返回首页

TomZimmermanandSimoneBianco_2017S-_水滴中的奇妙世界_
Tom Zimmerman: We'd like to take you on a fantastic journey to visit the creatures we call the Elders. 汤姆·齐墨曼:我们想要 带领各位踏上一段极棒的旅程, 去造访我们称为「前辈」的生物,
fantastic:奇异的,空想的 journey:n.旅行;行程;vi.旅行; creatures:n.生物;动物;(具有某种特征的)人(creature的复数)
We call them the Elders because a half a billion years ago they tripled the amount of oxygen in the air, which led to an explosion of life, which led to all of us. 我们称它们为前辈, 是因为在五十万年前, 它们让空气中的氧气量增加为三倍, 造成了生命剧增, 才会有我们所有人。
tripled:adj.三倍的;三方的;n.三倍数;三个一组;vi.增至三倍;vt.使成三倍; explosion:n.爆炸;爆发;激增;
We call them the Elders, but you probably know them as plankton . 我们称它们为前辈,但你们 可能听过的名字是浮游生物。
plankton:n.浮游生物(总称);
(Laughter) （笑声）
Now, Simone is a physicist , and I'm an inventor. 西蒙尼是物理学家,我是发明家。
physicist:n.物理学家;物理学研究者;
A couple of years ago, 几年前,
I was giving a talk about an invention I made -- it was a 3D microscope . 我为我的一项发明讲了一场演说── 那发明是 3D 显微镜。
microscope:n.显微镜;
And Simone was in the audience. 西蒙尼是观众之一。
He realized that my microscope could solve a big problem he was having. 他发现我的显微镜 能解决他的一个大问题:
Which was, how to measure the movement of plankton in 3D fast enough so he could mathematically model their sensing and behavior. 要如何测量浮游生物的 3D 移动,而且要够快, 让他能对它们的 感觉及行为建立数学模型。
mathematically:adv.算术地,数学上地;
And I frankly needed an application for my microscope, so ... 坦白说,我的显微镜 也需要找地方应用,所以……
application:n.应用;申请;应用程序;敷用;
(Laughter) （笑声）
It was like peanut butter meets chocolate. 就像是花生酱遇到了巧克力。
peanut butter:n.花生酱;
(Laughter) （笑声）
So we started working together, studying these amazing creatures. 我们开始合作, 研究这些不可思议的生物。
And then we were alarmed to discover something. 而我们的发现让我们震惊。
And that's why we're here today. 那就是为什么今天我们会在这里。
And I just want to do something with you. 我想和各位一起做一件事。
Now, please, just hold your breath for a second. 麻烦各位,摒息一下子。
Yes, literally hold your breath. 是的,真的摒住呼吸。
literally:adv.按字面:字面上:确实地:
This is the world without plankton. 这就是没有浮游生物的世界。
You see, plankton generate two-thirds of our oxygen using the sun. 我们的氧气有三分之二是由 浮游生物用太阳所产生的。
generate:v.产生;引起; two-thirds:n.三分之二;三分之二的;三分之二地;
OK, now you can breathe, because they're still here. 好,可以呼吸了, 因为它们仍然在这里。
For now. 目前还在。
Simone Bianco: As many of you know, since 1950, the average surface temperature of the earth has increased by one degree Centigrade due to all the carbon dioxide we are pumping into the air. 西蒙尼·毕昂柯:很多人都知道, 1950 年之后,地球表面的平均温度 已经升高了摄氏一度, 原因是我们排放到 空气中的所有二氧化碳。
Centigrade:adj.摄氏的;[仪]摄氏温度的;百分度的; carbon dioxide:二氧化碳; pumping:v.用泵输送;涌出;奔流;快速摇动;(pump的现在分词)
Now, while this temperature increase may not seem like a big deal to us, it is to plankton. 虽然我们可能觉得这种 温度上升没什么大不了的, 对浮游生物却不同。
a big deal:na.要人;重要的事;
Indirect measurements have shown that the global phytoplankton population may have decreased by as much as 40 percent between 1950 and 2010 because of climate change. 间接测量显示,全球的浮游生物数量 在 1950 到 2010 年间, 可能减少了 40% 之多, 原因是气候变迁。
