HarryCliff_2015G[哈里克里夫][我们对物理的探索已经走到尽头了吗].pdf

《HarryCliff_2015G[哈里克里夫][我们对物理的探索已经走到尽头了吗].pdf》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《HarryCliff_2015G[哈里克里夫][我们对物理的探索已经走到尽头了吗].pdf（6页珍藏版）》请在淘文阁 - 分享文档赚钱的网站上搜索。

1、www.XiYuS锡育软件A hundred years ago this month,a 36-year-old AlbertEinstein stood up in front of the Prussian Academy ofSciences in Berlin to present a radical new theory of space,time and gravity:the general theory of relativity.这个值是至关重要的。站在柏林的普鲁士科学院门口,发布着一个有关空间,时间和引力的激进的新理论:广义相对论。00:12General relativ

2、ity is unquestionably Einsteins masterpiece,atheory which reveals the workings of the universe at thegrandest scales,capturing in one beautiful line of algebraeverything from why apples fall from trees to the beginningof time and space.广义相对论毫无疑问是爱因斯坦的杰作,它将宇宙在宏观空间下的运作规律 描绘成了一个美丽的线性公式,从苹果为什么会从树上掉落直到时间

3、和空间的起源。00:271915 must have been an exciting year to be a physicist.或者“巨大额外维度”。00:41Two new ideas were turning the subject on its head.两个崭新的观点完全改变了当时的物理界。00:44One was Einsteins theory of relativity,the other wasarguably even more revolutionary:quantum mechanics,amind-meltingly strange yet stunningly

4、successful new wayof understanding the microworld,the world of atoms andparticles.一个是爱因斯坦的广义相对论,另一个可以说是更加革命性的:量子力学,它是一种极其难以理解却又出奇地成功的 理解微观世界,也就是原子和微观粒子的世界的新方法。00:48Prussian:adj.普鲁士的;普鲁士语的/n.普鲁士人;普鲁士语 unquestionably:adv.无可非议地;确凿地 masterpiece:n.杰作;绝无仅有的人 workings:n.作用;工作方式;操作(working的复数)scales:n.天平;磅秤

5、;鳞屑;缩放 algebra:n.代数学arguably:adv.可论证地;可争辩地;正如可提出证据加以证明的那样地/广义用法可能,大概 stunningly:adv.绝妙地;令人震惊地;使人目瞪口呆地 microworld:微型世界;微观世界 atoms:n.物原子(atom的复数)Over the last century,these two ideas have utterlytransformed our understanding of the universe.在上一个世纪中,这两种思想已经完全改变了 我们对宇宙的理解。01:03Its thanks to relativity a

6、nd quantum mechanics that wevelearned what the universe is made from,how it began andhow it continues to evolve.多亏了相对论和量子力学,我们才能学到宇宙是由什么组成的,它是如何开始并且持续演化的。01:09A hundred years on,we now find ourselves at anotherturning point in physics,but whats at stake now is ratherdifferent.经过了一百年,我们发现我们现在正处在物理的另一

7、个转折点,但是我们现在的处境却截然不同。01:17The next few years may tell us whether well be able tocontinue to increase our understanding of nature,or whethermaybe for the first time in the history of science,接下来的几年也许会告诉我们是否能够 继续加深我们对自然的理解,或者我们将在科学史上首次01:24we could be facing questions that we cannot answer,notbecause w

8、e dont have the brains or technology,but becausethe laws of physics themselves forbid it.面临我们无法回答的问题,这并不是因为我们不够聪明或者科技不够先进,而是因为物理学的定律自己束缚了自己。01:33This is the essential problem:the universe is far,far toointeresting.这是一个非常重要的问题:宇宙非常,非常有趣。01:44Relativity and quantum mechanics appear to suggest thatthe

9、universe should be a boring place.相对论和量子力学都阐述了 宇宙应该是一个很无聊的地方。01:49It should be dark,lethal and lifeless.它本应该是黑暗,致命和死气沉沉的。01:54utterly:adv.完全地;绝对地;全然地;彻底地,十足地 at stake:危如累卵;处于危险中;在紧要关头 lethal:adj.致命的,致死的/n.致死因子 lifeless:adj.无生命的;死气沉沉的;无趣味的But when we look around us,we see we live in a universe fullof

