ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Magnus Larsson - Dune architect
Magnus Larsson hopes to build new structures in the desert -- by using bacteria to turn shifting sand into a solid mass.

Why you should listen

Architecture student Magnus Larsson wants to turn some of the most deserted and harsh landscapes on the planet into habitable structures. How? By turning loose sand dunes into solid architecture using bacteria. A team at UC Davis has been looking at the microorganism bacillus pasteurii to solidify the ground in earthquake-prone areas. As Larsson puts it, "All I did was to deliberately misapply their technology ... and to pump up the scale, and turn it into a 6,000-km-long wall that's made of sand and protects against sand."

After talking with Jason DeJong at UC Davis and with Stefano Ciurli, a b. pasteurii expert at the University of Bologna, Larsson put together a team at University College London to grow the bacteria and attempt to solidify sand. His Holcim Award-winning proposal is a complement to the Green Wall Sahara shelterbelt, being planted across the African continent. Larsson is now investigating how to bring the project to the next stage: a 1:1 scale prototype.

More profile about the speaker
Magnus Larsson | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2009

Magnus Larsson: Turning dunes into architecture

馬努斯拉爾森:將沙丘變建築

Filmed:
743,305 views

建築系學生馬努斯拉爾森,詳述他的大膽計畫-改造嚴酷撒哈拉大沙漠,他的構想是使用細菌和驚人的建築材料:沙子本身。
- Dune architect
Magnus Larsson hopes to build new structures in the desert -- by using bacteria to turn shifting sand into a solid mass. Full bio

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

00:15
It's a bit funny滑稽 to be
0
0
2000
這似乎有些好笑
00:17
at a conference會議 dedicated專用 to things not seen看到,
1
2000
2000
在會議上談論肉眼看不到的東西
00:19
and present當下 my proposal提案 to build建立
2
4000
3000
並提出我的建議
00:22
a 6,000-kilometer-long-kilometer長 wall
3
7000
2000
建立一條6000公里長的牆
00:24
across橫過 the entire整個 African非洲人 continent大陸.
4
9000
3000
橫跨全非洲大陸
00:27
About the size尺寸 of the Great Wall of China中國,
5
12000
3000
大約像中國長城的規模
00:30
this would hardly幾乎不 be an invisible無形 structure結構體.
6
15000
2000
這會是個你很難不看到的結構
00:32
And yet然而 it's made製作 from parts部分 that are invisible無形, or near-invisible近無形, to the naked eye:
7
17000
5000
雖然它的組成來自於幾乎看不見,或接近肉眼看不見的程度
00:37
bacteria and grains穀物 of sand.
8
22000
3000
也就是細菌和沙粒
00:40
Now, as architects建築師 we're trained熟練 to solve解決 problems問題.
9
25000
3000
身為建築師我們 被訓練來解決問題
00:43
But I don't really believe in architectural建築的 problems問題;
10
28000
2000
但我並不相信建築上的問題
00:45
I only believe in opportunities機會.
11
30000
2000
我只相信機會
00:47
Which哪一個 is why I'll show顯示 you a threat威脅,
12
32000
2000
這就是為什麼我將向你們說明這個威脅
00:49
and an architectural建築的 response響應.
13
34000
2000
以及一個建築上的因應措施
00:51
The threat威脅 is desertification荒漠化.
14
36000
4000
所謂的威脅是沙漠化
00:55
My response響應 is a sandstone砂岩 wall
15
40000
3000
我的因應措施是建一座砂岩牆
00:58
made製作 from bacteria and solidified凝固 sand,
16
43000
2000
由細菌和固化沙組成
01:00
stretching拉伸 across橫過 the desert沙漠.
17
45000
4000
延伸橫跨沙漠
01:04
Now, sand is a magical神奇 material材料
18
49000
2000
沙是一種神奇的物質
01:06
of beautiful美麗 contradictions矛盾.