Indirect:adj.间接的;迂回的;非直截了当的; measurements:n.测量值,尺寸(measurement的复数); global:adj.全球的;总体的;球形的; phytoplankton:n.[植]浮游植物(群落); decreased:v.减少,减小,降低;(decrease的过去分词和过去式)
And you see, this is a problem also because it's starving the fish that eat them. 这是个问题, 因为要吃浮游生物的鱼类会挨饿。
And about a billion people around the world depend on fish as their primary source of protein from animals. 全世界大约有十亿人 主要的动物蛋白质来源就是鱼类。
primary source:n.第一手资料;(通过研究或观察等获得的)直接材料; protein:n.蛋白质;
So you see, this isn't just about breathing. 所以,这不只和呼吸有关。
No plankton means no fish. 没有浮游生物就表示没有鱼类。
And that is a lot of food we will need to replace. 我们就需要找许多的食物来代替。
There's something else that is interesting. 还有一点也很有意思。
The bodies of plankton's ancestors actually make up a for lot of the carbon we burn today. 浮游生物的祖先的身体 制造了许多我们现今燃烧用的碳。
Which is kind of ironic , if you ask me. 问我的话,我会说这还蛮讽刺的。
ironic:adj.讽刺的;反话的;
Because the plankton that are here today clean that carbon out of the air. 因为现今浮游生物在这里 把空气中的碳给清理掉。
But you see, they don't really hold a grudge . 但,它们并没有怀恨在心。
grudge:vt.怀恨;吝惜;妒忌;不情愿做;n.怨恨;恶意;妒忌;
(Laughter) （笑声）
The problem is they cannot keep up with the tremendous amount of carbon we are dumping into the air. 问题是,它们赶不上 我们排放到空气中的大量二氧化碳。
keep up with:赶得上;和…保持联系; tremendous:adj.极大的,巨大的;惊人的;极好的; dumping:n.倾倒,倾卸;v.丢弃,扔掉;抛弃;抛售;(dump的现在分词)
So what does all of this mean? 这一切意味着什么？
Well, it means that our big carbon footprint is crushing the very creatures that sustain us. 这意味着,我们大量的碳足迹 正在摧毁我们赖以维生的生物。
footprint:n.足迹;脚印; crushing:adj.惨重的,毁坏性的;v.压碎;压坏;压伤;挤压变形;(crush的现在分词) sustain:v.支持;支撑;遭受;证实;
And yes, like Tom said, killing almost half of the creatures that allow us to breathe is a really big deal. 而且,如同汤姆说的, 让我们能够呼吸的生物, 有近半都因此死亡了, 这就很严重了。
So you're probably asking yourself: 你可能会自问:
Why aren't we doing something about it? 我们为什么还未采取行动？
Our theory is that plankton are tiny, and it's really, really hard to care about something you cannot see. 我们的理论是,浮游生物很小, 真的很难去关心我们看不见的东西。
You see, there's a quote I really like in "The Little Prince" that goes, "What is essential is invisible to the eye." 在《小王子》里 有一句话我真的很喜欢: 「真正重要的东西, 用眼睛是看不见的。」
quote:v.引用;报价;举例说明;开价;为(企业的股份)上市;n.引用; essential:n.要点;要素;实质;必需品;adj.完全必要的;必不可少的;极其重要的;本质的; invisible:adj.看不见的;n.看不见的人或物;
We really believe that if more people could come face to ... cilia with plankton, there is a greater chance we could all rally together and save these creatures that are so important to life on our planet. 我们真的相信,如果有更多人能够 和浮游生物面对面…面对纤毛？ （注:浮游生物没有「面」） 就很有可能我们能团结起来, 拯救这些生物, 这对地球上的生命是非常重要的。
cilia:n.纤毛;睫毛;
TZ: Exactly, Simone. 汤姆:没错,西蒙尼。
So to do this, we're going to bring you scuba diving with plankton. 所以,为了这么做, 我们要带各位和浮游生物一起浮潜。
scuba:n.水肺;水中呼吸器; diving:n.潜水;跳水;跳水运动;v.下潜;跳水;潜水;(dive的现在分词)
