ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Heidi M. Sosik - Ocean scientist, inventor, explorer
Heidi M. Sosik is an ocean scientist who uses tools like lasers and robotic cameras to figure out how tiny organisms in the ocean affect our whole planet.

Why you should listen

Heidi M. Sosik is a scientist, inventor and explorer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where she holds the Stanley W. Watson Chair for Excellence in Oceanography. Sosik leads a multidisciplinary team conducting long-term research on marine ecosystems and how they are changing in response to intersecting pressures from human activity, environmental variability and climate change.

During undergraduate engineering studies at MIT, Sosik became fascinated by the diversity of microscopic life in the ocean. This led her toward a doctorate in oceanography and a research career focused on discovery. Today she develops and deploys new technologies to see life in the ocean in new ways. Sosik is co-inventor of a robotic underwater microscope used by researchers around the world to study minuscule forms of life in the ocean and by coastal managers to ensure that seafood is safe to eat. Sosik has been recognized for her impact and leadership through honors including a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and selection as a Fellow of The Oceanography Society.

Sosik's bold plan to explore the ocean's twilight zone is one of the first ideas of The Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire global change.

More profile about the speaker
Heidi M. Sosik | Speaker | TED.com
TED2018

Heidi M. Sosik: The discoveries awaiting us in the ocean's twilight zone

海蒂 M 索西克: 等著我們發現的海洋過渡區

Filmed:
1,400,675 views

我們在海平面下數百公尺,那廣袤、神秘,幾乎未被探索的過渡區會發現什麼?伍茲霍爾海洋研究所的海蒂 M 索西克在這令人驚嘆的演講中,分享用潛水技術調查這些未知水域的計劃。這些水域可能有一百萬個新物種和 90% 的世界魚類生物量。她認為那裡的研究和發現,將會有助於我們更好地管理海洋。 (這個雄心勃勃的計劃是第一批 TED 推動全球變革、新倡議的「大膽計劃」之一。)
- Ocean scientist, inventor, explorer
Heidi M. Sosik is an ocean scientist who uses tools like lasers and robotic cameras to figure out how tiny organisms in the ocean affect our whole planet. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I bet賭注 all of you are familiar
with this view視圖 of the ocean海洋,
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我打賭你們都熟悉這種海洋景觀,
00:17
but the thing is,
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但事實上
00:18
most of the ocean海洋 looks容貌 nothing like this.
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大部分海洋看起來不像這樣。
00:21
Below下面 the sunlit陽光 surface表面 waters水域,
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在陽光照射的海面下,
00:23
there's an otherworldly空想的 realm領域
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還有個非世俗的境界
00:25
known已知 as the twilight zone.
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被稱為「過渡區(twilight zone)」。
00:28
At 200 to 1,000 meters below下面 the surface表面,
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位於海面下 200 至 1000 公尺處,
00:31
sunlight陽光 is barely僅僅 a glimmer微光.
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陽光幾乎僅僅是一絲微光。
00:34
Tiny particles粒子 swirl漩渦 down
through通過 the darkness黑暗
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微小的粒子漩渦穿過黑暗,
00:37
while flashes閃爍 of bioluminescence生物發光
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同時閃爍著生物發的光,
00:39
give us a clue線索 that
these waters水域 teem盛產 with life:
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提供我們這些水域充滿生命的線索:
00:44
microbes微生物, plankton浮游生物, fish.
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微生物、浮游生物、魚。
00:46
Everything that lives生活 here
has amazing驚人 adaptations改編
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這裡所有的生物
都能夠適應這種極端環境的挑戰。
00:49
for the challenges挑戰
of such這樣 an extreme極端 environment環境.
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00:54
These animals動物 help support支持
top最佳 predators大鱷 such這樣 as whales鯨魚, tuna金槍魚,
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這些動物幫助支撐頂級獵食者,
如鯨魚、金槍魚、箭魚和鯊魚。
00:58
swordfish旗魚 and sharks鯊魚.
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01:00
There could be 10 times
more fish biomass生物質 here
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這裡的魚類生物量
可能比以前想像的還多上十倍。
01:03
than previously先前 thought.
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01:05
In fact事實, maybe more
than all the rest休息 of the ocean海洋 combined結合.
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事實上,也許比海洋
其他地方的總和更多。
01:10
There are countless無數
undiscovered未被發現 species種類 in deep waters水域,
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深水中有無數未被發現的物種,
01:14
and life in the twilight zone
is intertwined交織 with earth's地球 climate氣候.
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過渡區的生活與地球氣候交織在一起。
01:20
Yet然而 the twilight zone
is virtually實質上 unexplored未開發.
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然而,過渡區幾乎未被開發。
01:24
There are so many許多 things
we still don't know about it.
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有很多我們仍不知道的事。
01:27
I think we can change更改 that.