19
51000
2000
美麗又矛盾
01:08
It is simple簡單 and complex複雜.
20
53000
3000
簡單又複雜
01:11
It is peaceful平靜的 and violent暴力.
21
56000
2000
和平又狂暴
01:13
It is always the same相同, never the same相同,
22
58000
2000
它看來永遠一個樣,卻又那麼不同
01:15
endlessly不休 fascinating迷人.
23
60000
2000
無窮的迷人特質
01:17
One billion十億 grains穀物 of sand
24
62000
2000
這世界每秒鐘
01:19
come into existence存在 in the world世界 each second第二.
25
64000
4000
有10億粒沙形成
01:23
That's a cyclical週期性 process處理.
26
68000
2000
這是一個循環過程
01:25
As rocks岩石 and mountains die,
27
70000
2000
當岩石和山脈消逝
01:27
grains穀物 of sand are born天生.
28
72000
2000
沙粒則形成
01:29
Some of those grains穀物 may可能 then cement水泥 naturally自然 into sandstone砂岩.
29
74000
3000
有些沙粒之後可能自然地凝固為砂岩
01:32
And as the sandstone砂岩 weathers天氣, new grains穀物 break打破 free自由.
30
77000
4000
當砂岩受到風化,新的沙就會脫離
01:36
Some of those grains穀物 may可能 then accumulate積累
31
81000
2000
有些沙粒
01:38
on a massive大規模的 scale規模,
32
83000
2000
則大規模累積
01:40
into a sand dune沙丘.
33
85000
3000
形成沙丘
01:43
In a way, the static靜態的, stone mountain
34
88000
3000
在某種情況下,靜止的岩山
01:46
becomes a moving移動 mountain of sand.
35
91000
3000
會變成一座移動的沙山
01:49
But, moving移動 mountains can be dangerous危險. Let me try and explain說明 why.
36
94000
4000
但移動的山很危險,讓我試著解釋原因
01:53
Dry areas cover more than one third第三 of the Earth's地球 land土地 surfaces.
37
98000
4000
超過1/3的地球表面覆蓋著乾燥的區域
01:57
Some are already已經 deserts沙漠;
38
102000
2000
有一些已成為沙漠
01:59
others其他 are being存在 seriously認真地 degraded降級 by the sand.
39
104000
3000
其他的則是正嚴重地受到沙的侵蝕
02:02
Just south of the Sahara撒哈拉 we find the Sahel薩赫勒.
40
107000
3000
我們發現撒哈拉沙漠南方的薩赫耳
02:05
The name名稱 means手段 "edge邊緣 of the desert沙漠."
41
110000
3000
薩赫耳意謂「沙漠的邊緣」。
02:08
And this is the region地區 most closely密切 associated相關 with desertification荒漠化.
42
113000
4000
這區域是最近乎於沙漠化的地方
02:12
It was here in the late晚了 '60s and early '70s
43
117000
3000
在60年代末期及70年代初期,嚴重的乾旱
02:15
that major重大的 droughts乾旱 brought three million百萬 people
44
120000
3000
造成三百萬人急需
02:18
to become成為 dependent依賴的 upon emergency food餐飲 aid援助,
45
123000
3000
仰賴緊急食物救援
02:21
with about up to 250,000 dying垂死.
46
126000
2000
而將近有25萬人死亡
02:23
This is a catastrophe災難 waiting等候 to happen發生 again.
47
128000
3000
這是一場即將再次發生的災難
02:26
And it's one that gets得到 very little attention注意.
48
131000
3000
而這個災難卻沒獲得多少注意
02:29
In our accelerated加速 media媒體 culture文化,
49
134000
2000
在我們的快速媒體文化當中
02:31
desertification荒漠化 is simply只是 too slow
50
136000
3000
由於沙漠化的緩慢
02:34
to reach達到 the headlines新聞頭條.