But I just need to shrink you by a factor of 1000, to a scale where the diameter of a human hair is as big as my hand. 但我需要把各位缩小一千倍, 缩到这样的比例时,我的手 就会和一根人类头发一样大。
shrink:v.收缩;减少;退缩;畏缩;n.精神病学家;心理学家; factor:n.因素;要素;[物]因数;代理人;v.做代理商;v.把…作为因素计入; 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; diameter:n.直径;对径;放大率;放大倍数;
And I happen to have invented a machine to do just that. 而我刚好有发明了 一台机器,可以做到。
SB: Anyone here remember "Fantastic Voyage " 西蒙尼:在座有人 记得《联合缩小军》
Voyage:v.航行;远行;(尤指)远航;n.航行;(尤指)航海;
or "Innerspace?" 或《惊异大奇航》吗？
Yeah, yeah. 是的。
Martin Short is one of my all-time favorite actors. 马丁·肖特是我最喜欢的演员之一。
all-time:adj.空前的;全部时间的;历来的;
And now this -- this is just like that. 而这个──这个就像那些电影一样。
TZ: Indeed, yes. 汤姆:的确如此。
When I was a boy, I saw "Fantastic Voyage," 我小时候看了《联合缩小军》,
and I really loved how I could travel through the bloodstream and see biology work on a cellular level. 我真的很喜欢这个点子, 能够在血液中旅行, 从细胞的层级去看生物学如何运作。
bloodstream:n.[生理]血流,血液的流动; biology:n.(一个地区全部的)生物;生物学; cellular:adj.细胞的;多孔的;由细胞组成的;n.移动电话;单元;
I've always been inspired by science fiction . 我的灵感常常来自科幻作品。
inspired:adj.受到启发的; v.鼓舞; (inspire的过去分词和过去式) science fiction:科幻小说;
As an inventor, I try and turn fantasy into reality. 身为发明家,我试着 将幻想变成现实。
fantasy:n.幻想; adj.虚幻的; v.空想;
And I once invented this glove which let me travel and help people like you explore the virtual world. 我有次发明出了一种手套, 让能我在虚拟世界中旅行, 并协助你们探索这个世界。
explore:v.探索:探测:探险: virtual:adj.[计]虚拟的;实质上的,事实上的(但未在名义上或正式获承认);
So now I've invented this machine to let us explore the microscopic world. 现在,我已经发明了这个机器, 咱们就来探索显微镜的世界吧。
microscopic:adj.微观的;用显微镜可见的;
It's not virtual, it's real. 它不是虚拟的,是真实的。
Just really, really tiny. 只是非常非常小。
It's based on the microscope that got Simone's attention. 它是根据那台吸引了西蒙尼 注意力的显微镜所打造的。
So, here's how it works. 它是这么运作的。
I have an image sensor like the kind in your cell phone, behind the lens . 我有一个影像感测器, 就像你手机镜头后面的一样。
sensor:n.传感器; lens:n.透镜,镜头;晶状体;隐形眼镜;汽车的灯玻璃;v.给…摄影;
And then I have a little tray of plankton water like you might find from a river or my fish tank, which I never change the water on. 我还有一小盘的水,内有浮游生物, 就像你从河里或是我的鱼缸 取出来的水,我的鱼缸都不换水的。
tray:n.盘;托盘;碟;(各种用途的)浅塑料盒;
(Laughter) （笑声）
Because I love plankton. 因为我爱浮游生物。
(Laughter) （笑声）
And underneath I have a light, an LED, which is going to cast shadows of the plankton on the image sensor. 在下头有灯光,一盏 LED 灯, 会让浮游生物的影子 投射在影像感测器上。
underneath:prep.在…的下面;在…的支配下;n.下面;底部;adj.下面的;底层的;
And now this silver thing is an XY plotter , so I can move the image sensor to follow the plankton as they swim. 这个银色的东西是 XY 绘图机, 当浮游生物游泳时,我就可以 让影像感测器跟着它们走。
silver:n.银; v.给…镀(或包)银; adj.银色的; plotter:n.绘图机;阴谋者,策划者;
Now comes the fantasy part. 现在,最炫的部分来了。
(Laughter) （笑声）
I put a tilt sensor on this helmet so I can control the microscope with my head. 我在这个安全帽上 装了一个倾斜感测器, 这样我就能用我的头控制显微镜。