10、 interesting stuff,full of stars,planets,trees,squirrels.但是当我们往周围看去时,会发现我们生活在一个充满有趣事物,充满闪烁的恒星,行星,植物和动物的宇宙中。01:57The question is,ultimately,why does all this interesting stuffexist?那么最终问题来了,为什么这些有趣的事物存在着呢？02:04Why is there something rather than nothing?为什么这里不是一片空旷呢？02:08TED演讲者：Harry Cliff|哈里?克里夫演讲标题：

11、Have we reached the end of physics?|我们对物理的探索已经走到尽头了吗？内容概要：Why is there something rather than nothing?Why does so much interesting stuffexist in the universe?Particle physicist Harry Cliff works on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN,and he has some potentially bad news for people who seek answers to t

12、hese questions.Despitethe best efforts of scientists(and the help of the biggest machine on the planet),we may neverbe able to explain all the weird features of nature.Is this the end of physics?Learn more in thisfascinating talk about the latest research into the secret structure of the universe.为什

13、么这个世界不是空无一切的呢？为什么宇宙中存在着那么多有趣的事物呢？粒子物理学家哈里?克里夫在欧洲核子研究组织中的大型强子对撞机中工作过，他会给寻求这些问题答案的人带来一些潜在的坏消息。尽管有着科学家们的努力（还有这颗星球上最大的机器的帮助），我们还是无法解释自然界一切奇异的特性。我们已经走到了物理的尽头了吗？让我们在这个奇妙的谈话中了解更多关于这个宇宙的秘密构造吧。This contradiction is the most pressing problem infundamental physics,and in the next few years,we may findout wheth

14、er well ever be able to solve it.这个矛盾是基础物理学面临的最紧迫的问题,而且在接下来的几年里,我们会知道我们是否有能力去解决这个问题。02:13At the heart of this problem are two numbers,two extremelydangerous numbers.在这个问题的核心处,有两个数字,两个极其危险的数字。02:23These are properties of the universe that we can measure,and theyre extremely dangerous because if they

15、weredifferent,even by a tiny bit,then the universe as we know itwould not exist.这就是我们所测量的宇宙的两个性质,它们及其危险,因为一旦它们有变化,哪怕是一个细微的变化,我们所熟知的宇宙将会不复存在。02:28The first of these numbers is associated with the discoverythat was made a few kilometers from this hall,at CERN,homeof this machine,the largest scientific

16、 device ever built by thehuman race,the Large Hadron Collider.第一个数字是关于人类自己的发现,一个距这里几公里远的,位于欧洲粒子物理研究所的机器,人类建造的最大的科技设备,大型强子对撞机。02:38The LHC whizzes subatomic particles around a 27-kilometerring,getting them closer and closer to the speed of lightbefore smashing them into each other inside giganticpart

17、icle detectors.大型强子对撞机在周长27公里的环形场中对亚原子粒子进行加速,将它们加速到接近光速,然后让粒子在巨大的粒子探测器中进行相撞。02:50squirrels:松鼠 Hadron:n.高能强子(参与强相互作用的基本粒子)Collider:n.对撞机;碰撞机 whizzes:n.专家;精明的人;子弹等在空中掠过的声音(等于whiz)/vt.飕飕作声(等于whiz)/vi.飕飕作声(等于whiz)subatomic:adj.化学亚原子的;原子内的 smashing:adj.了不起的,极好的;粉碎性的,猛烈的/v.粉碎(smash的现在分词)gigantic:adj.巨大的，庞

18、大的 detectors:n.探测器;侦测设备(detector的复数)On July 4,2012,physicists at CERN announced to the worldthat theyd spotted a new fundamental particle beingcreated at the violent collisions at the LHC:the Higgs boson.在2012年7月4日,欧洲粒子物理研究所向世界宣布他们发现一个新的基本粒子 在大型强子对撞机中被创造出来了:希格斯波色子。03:01Now,if you followed the news a

19、t the time,youll have seen alot of physicists getting very excited indeed,and youd beforgiven for thinking we get that way every time we discovera new particle.如果你看了那个时候的新闻后续,你会发现很多物理学家感到了由衷的兴奋,而且如果你像我们以往每次发现新粒子时那样兴奋,是非常可以理解的。03:13Well,that is kind of true,but the Higgs boson is particularlyspecial.