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我想我們能改變這一點。
01:30
I was drawn to oceanography海洋學
by just this kind of challenge挑戰.
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我被這種挑戰吸引到海洋學領域。
01:34
To me it represents代表
the perfect完善 intersection路口
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對我而言,它代表科學、
01:36
of science科學, technology技術 and the unknown未知,
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技術和未知的完美交集,
01:39
the spark火花 for so many許多 breakthrough突破
discoveries發現 about life on our planet行星.
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是我們星球上許多有關
生命突破性發現的火花。
01:46
As a college學院 student學生,
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身為大學生時,
01:47
I went on an expedition遠征
across橫過 the Atlantic大西洋
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我和一群科學家在大西洋上探險,
01:50
with a team球隊 of scientists科學家們
using運用 a high-powered高功率 laser激光
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使用高功率雷射光
01:54
to measure測量 microscopic顯微 algae藻類.
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來測量微觀藻類。
01:57
The wild野生 thing that happened發生 on that trip
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那次旅行發生的一件大事是
01:59
is that we discovered發現 what everyone大家
who looked看著 before had completely全然 missed錯過:
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我們發現前人完全錯過了:
02:04
photosynthetic光合 cells細胞
smaller than anyone任何人 thought possible可能.
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光合細胞比任何人認為的還要小。
02:09
We now know those tiny cells細胞
are the most abundant豐富
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如今我們知道這些微小的細胞
02:12
photosynthetic光合 organisms生物 on earth地球.
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是地球上最豐富的光合生物。
02:15
This amazing驚人 discovery發現 happened發生
because we used new technology技術
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這驚人的發現肇因於
我們使用新技術,
02:20
to see life in the ocean海洋 in a new way.
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以新的方式觀察海洋生命。
02:24
I am convinced相信 that the discoveries發現
awaiting等待 us in the twilight zone
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我確信,在過渡區等待我們去發現的
02:28
will be just as breathtaking驚險.
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將同樣令人嘆為觀止。
02:32
We know so little about the twilight zone
because it's difficult to study研究.
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我們對過渡區知之甚少,
因為很難研究它。
02:36
It's exceedingly非常 large,
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它的範圍廣大,
02:38
spanning跨越 from the Arctic北極
to the Southern南部的 Ocean海洋
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從北極到南大洋
02:40
and around the globe地球.
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和全球各地。
02:41
It's different不同 from place地點 to place地點.
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各地互不相同,
02:44
It changes變化 quickly很快
as the water and animals動物 move移動.
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隨著水和動物的移動而迅速變化。
02:47
And it's deep and dark黑暗 and cold,
and the pressures壓力 there are enormous巨大.
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它深沉而黑暗、寒冷,且壓力巨大。
02:53
What we do know is fascinating迷人.
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我們已知的令人目眩神馳。
02:56
You may可能 be imagining想像
huge巨大 monsters怪物 lurking潛伏 in the deep sea,
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或許你想像的是潛伏深海的巨怪,
03:01
but most of the animals動物 are very small,
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但大多數的動物都非常小,
03:06
like this lantern燈籠 fish.
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就像這條燈籠魚。
03:11
And this fierce-looking兇猛的前瞻 fish
is called a bristlemouthbristlemouth.
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這看起來兇猛的魚叫做「圓罩魚」。
03:15
Believe it or not, these are the most
abundant豐富 vertebrates脊椎動物 on earth地球
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信不信由你,這些是地球上
最富饒的脊椎動物,
03:19
and many許多 are so small
that a dozen could fit適合 in this one tube.
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許多小到這試管裡能放進一打之多。
03:25
It gets得到 even more interesting有趣,
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更有趣的是
03:27
because small size尺寸 does not stop them
from being存在 powerful強大 through通過 sheer絕對 number.
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小尺寸不妨礙牠們「數大為強」。
03:32
Deep, penetrating入木三分 sonar聲納 shows節目 us
that the animals動物 form形成 dense稠密 layers.
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深深穿透的聲納向我們展示
動物所形成的緻密層。
03:37
You can see what I mean
by the red and yellow黃色 colors顏色
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看紅色和黃色的數據
就能夠明白我的意思,
03:39
around 400 meters in these data數據.
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紅色和黃色是四百公尺左右的數據。
03:42
So much sound聲音 bounces反彈 off this layer,
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這層因反彈的聲音多
03:44
it's been mistaken錯誤 for the ocean海洋 bottom底部.
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而被誤認為海底。
03:48
But if we look, it can't be,
because the layer is deep during the day,
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但如果仔細瞧,它不可能是海底,