tilt:vi.倾斜;翘起;以言词或文字抨击;vt.使倾斜;使翘起;n.倾斜;
And now let's look at the video from this image sensor. 现在,咱们来看看来自 这影像感测器的影片。
These are all plankton. 这些都是浮游生物。
This is in that little tray, and with my head, I can move the microscope. 在那一小盘水中, 我可以用我的头来移动显微镜。
So now we're ready to go scuba diving with plankton. 现在,我们准备好可以 和浮游生物去浮潜了。
My head will be the navigator , and Simone will be our tour guide. 我的头就是导航装置, 西蒙尼则是我们的导游。
navigator:n.航海家;领航员;驾驶员;
SB: Yes. 西蒙尼:是的。
(Laughter) （笑声）
So welcome all to the wonderful world of life in a drop of water. 欢迎来到一滴水中的奇妙生命世界。
Actually, as you can see , with this instrument , we are not at all limited to a single drop. 你们可以看到, 有了这个工具,我们不会 被限制在一滴水里面。
as you can see:正如你所看到的;你是知道的; instrument:n.仪器;工具;乐器;手段;器械; not at all:毫无;一点也不;不用谢; limited:adj.有限的; n.高级快车; v.限制; (limit的过去分词和过去式)
Alright, let's find something. 好,咱们来找看看吧。
The little creatures you see in the center of your screen, they are called rotifer . 在萤幕中间可以看到一些小生物, 它们叫轮虫。
rotifer:n.轮虫;
They are the garbage collectors of our waters. 它们是我们水里的收垃圾者。
garbage:n.垃圾;废物; collectors:n.收藏家;收集者;聚集剂;[电子]集电极(collector的复数);
They break down organic matter and allow it to be reclaimed by the environment. 它们会把有机物质给瓦解, 就可以被环境回收利用。
organic:adj.有机的;不使用化肥的;绿色的;有机物的;n.分子有机体; reclaimed:adj.回收的,再生的;翻造的;v.回收利用;改造(reclaim的过去分词);开垦土地;
Now, you know, nature is an amazing recycler . 要知道,大自然是 很了不起的回收者。
recycler:n.[计]反复循环器,[化工]再循环器;
Structures are continuously built, they are decomposed and recycled , and all of that is powered by solar energy. 结构不断被建立起来, 它们被分解、被回收, 这一切都是靠太阳能运作。
Structures:n.结构; v.建造(structure的第三人称单数形式); continuously:adv.连续不断地; decomposed:adj.已腐烂的,已分解的; recycled:n.再生纸;回收站;adj.[环境]回收利用的;可循环再造的;
But just think. 但,想想看,
Think about what will happen if, you know, our garbage collectors didn't come anymore, if they disappeared . 如果我们的收垃圾者 不再来工作了,消失了, 会发生什么样的状况？
disappeared:adj.消失的;消失了的;v.消失,失踪;(disappear的过去式和过去分词)
Something else? Let's look for something else. 其他的东西？ 咱们来找找其他的东西。
Oh, look at that. 喔,看看那东西。
You see the big ice-cream-cone-shaped things? 有看到那像是大型冰淇淋 锥形蛋卷筒的东西吗？
Those are called Stentor, those are amazing creatures. 它们叫喇叭虫,很不可思议的生物。
You know, they are big, but they are a single cell. 它们虽然很大,却是单细胞生物。
You remember the rotifer we just met? 还记得我们刚刚见过的轮虫吗？
That's about half a millimeter , it's about 1,000 cells -- it's typically 15 for the brain, 15 for the stomach and you know, about the same for reproduction , which is kind of the right mix, if you ask me. 它大概是半公厘, 有约一千个细胞── 通常,大脑有十五个,胃有十五个, 还有,生殖也是差不多的, 如果问我的话, 我会说这是正确的组合。
millimeter:n.毫米; typically:adv.代表性地;作为特色地; reproduction:n.繁殖,生殖;复制;复制品;
(Laughter) （笑声）
But ... right? 但……对吗？
TZ: I agree. 汤姆:我同意。
SB: But a Stentor is only a single cell. 西蒙尼:但喇叭虫只有一个细胞。
And it's able to sense and react to its environment. 它能够感受环境, 并对环境做出反应。