20、确实,从某种意义上说这是真实的,但是希格斯波色子非常与众不同。03:22We all got so excited because finding the Higgs proves theexistence of a cosmic energy field.我们如此兴奋是因为找到了希格斯,就证明了宇宙能量场是存在的。03:26Now,you may have trouble imagining an energy field,butweve all experienced one.现在,你可能很难想象一个能量场,但是我们都在经历它。03:32If youve ever held a magne

21、t close to a piece of metal and felta force pulling across that gap,then youve felt the effect of afield.如果你曾经让一个磁体靠近一块金属,并且感觉到一种把磁体推向金属的力,那么你就感受过场的影响。03:36And the Higgs field is a little bit like a magnetic field,exceptit has a constant value everywhere.希格斯场有一点儿类似磁场,不过希格斯场在任何地方都有同样的值。03:43physicist

22、s:n.物理学家;机械唯物论者(physicist的复数)collisions:n.物碰撞;冲突;撞击(collision的复数形式)boson:n.高能玻色子 cosmic:adj.宇宙的(等于cosmical)Its all around us right now.它现在就在我们周围。03:49We cant see it or touch it,but if it wasnt there,we would notexist.我们虽然不能看见或者触摸它,但是如果它不在那儿,那我们也就不存在了。03:51The Higgs field gives mass to the fundamenta

23、l particles thatwere made from.希格斯场将质量递给 组成我们的基本粒子。03:56If it wasnt there,those particles would have no mass,and noatoms could form and there would be no us.如果它不存在,这些粒子将不会有质量,那么没有原子会被组成,我们也就不可能存在了。04:00But there is something deeply mysterious about the Higgsfield.但是关于希格斯场还存在一些很深的谜团。04:06Relativity a

24、nd quantum mechanics tell us that it has twonatural settings,a bit like a light switch.相对论和量子理论告诉我们它有两个自然属性,有点儿像电灯的开关。04:11It should either be off,so that it has a zero value everywherein space,or it should be on so it has an absolutely enormousvalue.它可能是关,那么在空间的任何地方的值都为零,或者是开,那么在空间的任何地方的值都是巨大的。04:1

25、6In both of these scenarios,atoms could not exist,andtherefore all the other interesting stuff that we see around usin the universe would not exist.在这两种场景下,原子都不可能存在,其他在宇宙中围绕着我们的 一切有趣的东西也将不复存在。04:24In reality,the Higgs field is just slightly on,not zero but10,000 trillion times weaker than its fully

26、on value,a bit like alight switch thats got stuck just before the off position.在现实中,希格斯场只是处于一个细微的开启状态,并不等于零,但是只有全开状态下的1万万亿分之一,就像灯的开关在即将关闭的位置被卡住了一样。04:33scenarios:n.情节;脚本;情景介绍(scenario的复数)trillion:n.数万亿/adj.万亿的/num.数万亿And this value is crucial.这个值是至关重要的。04:46If it were a tiny bit different,then there

27、 would be no physicalstructure in the universe.如果这个值有一点点的改变,那么宇宙将会失去一切的物理结构。04:48So this is the first of our dangerous numbers,the strength ofthe Higgs field.因此这是第一个至关重要的数字,希格斯场的强度。04:53Theorists have spent decades trying to understand why ithas this very peculiarly fine-tuned number,and theyvecome

28、up with a number of possible explanations.理论家们花费了数十年去尝试理解 为什么它有如此异常的数字,并且他们提出了一些可能的解释。04:57They have sexy-sounding names like supersymmetry包括有一些听起来很性感的名字比如“超对称”,05:06or large extra dimensions.或者“巨大额外维度”。05:09Im not going to go into the details of these ideas now,butthe key point is this:if any of th

29、em explained this weirdlyfine-tuned value of the Higgs field,我现在并不打算深入去探讨这些,但是重点在于:如果它们其中有能够解释希格斯场的诡异调整值,05:11then we should see new particles being created at the LHCalong with the Higgs boson.那么我们应该能够看到新的粒子随着希格斯波色子一起被创造出来。05:20So far,though,weve not seen any sign of them.然而迄今为止,我们并没有看到任何有关它们存在的迹象。

30、05:26Theorists:理论家 peculiarly:adv.特别;尤其;古怪地;奇怪地 fine-tuned:vt.调整;使有规则;对进行微调 come up with:提出;想出;赶上 supersymmetry:n.高能超对称性 dimensions:n.规模,大小 weirdly:adv.古怪地But theres actually an even worse example of this kind offine-tuning of a dangerous number,and this time it comesfrom the other end of the scale,

