, 那是一个绿意盎然的春日, 最适宜在小河中划船, 然后也许去波士顿北区 买几个奶油甜馅煎饼卷 啊,只是说说而已。
cannolis:n.奶油甜馅煎饼卷;
Now Xu and I, on the other hand , were in a completely windowless black room not making any ocular movement that even remotely resembles an eye blink because our eyes were fixed onto a computer screen. 事实上刘旭和我, 当时正在一间没有窗户的小黑屋里, 双眼一眨不眨 因为我们的目光正牢牢盯住电脑屏幕
on the other hand:另一方面; windowless:adj.没有窗的; ocular:adj.眼睛的;视觉的;目击的;n.[光]目镜; remotely:adv.遥远地;偏僻地;(程度)极微地,极轻地; resembles:v.看起来像:显得像:像(resemble的第三人称单数) blink:vt.眨眼;使…闪烁;vi.眨眼;闪烁;n.眨眼;瞬间;闪光;
We were looking at this mouse here trying to activate a memory for the first time using our technique. 我们当时正看着这只老鼠 第一次尝试用我们的技术 来激活一段记忆。
XL: And this is what we saw. 刘旭:而这就是我们看到的:
When we first put the mouse into this box, it's exploring , sniffing around, walking around, minding its own business, because actually by nature, mice are pretty curious animals. 当我们第一次将老鼠放进这只盒子时, 它在探索,这边嗅嗅,那边转转, 完全沉浸在自己的世界里, 事实上,老鼠天性就是好奇心旺盛的动物。 事实上,老鼠天性就是好奇心旺盛的动物。
exploring:v.探索:考察:探查;(explore的现在分词) sniffing:v.抽鼻子;嗅,闻;抱怨;(sniff的现在分词) curious:adj.好奇的,有求知欲的;古怪的;爱挑剔的;
They want to know, what's going on in this new box? 他们想知道:这个新盒子里有什么
It's interesting. 这里很有趣啊。
But the moment we turned on the laser, like you see now, all of a sudden the mouse entered this freezing mode. 但是当我们打开镭射光 就像你们现在看到的 突然之间实验鼠进入了“定格”模式。
all of a sudden:突然地,出乎意料地;
It stayed here and tried not to move any part of its body. 它停在那里,身体一动不动
Clearly it's freezing. 很显然它僵住了。
So indeed, it looks like we are able to bring back the fear memory for the first box in this completely new environment. 似乎我们能够将 对于第一个盒子的恐惧记忆带回到 这个全新的环境中。
While watching this, Steve and I are as shocked as the mouse itself. 当我和Steve看到这些时, 我们也像实验鼠一样惊呆了。
(Laughter) （笑声）
So after the experiment, the two of us just left the room without saying anything. 当实验结束后,我们两啥也没说, 一声不响地离开了房间。
After a kind of long, awkward period of time, 过了有点长、有点尴尬的一段时间后,
awkward:adj.尴尬的;笨拙的;棘手的;不合适的;
Steve broke the silence. 史蒂夫首先开口了。
SR: "Did that just work?" 史蒂夫:“所以那个成功了？”
XL: "Yes," I said. "Indeed it worked!" 刘旭:“是啊,”我说。“它确确实实成功了！”
We're really excited about this. 我们对此兴奋不已。
And then we published our findings in the journal Nature. 然后我们在《自然》杂志 发表了这一发现。
findings:n.调查发现;判决;裁决;(finding的复数) journal:n.杂志;日记;日志;(用于报纸名)…报;
Ever since the publication of our work, we've been receiving numerous comments from all over the Internet. 自从发表以来, 我们从互联网 收到了无数的评论。
publication:n.出版物;发表;公布;发行; numerous:adj.许多的,很多的;
Maybe we can take a look at some of those. 也许我们可以看看其中的某些评论。·
take a look at:看一看;检查;