react:v.起反应;回应;(对食物等)有不良反应,过敏;起化学反应;
You see, it will swim forward when it's happy; it will swim backward when it's trying to get away from something like, you know, a toxic chemical . 你们看,当它快乐的时候会向前游; 如果它想要躲开什么,就会向后游, 比如,要躲开有毒的化学物质。
backward:adj.向后的;反向的;发展迟缓的;adv.向后地;相反地; toxic:adj.有毒的;中毒的; chemical:n.化学制品,化学药品;adj.化学的;
With our friends in the Center for Cellular Construction and the help of the National Science Foundation , we are using Stentor to sense the presence of contamination in food and water, which I think is really cool. 靠着我们在细胞建造中心的朋友 以及国家科学基金会的协助, 我们能够使用喇叭虫来感测 食物和水是否有受到污染, 我认为这真的很酷。
Construction:n.建设;建筑物;解释;造句; Foundation:n.基础;地基;基金会;根据;创立; presence:n.存在;出席;参加;风度;仪态; contamination:n.污染,玷污;污染物;
Alright, last one. 最后一种。
So the dots that you see there that are, let's say, behind everything, they're algae . 在这里……可以说 在所有东西后方的圆点, 那是水藻。
algae:n.[植]藻类;[植]海藻;
They are the creatures that provide the majority of oxygen in the air. 空气中大部分的氧气 都是由这种生物提供的。
majority:n.大部分:大多数:多数票:成年人:
They convert solar light and carbon dioxide into the oxygen that is filling your lungs right now. 它们会把太阳光和二氧化碳 转换成现在各位肺部当中的氧气。
convert:v.转换; n.改变宗教(或信仰、观点)的人;
So you see, we all got algae breath. 所以,我们都有水藻口气。
TZ: (Exhales) 汤姆:呼气。
SB: Yay! (Laughter) 西蒙尼:耶！（笑声）
You know, there's something interesting. 有件事很有意思。
About a billion years ago, ancient plants got their photosynthesis capability by incorporating tiny, tiny plankton into their cells. 大约十亿年前,古老的植物 之所以能取得光合作用的能力, 是因为把浮游生物 结合到它们的细胞当中。
photosynthesis:n.光合作用; capability:n.才能,能力;性能,容量; incorporating:v.将…包括在内;包含;吸收;使并入;注册成立;(incorporate的现在分词)
That's exactly like us putting solar panels on top of our roofs. 就像是我们把太阳能板 放到我们的屋顶上一样。
panels:n.面板(panel的复数); v.嵌镶(panel的第三人称单数形式);
So you see, the microscopic world is even more amazing than science fiction. 看吧,显微世界比 科幻故事还要让人惊异。
TZ: Oh, indeed. 汤姆:喔,的确。
So now you've seen how vital plankton are to our lives and how much we need them. 现在你们知道浮游生物 对我们的生命有多重要 以及我们多么需要它们。
vital:adj.至关重要的;生死攸关的;有活力的;
If we kill the plankton, we will die of asphyxiation or starvation , take your pick. 如果我们杀死浮游生物, 我们也会死亡, 不是窒息就是饿死,自己选一种。
asphyxiation:n.窒息; starvation:n.饿死;挨饿;绝食;
Oh, yes, I know it's sad, yes. 喔,是的,我知道这很感伤。
(Laughter) （笑声）
In the game of plankton, you win or you die. 在浮游生物的游戏中, 你若不是赢,就是死。
(Laughter) （笑声）
Now, what amazes me is, we have known about global warming for over a century. 让我感到惊奇的是,我们 早在一世纪以前就已经知道 全球暖化。
global warming:n.全球(气候)变暖;地球大气层变暖;
Ever since the Swedish scientist, Arrhenius, calculated the effect of burning fossil fuel on the earth's temperature. 自从瑞典科学家阿瑞尼斯 计算出了燃烧化石燃料 对于地球温度的影响之后就知道了。
Swedish:adj.瑞典的;瑞典语的;瑞典人的;n.瑞典语;瑞典人; fossil fuel:n.化石燃料(如煤或石油);
We've known about this for a long time, but it's not too late if we act now. 我们知道很久了,但如果现在 就采取行动,还不会太迟。