51
139000
2000
使它從未登上頭版,不受媒體重視
02:36
It's nothing like a tsunami海嘯 or a Katrina卡特里娜:
52
141000
3000
它不像海嘯或是卡崔那颶風
02:39
too few少數 crying哭了 children孩子 and smashed被砸 up houses房屋.
53
144000
5000
看不到什麼哭泣的兒童及毀壞的房屋
02:44
And yet然而 desertification荒漠化
54
149000
2000
然而,沙漠化
02:46
is a major重大的 threat威脅 on all continents大陸,
55
151000
2000
在所有陸地上都是重大威脅
02:48
affecting影響 some 110 countries國家
56
153000
3000
它影響110個國家
02:51
and about 70 percent百分 of the world's世界 agricultural農業的 drylands旱地.
57
156000
5000
以及世界上約 70%的農作陸地
02:56
It seriously認真地 threatens威脅 the livelihoods生計
58
161000
4000
它嚴重威脅
03:00
of millions百萬 of people,
59
165000
2000
數千萬人的生活
03:02
and especially特別 in Africa非洲 and China中國.
60
167000
3000
特別是非洲及中國
03:05
And it is largely大部分 an issue問題 that we've我們已經 created創建 for ourselves我們自己
61
170000
3000
這主要也是由於我們
03:08
through通過 unsustainable不可持續的 use of scarce稀缺 resources資源.
62
173000
4000
濫用珍貴資源所導致的問題
03:12
So, we get climate氣候 change更改.
63
177000
2000
所以我們面臨著氣候異常
03:14
We get droughts乾旱,
64
179000
1000
乾旱
03:15
increased增加 desertification荒漠化,
65
180000
2000
沙漠化擴大
03:17
crashing轟然 food餐飲 systems系統, water scarcity缺乏,
66
182000
3000
崩潰的食物系統、水荒
03:20
famine飢荒, forced被迫 migration移民,
67
185000
4000
飢荒、被迫遷徙
03:24
political政治 instability不穩定, warfare, crisis危機.
68
189000
4000
政治不穩定、戰爭、危機
03:28
That's a potential潛在 scenario腳本
69
193000
2000
這些將是潛在的情況
03:30
if we fail失敗 to take this seriously認真地.
70
195000
2000
如果我們不認真看待這個問題的話
03:32
But, how far away is it?
71
197000
2000
但是,這個威脅離我們有多遠呢?
03:34
I went to Sokoto索科托 in northern北方 Nigeria尼日利亞
72
199000
2000
我去了奈吉利亞北部的索科托(Sokoto)
03:36
to try and find out how far away it is.
73
201000
3000
試圖瞭解它離我們有多遠
03:39
The dunes沙丘 here move移動 southward向南 at a pace步伐 of around 600 meters a year.
74
204000
5000
這裏的沙丘南移速度約是一年600公尺
03:44
That's the Sahara撒哈拉 eating up almost幾乎 [two meters] a day of the arable可耕的 land土地,
75
209000
3000
這等於是撒哈拉每天侵吞下一公尺的耕作用地
03:47
physically物理 pushing推動 people away from their homes家園.
76
212000
4000
完全將人們趕離他們的家園
03:51
Here I am -- I'm the second第二 person on the left --
77
216000
3000
我在這裡—我是左邊數過來第二個
03:54
(Laughter笑聲)
78
219000
2000
(笑聲)
03:56
with the elders長老 in Gidan-KaraGidan卡拉,
79
221000
3000
與一些長者
03:59
a tiny village outside of Sokoto索科托.
80
224000
3000
在索科托近郊的小村落Gidan-Kara
04:02
They had to move移動 this village in 1987
81
227000
2000
他們必須於1997年遷移這個村莊
04:04
as a huge巨大 dune沙丘 threatened受威脅 to swallow it.
82
229000
3000
因當時遭受一個巨大沙丘吞沒的威脅
04:07
So, they moved移動 the entire整個 village, hut棚屋 by hut棚屋.