["OMGGGGG FINALLY ... so much more to come, virtual reality , neural manipulation , visual dream emulation ... neural coding , 'writing and re-writing of memories', mental illnesses. Ahhh the future is awesome "] “天呐！终于...... 有太多太多的新发现了:虚拟现实,神经控制,梦境的视觉再现,神经编码,’记忆的记录与再记录‘, 心理疾病,啊,未来太棒了”
FINALLY:adv.终于;最终;(用于列举)最后;彻底地; virtual reality:n.(计算机创造的)虚拟现实; neural:adj.神经的;神经系统的;背的;神经中枢的; manipulation:n.操作;管理措施;处理;操纵证券市场;变换; visual:adj.视觉的,视力的;栩栩如生的; emulation:n.[计]仿真;竞争;效法; coding:n.译码;v.把…编码;(code的现在分词) mental:adj.精神的;脑力的;疯的;n.精神病患者; awesome:adj.令人敬畏的;使人畏惧的;可怕的;极好的;
SR: So the first thing that you'll notice is that people have really strong opinions about this kind of work. 史蒂夫:你首先会注意到人们 对这类研究有着非常强烈的观点。
Now I happen to completely agree with the optimism of this first quote , because on a scale of zero to Morgan Freeman's voice, it happens to be one of the most evocative accolades that I've heard come our way. 我完全同意 第一条评论所体现的乐观性, 如果用零到摩根弗里曼的声音这一范围作为量表, 这恰巧是我听过的 对我们的工作给出的最打动人的称赞
optimism:n.乐观;乐观主义; quote:v.引用;报价;举例说明;开价;为(企业的股份)上市;n.引用; 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; evocative:adj.唤起的;唤出的; accolades:n.赞美,表扬(accolade的复数形式);称号;
(Laughter) （笑声）
But as you'll see, it's not the only opinion that's out there. 但你也将看到,这并不是唯一的观点。
["This scares the hell out of me... What if they could do that easily in humans in a couple of years?! OH MY GOD WE'RE DOOMED "] “这太可怕了......如果他们能在几年内轻而易举地将这一技术用于人类？！天呐,我们完蛋了”
DOOMED:adj.注定的;命定的;v.使…注定失败(doom的过去分词和过去式)
XL: Indeed, if we take a look at the second one, 刘旭:确实,如果我们看看第二条,
I think we can all agree that it's, meh, probably not as positive . 我想我们不得不说, 它的评价并不那么正面
positive:adj.积极的;[数]正的,[医][化学]阳性的;确定的;n.正数;[摄]正片;
But this also reminds us that, although we are still working with mice, it's probably a good idea to start thinking and discussing about the possible ethical ramifications of memory control. 但也正提醒我们, 虽然现在我们只是试验于老鼠身上, 但也许我们也该开始思考、探讨 记忆控制 可能产生的道德后果。
reminds:v.提醒;使想起;(remind的第三人称单数) ethical:adj.伦理的;道德的;凭处方出售的;n.处方药; ramifications:n.(众多复杂而又难以预料的)结果,后果;(ramification的复数)
SR: Now, in the spirit of the third quote, we want to tell you about a recent project that we've been working on in lab that we've called Project Inception. 史蒂夫:现在,鉴于第三条评论, 我们想要向你们报告我们实验室 正在研究的第三个项目。我们称其为“盗梦空间”项目。
["They should make a movie about this. Where they plant ideas into peoples minds, so they can control them for their own personal gain. We'll call it: Inception."] “他们应该把这个拍成电影。他们将思想、观念植入于人脑,借此他们就可以为私利操控人类。这就是:盗梦空间。”
personal:adj.个人的;身体的;亲自的;n.人事消息栏;人称代名词;
So we reasoned that now that we can reactivate a memory, what if we do so but then begin to tinker with that memory? 于是我们就此推论:既然我们能够重新激活一段记忆, 那么何不开始操纵这段记忆？
tinker:n.修补工;小炉匠,补锅匠,白铁匠;v.(尤指不起作用地)小修补,小修理;
Could we possibly even turn it into a false memory ? 我们是不是可以将它变为一段错误记忆?
