TED2015
Lucianne Walkowicz: Let's not use Mars as a backup planet
露西安娜·沃克薇姿: 我们不要把火星当作备胎
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作为一名恒星天文学家和TED高级研究员，露西安娜·沃克薇姿任职于美国国家航空航天局的开普勒任务，寻找宇宙中适合生命生存的环境。所以当她让我们仔细考虑火星问题时我们应该认真关注。在这个简短的演讲中，她建议我们要断绝破坏完地球最后还可以去火星的念想，而要想一想如何把星球探索和保护地球这两件事视为同一个目标。正如她所说：“你越想找到和地球相像的行星，你就会越珍惜我们现在的家园。”
Lucianne Walkowicz - Stellar astronomer
Lucianne Walkowicz works on NASA's Kepler mission, studying starspots and "the tempestuous tantrums of stellar flares." Full bio
Lucianne Walkowicz works on NASA's Kepler mission, studying starspots and "the tempestuous tantrums of stellar flares." Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
We're at a tipping point in human history,
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我们身处人类历史的转折点上，
00:15
a species poised between gaining the stars
and losing the planet we call home.
and losing the planet we call home.
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人类处在想获得其他星球，
同时也在失去地球家园的尴尬境地。
同时也在失去地球家园的尴尬境地。
00:21
Even in just the past few years,
we've greatly expanded
we've greatly expanded
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即使是在过去短短几年的时间里，
我们对地球
我们对地球
00:24
our knowledge of how Earth fits
within the context of our universe.
within the context of our universe.
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是如何在宇宙中存在的认识
已经有了大幅度的提升。
已经有了大幅度的提升。
00:28
NASA's Kepler mission has discovered
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美国国家航空航天局的
开普勒任务已经发现了
开普勒任务已经发现了
00:31
thousands of potential planets
around other stars,
around other stars,
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围绕着其他恒星的数千颗
潜在的行星，
潜在的行星，
00:34
indicating that Earth is but one
of billions of planets in our galaxy.
of billions of planets in our galaxy.
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这也表明了地球只是银河系中
数十亿行星中的一颗。
数十亿行星中的一颗。
00:38
Kepler is a space telescope
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开普勒是个太空望远镜，
00:40
that measures the subtle dimming of stars
as planets pass in front of them,
as planets pass in front of them,
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它可以发现行星在经过恒星前方
发生“凌日现象”，
发生“凌日现象”，
00:44
blocking just a little bit
of that light from reaching us.
of that light from reaching us.
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挡住到达我们这里的光时，
光线发生的细微变化。
光线发生的细微变化。
00:47
Kepler's data reveals planets' sizes
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开普勒望远镜的数据
揭示了行星的大小，
揭示了行星的大小，
00:50
as well as their distance
from their parent star.
from their parent star.
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以及它们与其母恒星之间的距离。
00:53
Together, this helps us understand
whether these planets are small and rocky,
whether these planets are small and rocky,
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把这些综合起来就可以帮助我们理解
这些行星是否像太阳系中
这些行星是否像太阳系中
00:57
like the terrestrial planets
in our own Solar System,
in our own Solar System,
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那些类地行星一样，
体积小，而且岩石密布，
体积小，而且岩石密布，
00:59
and also how much light they receive
from their parent sun.
from their parent sun.
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以及我们从它们的母恒星那里
得到了多少光。
得到了多少光。
01:03
In turn, this provides clues as to whether
these planets that we discover
these planets that we discover
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同时，这也能为我们判断
已找到的那些行星是否适宜居住
已找到的那些行星是否适宜居住
01:06
might be habitable or not.
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提供了一些线索。
01:09
Unfortunately, at the same time
as we're discovering this treasure trove
as we're discovering this treasure trove
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但不幸的是，在我们极力去探索
潜在的宜居星球，
潜在的宜居星球，
01:13
of potentially habitable worlds,
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这些“无主宝藏”的同时，
01:15
our own planet is sagging
under the weight of humanity.
under the weight of humanity.
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我们自己的星球却正遭受着
人类的破坏。
人类的破坏。
01:19
2014 was the hottest year on record.