Yes, yes, I know, I know, our world is based on fossil fuels, but we can adjust our society to run on renewable energy from the Sun to create a more sustainable and secure future. 是,是,我知道,我们的世界 是以化石燃料为基础的, 但我们可以调整我们的社会, 改用太阳的可再生能源, 来打造一个更永续、更安全的未来。
adjust:v.调整;调节;适应;习惯; renewable:adj.可再生的;可更新的;可继续的;n.再生性能源; sustainable:adj.可以忍受的;足可支撑的;养得起的;可持续的;
That's good for the little creatures here, the plankton, and that good for us -- here's why. 那样的世界对于这些 小小浮游生物有益的, 对我们也是有益的──原因如下。
The three greatest concerns of people all around the globe typically are jobs, violence and health. 全世界的人最关心的三样事物 通常是工作、暴力,及健康。
concerns:n.关注; v.使关心(concern的三单形式); violence:n.暴力;侵犯;激烈;歪曲;
A job means food and shelter. 工作意味着食物和庇护所。
Look at these creatures, they're swimming around, they're looking for a place to eat and reproduce . 看看这些生物,它们到处游, 它们在找地方吃东西和繁殖。
reproduce:v.繁殖;复制;再现;生育;
If a single cell is programmed to do that, it's no surprise that 30 trillion cells have the same agenda . 如果一个单细胞被设计要那么做, 并不意外三十兆个细胞 会有相同的事要做。
trillion:n.[数]万亿;adj.万亿的;num.[数]万亿; agenda:n.议事日程;
Violence. 暴力。
Dependence on fossil fuels makes a country vulnerable . 对化石燃料的依赖, 会让一个国家脆弱。
Dependence:n.依赖;依靠;信任;信赖; vulnerable:adj.易受攻击的,易受…的攻击;易受伤害的;有弱点的;
Which leads to conflicts all around the oil resources . 它会导致石油资源的冲突。
conflicts:n.冲突; v.抵触; resources:n.[计][环境]资源; v.向…提供资金(resource的第三人称单数);
Solar energy, on the other hand , is distributed around the whole globe, and no one can blockade the sun. 另一方面,太阳能分布在全球, 没有人能挡住太阳。
on the other hand:另一方面; distributed:adj.分布的;分散的;v.分发;分配;使分布(distribute的过去分词和过去式) blockade:vt.封锁;n.阻塞;
(Laughter) （笑声）
And then, finally , health. 最后,健康。
finally:adv.终于;最终;(用于列举)最后;彻底地;
Fossil fuels are like a global cigarette. 化石燃料就像是全球香烟。
And in my opinion , coal is like an unfiltered type. 依我所见,煤就像是没滤嘴的香烟。
in my opinion:在我看来;我认为; unfiltered:adj.未滤过的;
Now, just like smoking, the best time to quit is when? 就和抽烟一样, 最好的戒烟时机是何时？
quit:v.离开;放弃;停止;使…解除;n.离开;[计]退出;adj.摆脱了…的;已经了结的;
Audience: Now. 观众:现在。
TZ: Now! Not when you get lung cancer . 汤姆:现在！不是等你得了肺癌时。
cancer:n.癌症;恶性肿瘤;
Now I know if you look around, some people may abandon facts and reason. 我知道如果你四处看看, 有些人可能已经抛弃了事实和理智。
abandon:n.狂热;放任;v.遗弃;放弃;
Only until suffering -- 只有到了受苦时──
(Laughter) （笑声）
Yes, they will abandon facts and reason. 是的,他们会抛弃事实和理智。
But suffering will eventually and inevitably force change. 但最终,无可避免的, 受苦会强迫改变。
eventually:adv.最后,终于; inevitably:adv.不可避免地;必然地;
But let's instead use our neocortex , our new brain, to save the Elders, some of the oldest creatures on the earth. 但,让我们用我们的新皮质, 我们的新大脑, 来拯救前辈,它们属于 地球上最古老的生物。
neocortex:n.新(大脑)皮质;
And let's apply science to harness the energy that has fueled the Elders for millions of years -- the sun. 让我们应用科学来驾驭数百年来 一直供应前辈能源的能量── 太阳。
apply:v.申请;涂,敷;应用;适用;请求; harness:vt.治理; n.马具;
Thank you. 谢谢。
(Applause) （掌声）