false memory:n.(对事实上并未发生的事情的)伪记忆;
XL: So all memory is sophisticated and dynamic , but if just for simplicity , let's imagine memory as a movie clip. 刘旭:所有记忆都是复杂的,它们总是处于动态模式, 用个简化的比喻,我们可以将记忆想象为 一段电影。
sophisticated:adj.复杂的;老练的;见多识广的;水平高的; dynamic:n.动力; adj.充满活力的; simplicity:n.朴素;简易;天真;愚蠢;
So far what we've told you is basically we can control this "play" button of the clip so that we can play this video clip any time, anywhere. 目前我们所说的只是我们能够控制 这段电影片段的“播放”按钮, 借此我们可以随时随地地播放这段影片。
But is there a possibility that we can actually get inside the brain and edit this movie clip so that we can make it different from the original ? 但是我们是否可以深入大脑内部、 并改编这段影片, 让它不同于原片？
original:n.原件;原作;原物;原型;adj.原始的;最初的;独创的;新颖的;
Yes we can. 是的,我们可以。
Turned out that all we need to do is basically reactivate a memory using lasers just like we did before, but at the same time, if we present new information 事实上我们所要做的仅仅是 重新用镭射光激活一段记忆,就像我们刚刚做的那样, 但同时,如果我们呈现新的信息
and allow this new information to incorporate into this old memory, this will change the memory. 并将新信息融入老的记忆中, 这将会改变原先的记忆。
incorporate:vt.包含,吸收; vi.合并; adj.合并的;
It's sort of like making a remix tape. 这就像制作一段混音录音。
remix:vt.使再混合;再搅拌;重新合成(乐曲等);n.混录版歌曲;
SR: So how do we do this? 史蒂夫:那么怎么做呢？
Rather than finding a fear memory in the brain, we can start by taking our animals, and let's say we put them in a blue box like this blue box here and we find the brain cells that represent that blue box and we trick them to respond to pulses of light exactly like we had said before. 这次我们不找大脑中的恐惧记忆了, 而是将我们的实验动物 放在一个蓝盒子里,就像这边的这个, 然后我们找到大脑中表示这个蓝盒子的脑细胞, 诱使它们对光波产生反应, 就像我们刚刚说的那样,
represent:v.代表;表现;描绘;回忆;再赠送;
Now the next day, we can take our animals and place them in a red box that they've never experienced before. 然后第二天,我们把动物放在 它们从未待过的红盒子里
We can shoot light into the brain to reactivate the memory of the blue box. 接着我们向大脑发射光束,从而激活动物 对于蓝盒子的记忆。
So what would happen here if, while the animal is recalling the memory of the blue box, we gave it a couple of mild foot shocks? 那么将会发生什么呢:当动物 正在回忆关于蓝盒子的记忆时, 我们施于它轻度的足电击？
So here we're trying to artificially make an association between the memory of the blue box and the foot shocks themselves. 我们想要人工形成老鼠对 蓝盒子和足电击反应之间的联系。 我们想要人工形成老鼠对 蓝盒子和足电击反应之间的联系。 我们想要人工形成老鼠对 蓝盒子和足电击反应之间的联系。
association:n.协会;关联;联想;交往;
We're just trying to connect the two. 我们想把两者联系起来。
So to test if we had done so, we can take our animals once again and place them back in the blue box. 为了测试联系是否产生, 我们再一次 将动物放回蓝盒中。
Again, we had just reactivated the memory of the blue box while the animal got a couple of mild foot shocks, and now the animal suddenly freezes. 就在这之前,我们已在动物回忆蓝盒时 对它施加了轻微的足电击, 而现在老鼠却出现了 定格 反应,
reactivated:adj.再活化的;v.再活化;再生(reactivate的过去式);
It's as though it's recalling being mildly shocked in this environment even though that never actually happened. 这就好像在记忆中它确实在蓝盒中遭到了电击, 虽然实际上这从未发生过。
mildly:adv.温和地,和善地;适度地;
So it formed a false memory, because it's falsely fearing an environment where, technically speaking, nothing bad actually happened to it. 由此错误记忆就生成了, 因为我们的试验动物对环境产生了错误的“恐惧”反应, 而实际上, 而实际上,
falsely:adv.错误地;虚伪地;不实地;
XL: So, so far we are only talking about this light-controlled "on" switch. 刘旭:到现在为止,我们仅仅是在讨论 这个光控开关的“开启”功能。
In fact, we also have a light-controlled "off" switch, and it's very easy to imagine that by installing this light-controlled "off" switch, we can also turn off a memory, any time, anywhere. 事实上,我们的光控开关还有“关闭”功能, 不难想象, 有了这个光控“关闭*开关, 我们也可以随时随地关闭一段记忆。
installing:v.安装;设置;建立(程序);(install的现在分词)