因為這一層在白天很深,
而在夜間升起,
03:52
it rises上升 up at night
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03:54
and the pattern模式 repeats重複 day after day.
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日復一日地重複這模式。
03:58
This is actually其實 the largest最大
animal動物 migration移民 on earth地球.
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這實際上是地球上最大的動物遷徙,
04:02
It happens發生 around the globe地球 every一切 day,
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每天發生在全球各地,
04:05
sweeping籠統的 through通過 the world's世界 oceans海洋
in a massive大規模的 living活的 wave
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活動的巨波席捲全球的海洋,
04:08
as twilight zone inhabitants居民
travel旅行 hundreds數以百計 of meters
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攜帶過渡區的居民旅行數百公尺,
04:11
to surface表面 waters水域 to feed飼料 at night
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晚上到海面進食,
04:14
and return返回 to the relative相對的 safety安全
of deeper更深, darker waters水域 during the day.
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白天返回相對安全,
更深、更暗的水域。
04:19
These animals動物 and their movements運動
help connect the surface表面 and deep ocean海洋
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這些動物和牠們的移動
協助海面和深海緊要地連接著。
04:24
in important重要 ways方法.
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04:26
The animals動物 feed飼料 near the surface表面,
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這些動物靠近海面進食,
04:29
they bring帶來 carbon in their food餐飲
into the deep waters水域,
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將食物中的碳帶入深海,
04:33
where some of that carbon can stay behind背後
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其中一些碳留在深海,
04:36
and remain isolated孤立 from the atmosphere大氣層
for hundreds數以百計 or even thousands數千 of years年份.
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與大氣層隔絕長達
數百年甚至數千年之久。
04:43
In this way, the migration移民
may可能 help keep carbon dioxide二氧化碳
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這樣一來,遷移可能有助於
使二氧化碳遠離大氣層,
04:48
out of our atmosphere大氣層
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04:50
and limit限制 the effects效果
of global全球 warming變暖 on our climate氣候.
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局限全球暖化對氣候的影響。
04:55
But we still have many許多 questions問題.
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但我們仍有很多問題。
04:57
We don't know which哪一個 species種類 are migrating遷移,
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我們不知道哪些物種遷徙,
04:59
what they're finding發現 to eat,
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牠們尋覓什麼食物,
05:01
who is trying to eat them
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誰試圖獵食牠們,
05:02
or how much carbon
they are able能夠 to transport運輸.
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或者牠們能夠運輸多少碳。
05:08
So I'm a scientist科學家
who studies學習 life in the ocean海洋.
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我是個研究海洋生物的科學家。
05:11
For me, curiosity好奇心 about these things
is a powerful強大 driver司機,
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對這些事情的好奇心
對我而言是個強大的驅動力,
05:16
but there's more to the motivation動機 here.
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但還有更多的動機。
05:20
We need to answer回答 these questions問題
and answer回答 them quickly很快,
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我們需要回答這些問題
並迅速地回答,
05:23
because the twilight zone is under threat威脅.
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因為過渡區正受到威脅。
05:27
Factory ships船舶 in the open打開 ocean海洋
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在公海上的工廠船隻
05:29
have been vacuuming吸塵 up
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一直在吸捕數十萬噸
05:30
hundreds數以百計 of thousands數千 of tons of small,
shrimp-like像蝦一樣 animals動物 called krill磷蝦.
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被稱為磷蝦的小型蝦類動物。
05:35
The animals動物 are ground地面 into fish meal膳食
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這些磷蝦被磨成魚粉
05:37
to support支持 increasing增加 demands需要
for aquaculture水產養殖
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以支撐對水產養殖和磷蝦油等營養品
05:40
and for nutraceuticals保健品 such這樣 as krill磷蝦 oil.
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日益增長的需求。
05:43
Industry行業 is on the brink邊緣
of deepening深化 fisheries漁業 such這樣 as these
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這行業的捕魚活動正下探
這一類海域下面更深的海,
05:46
into the mid-water中水
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05:48
in what could start開始
a kind of twilight zone gold rush
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可能向過渡區淘金的熱潮
05:51
operating操作 outside the reach達到
of national國民 fishing釣魚 regulations法規.
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運行在國家捕撈法規範圍之外,
05:57
This could have irreversible不可逆轉
global-scale全球規模 impacts影響
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可能會對海洋生物和食物網
06:00
on marine海洋 life and food餐飲 webs.
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造成不可逆轉的全球影響。
06:04
We need to get out
ahead of fishing釣魚 impacts影響
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我們必須在捕魚影響之前擺脫困境,