83
232000
3000
於是將整個村莊的一間間小屋陸續遷移
04:10
This is where the village used to be.
84
235000
2000
這是村莊之前所在處
04:12
It took us about 10 minutes分鐘 to climb up to the top最佳 of that dune沙丘,
85
237000
5000
我們花了約 10 分鐘爬上沙丘頂端
04:17
which哪一個 goes to show顯示 why they had to move移動 to a safer更安全 location位置.
86
242000
3000
可以看出他們為什麼必須遷移到安全地點
04:20
That's the kind of forced被迫 migration移民
87
245000
2000
這是一種強迫性的遷徙
04:22
that desertification荒漠化 can lead to.
88
247000
3000
沙漠化會導致這種後果
04:25
If you happen發生 to live生活 close to the desert沙漠 border邊境,
89
250000
2000
如果你碰巧住在靠近沙漠邊緣
04:27
you can pretty漂亮 much calculate計算 how long it will be
90
252000
2000
你幾乎可以計算出在這之前還剩多少時間
04:29
before you have to carry攜帶 your kids孩子 away,
91
254000
2000
你得帶著你的孩子離開
04:31
and abandon放棄 your home and your life as you know it.
92
256000
5000
放棄你的家庭和生活,當你知道會發生這種狀況時
04:36
Now, sand dunes沙丘 cover only about one fifth第五 of our deserts沙漠.
93
261000
4000
目前沙丘只覆蓋我們的沙漠約1/5
04:40
And still, those extreme極端 environments環境 are very good places地方
94
265000
3000
儘管如此,這些極端環境依然是很好的地方
04:43
if we want to stop the shifting sands沙灘.
95
268000
3000
如果我們阻止沙的移動
04:46
Four years年份 ago, 23 African非洲人 countries國家
96
271000
3000
四年前,23個非洲國家
04:49
came來了 together一起 to create創建 the Great Green綠色 Wall Sahara撒哈拉.
97
274000
3000
聚首提議建立「撒哈拉綠色長城」
04:52
A fantastic奇妙 project項目, the initial初始 plan計劃
98
277000
3000
這是一個了不起的計畫,初步的規劃
04:55
called for a shelter庇護 belt of trees樹木 to be planted種植的
99
280000
2000
是種植防護林帶
04:57
right across橫過 the African非洲人 continent大陸,
100
282000
2000
橫越整個非洲大陸
04:59
from Mauritania毛里塔尼亞 in the west西, all the way to Djibouti吉布提 in the east.
101
284000
4000
從西部的茅利塔尼亞一直到東部的吉布地
05:03
If you want to stop a sand dune沙丘 from moving移動,
102
288000
2000
如果想阻止沙丘移動
05:05
what you need to make sure to do is to stop the grains穀物
103
290000
2000
你必須確保能阻止沙粒
05:07
from avalanching雪崩 over its crest波峰.
104
292000
3000
從沙丘頂端崩塌
05:10
And a good way of doing that, the most efficient高效 way,
105
295000
2000
有個好方法,也是最有效的方法
05:12
is to use some kind of sand catcher捕手.
106
297000
2000
是使用某種能捕捉沙粒的東西
05:14
Trees or cacti仙人掌 are good for this.
107
299000
3000
樹木或仙人掌很有用
05:17
But, one of the problems問題 with planting種植 trees樹木 is that
108
302000
3000
但是,種樹木的問題之一是
05:20
the people in these regions地區 are so poor較差的
109
305000
2000
這裡的居民很貧窮
05:22
that they chop them down for firewood.
110
307000
2000
他們把樹木砍來當柴燒
05:24
Now there is an alternative替代 to just planting種植 trees樹木
111
309000
4000
現在有個替代方案 能取代只是種植樹木
05:28
and hoping希望 that they won't慣於 get chopped切碎的 down.
112
313000
3000
並希望它們不會被砍伐
05:31
This sandstone砂岩 wall that I'm proposing建議 essentially實質上 does three things.