So everything we've been talking about today is based on this philosophically charged principle of neuroscience that the mind, with its seemingly mysterious properties, is actually made of physical stuff that we can tinker with. 所以今天我们所讨论的研究 都是基于神经科学的一条哲学原则, 即大脑虽然看似神秘, 但其实也是由可以被我们所调控的物质基础所组成的。
philosophically:adv.哲学上;贤明地; principle:n.原理,原则;主义,道义;本质,本义;根源,源泉; neuroscience:n.神经系统科学(指神经病学,神经化学等); seemingly:adv.看来似乎;表面上看来; mysterious:adj.神秘的;不可思议的;难解的; physical:adj.[物]物理的;身体的;物质的;符合自然法则的;n.体格检查; stuff:n.东西:物品:基本特征:v.填满:装满:标本:
SR: And for me personally , 史蒂夫:而对我个人来说,
personally:adv.个人;亲自;本人;就本人而言;
I see a world where we can reactivate any kind of memory that we'd like. 我可以预见我们将能够重新激活 任何我们想激活的记忆。
I also see a world where we can erase unwanted memories. 而同时我们也可以消除不想要的记忆。
erase:vt.抹去;擦除;vi.被擦去,被抹掉; unwanted:adj.不需要的;有害的;讨厌的;空闲的;
Now, I even see a world where editing memories is something of a reality, because we're living in a time where it's possible to pluck questions from the tree of science fiction and to ground them in experimental reality. 我甚至可以预见 改编记忆将成为现实, 因为在这个时代我们能够 从科幻小说之树上摘取”问题“果实 然后将它们投入现实试验。
editing:v.编辑,校订(文章、书籍等);编选;(edit的现在分词) pluck:n.勇气;内脏;快而猛的拉;vt.摘;拔;扯;vi.拉;拽;扯; science fiction:科幻小说; experimental:adj.实验的;根据实验的;试验性的;
XL: Nowadays, people in the lab and people in other groups all over the world are using similar methods to activate or edit memories, whether that's old or new, positive or negative , all sorts of memories so that we can understand how memory works. 刘旭:如今,全世界的科研人员 和其它工作者 都在用相似的方法来激活和改写各种记忆, 无论是旧的记忆、新的记忆,积极的或消极的, 这样我们便能够更好地理解 记忆的运作。
negative:adj.[数]负的;消极的;否定的;阴性的;n.否定;负数;[摄]底片;v.否定;拒绝;
SR: For example, one group in our lab was able to find the brain cells that make up a fear memory and converted them into a pleasurable memory, just like that. 史蒂夫:例如,我们实验室的一个研究小组 发现了生成恐惧记忆的相关脑细胞, 并使它们产生愉快记忆。
converted:adj.修改的;改变信仰的;v.转变;改变信仰(convert的过去式和过去分词形式); pleasurable:adj.快乐的;心情舒畅的;令人愉快的;
That's exactly what I mean about editing these kinds of processes . 这就是我所说的改编记忆。
processes:n.过程; v.处理(process的第三人称单数形式);
Now one dude in lab was even able to reactivate memories of female mice in male mice, which rumor has it is a pleasurable experience. 我们实验室的一名研究人员甚至能够 在雄性老鼠大脑中再现激活雌性老鼠的记忆, 据说这是一段相当愉快的经历。
dude:n.男人,小伙子;(非正式)花花公子; female:adj.女性的;雌性的;柔弱的,柔和的;n.女人;[动]雌性动物; rumor:n.谣言;传闻;v.谣传;传说;
XL: Indeed, we are living in a very exciting moment where science doesn't have any arbitrary speed limits but is only bound by our own imagination . 刘旭:不错,我们正生活在一个令人振奋的时刻, 在这里科学发展没有任何外在限速, 它只为我们的想象力所缚。
arbitrary:adj.[数]任意的;武断的;专制的; bound:n.跳跃:v.跳跃着跑:形成…的边界(或界限)adj.一定会:很可能会: imagination:n.想象;想象力;创造力;想象的事物;
SR: And finally, what do we make of all this? 史蒂夫:那么最后,我们要如何运用我们的新发现呢？
How do we push this technology forward? 又如何将这一技术继续推进呢？
technology:n.技术;工艺;术语;
These are the questions that should not remain just inside the lab, and so one goal of today's talk was to bring everybody up to speed with the kind of stuff that's possible in modern neuroscience, but now, just as importantly, to actively engage everybody in this conversation. 这些问题不仅仅是实验室中的问题, 这些问题不仅仅是实验室中的问题, 所以我们今天讲座的目的之一 除了是要向大家介绍 当代神经科学的新可能, 但同样重要的是 我们想鼓动每个人都加入到这场交流中。
engage:v.吸引,占用;使参加;雇佣;使订婚;预定;
So let's think together as a team about what this all means and where we can and should go from here, because Xu and I think we all have some really big decisions ahead of us. 让我们作为一个团队来共同思考这一新发现新技术 究竟意味着什么, 从这个起点我们可以又该走向何方。 因为刘旭和我都认为 有一些非常重要的决定在前方等着我们。
Thank you. XL: Thank you. 谢谢大家。 刘旭:谢谢各位
(Applause) 谢谢大家。 刘旭:谢谢各位