31、from studying the universe atvast distances.不过这儿甚至有更糟糕的 关于这个诡异调整值的例子,而且这次它来自于这个范围的另外一个边缘,来自于对于从广袤距离上对宇宙的学习。05:29One of the most important consequences of Einsteinsgeneral theory of relativity was the discovery that theuniverse began as a rapid expansion of space and time 13.8billion years ago,the Bi

32、g Bang.爱因斯坦的广义相对论带来的最重要的结果之一,就是对于空间与时间从138亿年前 开始急速膨胀的发现,也就是宇宙大爆炸。05:39Now,according to early versions of the Big Bang theory,theuniverse has been expanding ever since with gravitygradually putting the brakes on that expansion.如今,根据宇宙大爆炸理论最早的版本来看,宇宙一直都在膨胀,并且伴随着与之相对的引力。05:52www.XiYuS锡育软件But in 1998,as

33、tronomers made the stunning discovery thatthe expansion of the universe is actually speeding up.不过在1998年,天文学家们得到了一个惊人的发现,那就是宇宙的膨胀速度正在逐步上升。06:01The universe is getting bigger and bigger faster and fasterdriven by a mysterious repulsive force called dark energy.宇宙在一个神秘的排斥力,被称为暗能量的作用下,正在变得越来越大而且膨胀地越来越快

34、。06:07Now,whenever you hear the word dark in physics,youshould get very suspicious because it probably means wedont know what were talking about.现在,当你在物理学上听到“暗”这个词的时候,你应该表示怀疑,因为它可能表示我们并不知道我们所谈论的东西。06:15fine-tuning:n.微调;细调/v.调整(fine-tune的ing形式)consequences:n.后果,结果;影响(consequence的复数)astronomers:天文学家 s

35、tunning:adj.极好的;使人晕倒的;震耳欲聋的/v.把打昏;使震耳欲聋;使大吃一惊(stun的ing形式)repulsive:adj.排斥的;令人厌恶的;击退的;冷淡的(Laughter)We dont know what dark energy is,but the bestidea is that its the energy of empty space itself,the energyof the vacuum.（笑）我们并不知道暗能量是什么,不过最好的想法是暗能量就是空旷的宇宙本身,真空能量。06:22Now,if you use good old quantum mech

36、anics to work outhow strong dark energy should be,you get an absolutelyastonishing result.现在,如果你用老式的量子力学来解释 暗能量有多强的时候,你绝对会得到一个震惊的结果。06:32You find that dark energy should be 10 to the power of 120times stronger than the value we observe from astronomy.你会发现暗能量的强度 比天文学观测到的值 要强上10的120次方倍。06:39Thats one

37、with 120 zeroes after it.这是一个1后面跟了120个0。06:48This is a number so mind-bogglingly huge that itsimpossible to get your head around.这个数字是如此的大,以至于已经超出了你的理解范围。06:53We often use the word astronomical when were talkingabout big numbers.当我们在讨论很大的数字时,我们经常用“天文数字”这个词。06:58Well,even that one wont do here.但即便是那个

38、词,也无法描述这个数字。07:01This number is bigger than any number in astronomy.这个数字比天文学上的任何数字都要大。07:03Its a thousand trillion trillion trillion times bigger than thenumber of atoms in the entire universe.它比整个宇宙所含有的原子数还要大 1000万亿万亿万亿倍。07:05So thats a pretty bad prediction.因此那是一个很差劲的预测。07:12vacuum:n.真空;空间;真空吸尘器/a

39、dj.真空的;利用真空的;产生真空的/vt.用真空吸尘器清扫 astronomy:n.天文学 mind-bogglingly:令人难以置信地 astronomical:adj.天文的,天文学的;极大的 prediction:n.预报;预言In fact,its been called the worst prediction in physics,and事实上,它被称为物理界上最不准确的预测,并且这不仅仅是出于一个理论上的好奇心。07:14In fact,its been called the worst prediction in physics,andthis is more than j

40、ust a theoretical curiosity.不仅仅是出于一个理论上的好奇心。07:14If dark energy were anywhere near this strong,then theuniverse would have been torn apart,stars and galaxies couldnot form,and we would not be here.如果暗能量真的有那么强,那么整个宇宙早就被扯开了,星星和银河系不会成形,我们也不可能会在这儿。07:20So this is the second of those dangerous numbers,th