06:07
and work to understand理解
this critical危急 part部分 of the ocean海洋.
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努力理解海洋的這一關鍵部分。
06:10
At Woods樹木 Hole Oceanographic海洋學 Institution機構,
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在伍茲霍爾海洋學研究所,
06:12
I'm really fortunate幸運 to be surrounded包圍
by colleagues同事 who share分享 this passion.
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我真的很幸運周遭全是
共有這種激情的同事們。
06:17
Together一起, we are ready準備
to launch發射 a large-scale大規模 exploration勘探
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我們準備一起啟動
對過渡區的大規模探索。
06:21
of the twilight zone.
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06:23
We have a plan計劃 to begin開始 right away
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我們計劃立即開始
06:25
with expeditions探險 in the North Atlantic大西洋,
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在北大西洋進行探險,
06:27
where we'll tackle滑車 the big challenges挑戰
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在那裡我們將解決觀察和研究
06:29
of observing觀察 and studying研究
the twilight zone's區的 remarkable卓越 diversity多樣.
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過渡區多樣化的巨大挑戰。
06:34
This kind of multiscale尺度,
multidimensional多維 exploration勘探
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這種多種規模、多個維度的勘探
06:38
means手段 we need to integrate整合
new technologies技術.
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意味著我們需要整合新的技術。
06:42
Let me show顯示 you a recent最近 example
that has changed our thinking思維.
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讓我述說最近一個
改變我們想法的例子。
06:46
Satellite衛星 tracking追踪 devices設備
on animals動物 such這樣 as sharks鯊魚
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對鯊魚等動物的衛星追蹤裝置
06:50
are now showing展示 us that many許多 top最佳 predators大鱷
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現在向我們展示了許多頂級獵食者
06:53
regularly經常 dive潛水 deep
into the twilight zone to feed飼料.
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經常深深潛入過渡區去覓食。
06:57
And when we map地圖 their swimming游泳的 patterns模式
and compare比較 them to satellite衛星 data數據,
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我們繪製牠們的游泳模式,
與衛星數據比對,
07:02
we find that their feeding饋送 hot spots斑點
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發現牠們的攝食熱點
07:04
are linked關聯 to ocean海洋 currents電流
and other features特徵.
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與洋流和其他的特性有關。
07:08
We used to think these animals動物
found發現 all of their food餐飲 in surface表面 waters水域.
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我們曾經認為這些動物
在海面找到所有的食物。
07:13
We now believe they depend依靠
on the twilight zone.
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而現在相信牠們依賴過渡區供食。
07:17
But we still need to figure數字 out
how they find the best最好 areas to feed飼料,
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但我們仍需弄清楚
牠們如何找到最佳進食區,
07:21
what they're eating there
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牠們在那裡吃什麼,
07:23
and how much their diets飲食 depend依靠
on twilight zone species種類.
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和多少的飲食取決於過渡區的物種。
07:28
We will also need new technologies技術
to explore探索 the links鏈接 with climate氣候.
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我們還需要新的技術
來探索與氣候的聯繫。
07:33
Remember記得 these particles粒子?
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還記得這些粒子嗎?
07:36
Some of them are produced生成
by gelatinous凝膠狀 animals動物 called salps樽海鞘.
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部分由海樽(salps)這種
凝膠狀動物所產生。
07:40
Salps樽海鞘 are like superefficientsuperefficient
vacuum真空 cleaners清潔工,
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海樽就像超級吸塵器,
07:42
slurping up plankton浮游生物 and producing生產
fast-sinking快速下沉 pellets小球 of poop船尾 --
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吸入浮游生物,
排出快速下沉的糞便──
07:48
try saying that 10 times fast快速 --
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嘗試以十倍速說說看──
07:50
pellets小球 of poop船尾 that carry攜帶 carbon
deep into the ocean海洋.
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沉重的糞便攜帶碳到海洋的深處。
07:54
We sometimes有時 find salps樽海鞘
in enormous巨大 swarms成群.
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有時我們發現巨大的海樽群。
07:58
We need to know where
and when and why and whether是否
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我們需要知道何時、何地、為什麼,
08:02
this kind of carbon sink水槽
has a big impact碰撞 on earth's地球 climate氣候.
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以及這種碳的匯集
是否對地球氣候產生重大的影響。
08:07
To meet遇到 these challenges挑戰, we will need
to push the limits範圍 of technology技術.
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為了應對這些挑戰,
我們得把技術推到極限。
08:11
We will deploy部署 cameras相機
and samplers取樣器 on smart聰明 robots機器人
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我們將在智能機器人上
部署攝影機和採樣器,
08:15
to patrol巡邏 the depths深處 and help us track跟踪
the secret秘密 lives生活 of animals動物 like salps樽海鞘.
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來幫我們追蹤海樽之類
動物的秘密生活。
08:20
We will use advanced高級 sonar聲納
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我們將使用先進的聲納
08:22
to figure數字 out how many許多 fish