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2014年是有记录以来最热的一年。
01:23
Glaciers and sea ice that have
been with us for millennia
been with us for millennia
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冰川和海上的浮冰
跟我们一起相处了几千年，
跟我们一起相处了几千年，
01:26
are now disappearing
in a matter of decades.
in a matter of decades.
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但在过去几十年的时间里却
正在逐渐消失。
正在逐渐消失。
01:29
These planetary-scale environmental
changes that we have set in motion
changes that we have set in motion
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这些我们所造成的
全球性环境变化的速度，
全球性环境变化的速度，
01:35
are rapidly outpacing our ability
to alter their course.
to alter their course.
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远远超过了我们拯救环境的速度。
01:39
But I'm not a climate scientist,
I'm an astronomer.
I'm an astronomer.
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但我不是气候学家，
我是个天文学家。
我是个天文学家。
01:43
I study planetary habitability
as influenced by stars
as influenced by stars
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我研究在恒星影响下
行星的宜居性，
行星的宜居性，
01:46
with the hopes of finding
the places in the universe
the places in the universe
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希望可以在宇宙中找到
01:48
where we might discover
life beyond our own planet.
life beyond our own planet.
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除地球以外，有生命存在的地方。
01:51
You could say that I look for
choice alien real estate.
choice alien real estate.
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也可以说我是在寻找外星的房地产。
01:55
Now, as somebody who is deeply embedded
in the search for life in the universe,
in the search for life in the universe,
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现在，作为一个刻苦钻研，想要
找寻宇宙中的生命体的人，
找寻宇宙中的生命体的人，
02:00
I can tell you that the more
you look for planets like Earth,
you look for planets like Earth,
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我可以告诉大家，你越想找到
像地球一样的行星，
像地球一样的行星，
02:03
the more you appreciate
our own planet itself.
our own planet itself.
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你就会越珍惜我们自己的星球。
02:07
Each one of these new worlds
invites a comparison
invites a comparison
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我们每发现一处“新大陆”，
就会对这些新发现的星球
就会对这些新发现的星球
02:09
between the newly discovered planet
and the planets we know best:
and the planets we know best:
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和那些太阳系中我们最熟悉的行星
02:13
those of our own Solar System.
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做一个比较。
02:15
Consider our neighbor, Mars.
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想想我们的邻居，火星。
02:17
Mars is small and rocky,
and though it's a bit far from the Sun,
and though it's a bit far from the Sun,
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火星很小，表面布满岩石，
虽然它离太阳有点远，
虽然它离太阳有点远，
02:21
it might be considered
a potentially habitable world
a potentially habitable world
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但如果从类似
开普勒任务的角度来看，
开普勒任务的角度来看，
02:23
if found by a mission like Kepler.
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可能会认为它是个宜居的世界。
02:25
Indeed, it's possible that Mars
was habitable in the past,
was habitable in the past,
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事实上，火星在过去
的确有可能是适宜居住的，
的确有可能是适宜居住的，
02:29
and in part, this is why
we study Mars so much.
we study Mars so much.
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这也是我们为什么对火星
投入这么多研究精力的一部分原因。
投入这么多研究精力的一部分原因。
02:32
Our rovers, like Curiosity,
crawl across its surface,
crawl across its surface,
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我们的那些火星车，比如好奇者号，
爬过火星的表面，
爬过火星的表面，
02:36
scratching for clues as to the origins
of life as we know it.
of life as we know it.
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寻找我们所知的生命起源的迹象。
02:39
Orbiters like the MAVEN mission
sample the Martian atmosphere,
sample the Martian atmosphere,
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进行“火星大气与挥发物演化任务”（MAVEN）
的人造卫星采集了火星的大气样本，
的人造卫星采集了火星的大气样本，
02:42
trying to understand how Mars
might have lost its past habitability.
might have lost its past habitability.
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试着了解火星是如何
失去曾经的可居住性的。
失去曾经的可居住性的。
02:46
Private spaceflight companies now offer
not just a short trip to near space
not just a short trip to near space
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私人太空旅行公司现在不仅仅
提供近太空的短程旅行，
提供近太空的短程旅行，
02:51
but the tantalizing possibility
of living our lives on Mars.
of living our lives on Mars.