113
316000
3000
我建議的這個砂岩牆主要可達成三項任務
05:34
It adds增加 roughness粗糙度 to the dune's沙丘的 surface表面,
114
319000
3000
添加粗糙物到沙丘表面
05:37
to the texture質地 of the dune's沙丘的 surface表面, binding捆綁 the grains穀物.
115
322000
3000
為沙丘表面紋理增添粗糙面,黏住沙粒
05:40
It provides提供 a physical物理 support支持 structure結構體 for the trees樹木,
116
325000
3000
它為樹木提供自然的支撐結構
05:43
and it creates創建 physical物理 spaces空間,
117
328000
3000
並建立了實際空間
05:46
habitable可居住 spaces空間 inside of the sand dunes沙丘.
118
331000
2000
就是沙丘中的可居住空間
05:48
If people live生活 inside of the green綠色 barrier屏障
119
333000
3000
如果人們生活在綠色壁壘中
05:51
they can help support支持 the trees樹木, protect保護 them from humans人類,
120
336000
3000
他們可以協助支撐樹木,保護樹木
05:54
and from some of the forces軍隊 of nature性質.
121
339000
2000
不受人類及其他自然破壞力的侵害
05:56
Inside of the dunes沙丘 we find shade陰涼處.
122
341000
3000
沙丘中我們有蔭涼處
05:59
We can start開始 harvesting收穫 condensation縮合,
123
344000
3000
我們可以取得冷凝水
06:02
and start開始 greening綠化 the desert沙漠 from within.
124
347000
2000
而開始從內部綠化沙漠
06:04
Sand dunes沙丘 are almost幾乎 like ready-made現成 buildings房屋 in a way.
125
349000
3000
沙丘有點像是現成的建築物
06:07
All we need to do is solidify固化 the parts部分 that we need to be solid固體,
126
352000
4000
我們所要做的是固化我們所需的部份
06:11
and then excavate挖掘 the sand,
127
356000
2000
然後將沙挖掘出來
06:13
and we have our architecture建築.
128
358000
2000
這就是我們的建築物
06:15
We can either excavate挖掘 it by hand
129
360000
2000
我們可以徒手挖掘
06:17
or we can have the wind excavate挖掘 it for us.
130
362000
2000
讓風來幫我們代勞
06:19
So, the wind carries攜帶 the sand onto the site現場
131
364000
2000
所以風將沙吹到當地
06:21
and then it carries攜帶 the redundant sand away from the structure結構體 for us.
132
366000
5000
又幫我們將多餘的沙從結構中吹走
06:26
But, by now, you're probably大概 asking,
133
371000
2000
現在你們可能要問我
06:28
how am I planning規劃 to solidify固化 a sand dune沙丘?
134
373000
3000
如何固化沙丘?
06:31
How do we glue those grains穀物 of sand together一起?
135
376000
3000
我們要如何將沙粒黏合在一起
06:34
And the answer回答 is, perhaps也許, that you use these guys,
136
379000
3000
或許答案就是,你該用這東西
06:37
Bacillus芽孢桿菌 pasteurii巴斯德,
137
382000
2000
巴氏芽孢桿菌
06:39
a micro-organism微生物 that is readily容易 available可得到 in wetlands沼澤地
138
384000
2000
一種在濕地和沼澤中
06:41
and marshes沼澤, and does precisely恰恰 that.
139
386000
3000
都可以找到的微生物
06:44
It takes a pile of loose疏鬆 sand
140
389000
2000
它需要一堆鬆散的沙子
06:46
and it creates創建 sandstone砂岩 out of it.
141
391000
3000
並由此創造出砂岩
06:49
These images圖片 from the American美國 Society社會 for Microbiology微生物學 show顯示 us the process處理.