41、estrength of dark energy,and explaining it requires an evenmore fantastic level of fine-tuning than we saw for the Higgsfield.所以这是第二个危险的数字,暗能量的强度,而且对它的解释需要达到比希格斯场 更加奇妙的等级。07:29But unlike the Higgs field,this number has no knownexplanation.不过不像希格斯场,这个数字并没有已知的解释。07:38The hope was that a complete combi

42、nation of Einsteinsgeneral theory of relativity,which is the theory of theuniverse at grand scales,with quantum mechanics,the theoryof the universe at small scales,might provide a solution.现在的希望是能够将 爱因斯坦的广义相对论,也就是宏观宇宙的理论,还有量子力学,微观世界的理论进行统一,也许能够让我们得出一个结论。07:45Einstein himself spent most of his later

43、years on a futilesearch for a unified theory of physics,and physicists havekept at it ever since.爱因斯坦白白花费了他晚年的大部分时间 来寻找一个统一的物理理论,并且物理学家们从那之后也一直致力于同样的事。07:57One of the most promising candidates for a unified theory isstring theory,and the essential idea is,if you could zoom inon the fundamental parti

44、cles that make up our world,最有希望的候选者之一就是弦理论了,它的核心思想就是,如果你能够放大组成我们的世界的粒子,08:06futile:adj.无用的;无效的;没有出息的;琐细的;不重要的 unified:adj.统一的;一致标准的/v.统一;使一致(unify的过去分词)candidates:n.候选人;申请者;应征人员(candidate的复数)youd see actually that theyre not particles at all,but tinyvibrating strings of energy,with each frequency o

45、f vibrationcorresponding to a different particle,a bit like musical noteson a guitar string.你会发现它们事实上根本就不是粒子,而是微小的正在震动的能量弦,每个不同频率的震动代表着不同的粒子,有点类似于吉他弦上的音符。08:15So its a rather elegant,almost poetic way of looking at theworld,but it has one catastrophic problem.因此这是一个相当优美,而且很有诗意的看待这个世界的方式,不过它有一个很严重的问题

46、。08:28It turns out that string theory isnt one theory at all,but awhole collection of theories.那就是弦理论并不只是一个理论,而是很多个理论的集合。08:35Its been estimated,in fact,that there are 10 to the 500different versions of string theory.据估计,实际上,弦理论一共有10到500种不同的版本。08:40Each one would describe a different universe with d

47、ifferentlaws of physics.每一种都能够描述一个不同的宇宙,还有其伴随着的物理定律。08:46Now,critics say this makes string theory unscientific.现在,反对者们说这让弦理论变得不科学。08:50You cant disprove the theory.因为你不能反驳这个理论。08:53But others actually turned this on its head and said,well,maybe this apparent failure is string theorys greatesttriumph

48、.不过其他的人却并不同意,并且说道,也许这个很明显的错误,而它恰恰也是弦理论最大的成功。08:55vibrating:adj.振动的/n.振动;摇摆/v.使震动(vibrate的ing形式)vibration:n.振动;犹豫;心灵感应 corresponding:adj.相当的，相应的；一致的；通信的/v.类似(correspond的ing形式)；相配 poetic:adj.诗的,诗歌的;诗意的;诗人的/n.诗学,诗论catastrophic:adj.灾难的;悲惨的;灾难性的,毁灭性的 estimated:adj.估计的;预计的;估算的 critics:n.评论家;批评者;吹毛求疵的人(cri

49、tic的复数)unscientific:adj.不科学的,不符合科学原理的;非学术的;无科学知识的 disprove:vt.反驳,证明是虚假的What if all of these 10 to the 500 different possible universesactually exist out there somewhere in some grandmultiverse?要是这10到500种不同的宇宙 真的存在于多元宇宙中的 某些地方呢？09:02Suddenly we can understand the weirdly fine-tuned values ofthese two

50、 dangerous numbers.瞬间,我们就能够理解 这两个危险数字的诡异调整值了。09:10In most of the multiverse,dark energy is so strong that theuniverse gets torn apart,or the Higgs field is so weak that noatoms can form.在大部分的多元宇宙中,暗能量将整个宇宙扯碎,或者是希格斯场的强度弱到不允许任何原子的成形。09:15We live in one of the places in the multiverse where the twonumb