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还提供了可以在火星上
居住的诱人的可能性。
居住的诱人的可能性。
02:54
But though these Martian vistas
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尽管火星上的这些远景看起来
02:56
resemble the deserts
of our own home world,
of our own home world,
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很像我们地球上的沙漠，
02:59
places that are tied in our imagination
to ideas about pioneering and frontiers,
to ideas about pioneering and frontiers,
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那些一提到就会联想起
拓荒者、边境等等的地方，
拓荒者、边境等等的地方，
03:04
compared to Earth
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但与地球相比，
03:06
Mars is a pretty terrible place to live.
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火星上的环境对于生命体来说
简直太恶劣了。
简直太恶劣了。
03:09
Consider the extent to which
we have not colonized
we have not colonized
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想想那些我们还没有征服的
03:13
the deserts of our own planet,
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地球上的沙漠，
03:15
places that are lush
by comparison with Mars.
by comparison with Mars.
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相较于火星来说，
沙漠可都算是“枝繁叶茂”了，
沙漠可都算是“枝繁叶茂”了，
03:17
Even in the driest,
highest places on Earth,
highest places on Earth,
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即使在地球上最干燥
海拔最高的地方，
海拔最高的地方，
03:20
the air is sweet and thick with oxygen
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我们仍然能呼吸到数千英里外
03:23
exhaled from thousands of miles away
by our rainforests.
by our rainforests.
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那些热带雨林生产出的新鲜的、
富含氧气的空气。
富含氧气的空气。
03:27
I worry -- I worry that this excitement
about colonizing Mars and other planets
about colonizing Mars and other planets
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我担心——我担心殖民于
火星和其他行星的激动之情
火星和其他行星的激动之情
03:33
carries with it a long, dark shadow:
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会带来深远的负面影响：
03:36
the implication and belief by some
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源于一些人的心理暗示和信仰——
03:38
that Mars will be there to save us
from the self-inflicted destruction
from the self-inflicted destruction
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认为火星将会是我们自己把
唯一真正宜居的行星，地球
唯一真正宜居的行星，地球
03:42
of the only truly habitable planet
we know of, the Earth.
we know of, the Earth.
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毁灭之后的“诺亚方舟”。
03:46
As much as I love
interplanetary exploration,
interplanetary exploration,
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这么说吧，我有多爱星际探索，
03:48
I deeply disagree with this idea.
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我就有多反对这种想法。
03:50
There are many excellent reasons
to go to Mars,
to go to Mars,
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去火星有很多天花乱坠的理由，
03:53
but for anyone to tell you that Mars
will be there to back up humanity
will be there to back up humanity
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但如果有人跟你说火星
是个人类生存地的备胎的话，
是个人类生存地的备胎的话，
03:57
is like the captain of the Titanic
telling you that the real party
telling you that the real party
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那就像泰坦尼克号的船长
告诉你，“一会儿真正的派对
告诉你，“一会儿真正的派对
04:00
is happening later on the lifeboats.
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将在救生船上展开”一样的胡扯。
04:02
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
04:05
(Applause)
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（掌声）
04:08
Thank you.
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谢谢。
04:11
But the goals of interplanetary
exploration and planetary preservation
exploration and planetary preservation
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然而，事实上星际探索和
保护星球这两个目标
保护星球这两个目标
04:14
are not opposed to one another.
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并不互相矛盾。
04:17
No, they're in fact two sides
of the same goal:
of the same goal:
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实际上，它们是同一个
目标的两个方面：
目标的两个方面：
04:19
to understand, preserve
and improve life into the future.
and improve life into the future.
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那就是了解、保护和改善生命，
使生命延续。
使生命延续。
04:23
The extreme environments
of our own world are alien vistas.
of our own world are alien vistas.
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我们星球上的极端环境就是
外星的景象。
外星的景象。
04:28
They're just closer to home.