and other animals動物 are down there.
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弄清楚下面有多少魚和其他的動物。
08:27
We will sequence序列 DNA脫氧核糖核酸 from the environment環境
in a kind of forensic法庭的 analysis分析
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我們將為那環境裡的生物
做 DNA 排序和法醫式的分析,
08:31
to figure數字 out which哪一個 species種類 are there
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找出那裡有哪些物種,
08:33
and what they are eating.
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以及牠們吃些什麼。
08:36
With so much that's still
unknown未知 about the twilight zone,
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對過渡區的情況仍有這麼多的未知,
08:39
there's an almost幾乎 unlimited無限
opportunity機會 for new discovery發現.
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幾乎有無限的機會能獲得新發現。
08:44
Just look at these beautiful美麗,
fascinating迷人 creatures生物.
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只要看看這些美麗、迷人的生物。
08:48
We barely僅僅 know them.
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我們幾乎毫不了解牠們。
08:50
And imagine想像 how many許多 more
are just down there waiting等候
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想像那裡還有多少
在等待我們用新技術看到牠們。
08:53
for our new technologies技術 to see them.
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08:56
The excitement激動 level水平 about this
could not be higher更高 on our team球隊
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我們海洋科學家、工程師和傳播團隊
08:59
of ocean海洋 scientists科學家們,
engineers工程師 and communicators傳播者.
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對此的興奮程度不可能更高了。
09:04
There is also a deep sense of urgency.
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還有一種深刻的緊迫感。
09:08
We can't turn back the clock時鐘
on decades幾十年 of overfishing過度捕撈
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我們不能將時光倒流,
數十年來無數過度捕撈的海洋地區
09:12
in countless無數 regions地區 of the ocean海洋
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09:15
that once一旦 seemed似乎 inexhaustible取之不盡,用之不竭.
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曾有過看似取之不盡的資源。
09:18
How amazing驚人 would it be
to take a different不同 path路徑 this time?
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這次走不同的路會多精彩呢?
09:23
The twilight zone
is truly a global全球 commons公地.
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過渡區確是個全球公有的區域。
09:27
We need to first know and understand理解 it
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我們需要先認識和理解它,
09:30
before we can be responsible主管 stewards管家
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才能成為負責任的管家,
09:33
and hope希望 to fish it sustainably可持續.
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和有望永續地捕魚。
09:36
This is not just a journey旅程 for scientists科學家們,
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這旅程不限於科學家,
09:38
it is for all of us,
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而是所有人的,
09:40
because the decisions決定 we collectively make
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因為在未來十年我們共同作出的決定
09:43
over the next下一個 decade
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09:45
will affect影響 what the ocean海洋 looks容貌 like
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將會影響未來幾個世紀的海洋相貌。
09:48
for centuries百年 to come.
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09:50
Thank you.
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謝謝。
09:51
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
Translated by Helen Chang
Reviewed by Yuntao Li

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Heidi M. Sosik - Ocean scientist, inventor, explorer
Heidi M. Sosik is an ocean scientist who uses tools like lasers and robotic cameras to figure out how tiny organisms in the ocean affect our whole planet.

Why you should listen

Heidi M. Sosik is a scientist, inventor and explorer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where she holds the Stanley W. Watson Chair for Excellence in Oceanography. Sosik leads a multidisciplinary team conducting long-term research on marine ecosystems and how they are changing in response to intersecting pressures from human activity, environmental variability and climate change.

During undergraduate engineering studies at MIT, Sosik became fascinated by the diversity of microscopic life in the ocean. This led her toward a doctorate in oceanography and a research career focused on discovery. Today she develops and deploys new technologies to see life in the ocean in new ways. Sosik is co-inventor of a robotic underwater microscope used by researchers around the world to study minuscule forms of life in the ocean and by coastal managers to ensure that seafood is safe to eat. Sosik has been recognized for her impact and leadership through honors including a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and selection as a Fellow of The Oceanography Society.

Sosik's bold plan to explore the ocean's twilight zone is one of the first ideas of The Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire global change.

More profile about the speaker
Heidi M. Sosik | Speaker | TED.com