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只是它们离我们比较近而已。
04:29
If we can understand how to create
and maintain habitable spaces
and maintain habitable spaces
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如果我们能知道如何在地球上
十分恶劣，不宜居住的环境中
十分恶劣，不宜居住的环境中
04:34
out of hostile, inhospitable
spaces here on Earth,
spaces here on Earth,
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创造并维持可居住的空间，
04:37
perhaps we can meet the needs
of both preserving our own environment
of both preserving our own environment
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也许我们就能满足既保护我们的环境，
又“走出去”的
又“走出去”的
04:40
and moving beyond it.
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双重需求了。
04:43
I leave you with a final
thought experiment:
thought experiment:
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最后我想给大家出一个思考题：
04:45
Fermi's paradox.
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“费米悖论”。
04:47
Many years ago, the physicist Enrico Fermi
asked that, given the fact
asked that, given the fact
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许多年前，物理学家恩里科·费米
提出了一个问题：那就是，
提出了一个问题：那就是，
04:52
that our universe has been around
for a very long time
for a very long time
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我们的宇宙存在了
很长很长的时间是个事实，
很长很长的时间是个事实，
04:54
and we expect that there
are many planets within it,
are many planets within it,
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我们也知道宇宙中有无数的行星，
04:57
we should have found evidence
for alien life by now.
for alien life by now.
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那我们现在应该已经找到
外星生命存在的迹象了。
外星生命存在的迹象了。
05:00
So where are they?
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可是它们在哪呢？
05:02
Well, one possible solution
to Fermi's paradox
to Fermi's paradox
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“费米悖论”的一种可能的解释是这样的：
05:06
is that, as civilizations become
technologically advanced enough
technologically advanced enough
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随着文明的进步，科技变得足够先进，
05:09
to consider living amongst the stars,
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能够开始考虑如何在宇宙中生存时，
05:11
they lose sight of how important it is
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人们也就会忽视
05:14
to safeguard the home worlds that fostered
that advancement to begin with.
that advancement to begin with.
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保护自己的家园，这个孕育了高科技的
地方的重要性。
地方的重要性。
05:18
It is hubris to believe
that interplanetary colonization alone
that interplanetary colonization alone
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简单地迷信殖民于其他星球就可以
拯救我们自己
拯救我们自己
05:23
will save us from ourselves,
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恐怕是自不量力，
05:25
but planetary preservation
and interplanetary exploration
and interplanetary exploration
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其实环境保护和星际探索
这两项工作
这两项工作
05:28
can work together.
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是可以结合着进行的。
05:30
If we truly believe in our ability
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如果我们对为了人类居住
05:32
to bend the hostile environments of Mars
for human habitation,
for human habitation,
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而改变火星恶劣环境的
能力足够自信的话，
能力足够自信的话，
05:36
then we should be able to surmount
the far easier task of preserving
the far easier task of preserving
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那我们更应该可以完成保护
地球宜居性
地球宜居性
05:39
the habitability of the Earth.
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这个超级简单的任务。
谢谢。
05:41
Thank you.
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（掌声）
05:42
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Lucianne Walkowicz - Stellar astronomerLucianne Walkowicz works on NASA's Kepler mission, studying starspots and "the tempestuous tantrums of stellar flares."
Why you should listen
Lucianne Walkowicz is an Astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. She studies stellar magnetic activity and how stars influence a planet's suitability as a host for alien life. She is also an artist and works in a variety of media, from oil paint to sound. She got her taste for astronomy as an undergrad at Johns Hopkins, testing detectors for the Hubble Space Telescope’s new camera (installed in 2002). She also learned to love the dark stellar denizens of our galaxy, the red dwarfs, which became the topic of her PhD dissertation at University of Washington. Nowadays, she works on NASA’s Kepler mission, studying starspots and the tempestuous tantrums of stellar flares to understand stellar magnetic fields. She is particularly interested in how the high energy radiation from stars influences the habitability of planets around alien suns. Lucianne is also a leader in the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, a new project that will scan the sky every night for 10 years to create a huge cosmic movie of our Universe.
Lucianne Walkowicz | Speaker | TED.com