142
394000
4000
這些美國微生物學會的影像,展示出固化的過程
06:53
What happens發生 is, you pour Bacillus芽孢桿菌 pasteurii巴斯德 onto a pile of sand,
143
398000
4000
所發生的就是,你將巴氏芽孢桿菌倒入一堆沙中
06:57
and it starts啟動 filling填充 up the voids空隙 in between之間 the grains穀物.
144
402000
3000
這些菌開始填滿沙粒間的空隙
07:00
A chemical化學 process處理 produces產生 calcite方解石,
145
405000
2000
經過化學過程,產生方解石
07:02
which哪一個 is a kind of natural自然 cement水泥
146
407000
2000
這是一種天然的水泥
07:04
that binds結合 the grains穀物 together一起.
147
409000
2000
可使沙粒結合在一起
07:06
The whole整個 cementation膠結 process處理 takes about 24 hours小時.
148
411000
4000
整個膠結過程約需24小時
07:10
I learned學到了 about this from a professor教授 at U.C. Davis戴維斯 called Jason賈森 DeJongDeJong.
149
415000
4000
我跟加州大學戴維斯分校Jason DeJong副教授學到這個方法
07:14
He managed管理 to do it in a mere 1,400 minutes分鐘.
150
419000
4000
他僅在1400分鐘內就能成功做到這一點
07:18
Here I am, playing播放 the part部分 of the mad scientist科學家,
151
423000
2000
這是我,就像一位瘋狂的科學家
07:20
working加工 with the bugs蟲子 at UCLUCL in London倫敦,
152
425000
4000
在倫敦 UCL 裏操作這些桿菌
07:24
trying to solidify固化 them.
153
429000
2000
試圖使它們固化
07:26
So, how much would this cost成本?
154
431000
3000
這需要多少費用?
07:29
I'm not an economist經濟學家, very much not,
155
434000
2000
我不是經濟學家,差遠了
07:31
but I did, quite相當 literally按照字面, a back of the envelope信封 calculation計算 --
156
436000
4000
但我毫不誇張地 粗步估算一下
07:35
(Laughter笑聲)
157
440000
2000
(笑聲)
07:37
-- and it seems似乎 that for a cubic立方體 meter儀表 of concrete具體
158
442000
3000
1立方公尺的水泥
07:40
we would have to pay工資 in the region地區 of 90 dollars美元.
159
445000
3000
我們大約要支付90美元
07:43
And, after an initial初始 cost成本 of 60 bucks雄鹿 to buy購買 the bacteria,
160
448000
3000
第一次購買這些細菌的60美元後
07:46
which哪一個 you'll你會 never have to pay工資 again,
161
451000
2000
你就不需要再買細菌
07:48
one cubic立方體 meter儀表 of bacterial細菌 sand
162
453000
3000
1立方公尺的細菌沙
07:51
would be about 11 dollars美元.
163
456000
2000
約11美元
07:53
How do we construct構造 something like this?
164
458000
2000
究竟我們要如何建造這樣的建築?
07:55
Well, I'll quickly很快 show顯示 you two options選項.
165
460000
2000
我很快的提供你兩個選項
07:57
The first is to create創建 a kind of balloon氣球 structure結構體,
166
462000
2000
第一個是建造一種似氣球的結構
07:59
fill it with bacteria, then allow允許 the sand to wash over the balloon氣球,
167
464000
4000
用細菌填滿它,然後讓沙浸過氣球
08:03
pop流行的 the balloon氣球, as it were, disseminating傳播 the bacteria into the sand and solidifying it.
168
468000
4000
打破氣球,可以這麼說,將細菌散入沙中使它固化
08:07
Then, a few少數 years年份 afterwards之後,
169
472000
2000
然後,數年後
08:09
using運用 permaculturalpermacultural strategies策略,
170
474000
2000
使用永續策略
08:11
we green綠色 that part部分 of the desert沙漠.
171
476000
3000
我們綠化了那部分的沙漠
08:14
The second第二 alternative替代 would be to use injection注射 piles.
172
479000
3000
第二種選項是使用灌樁
08:17
So, we pushed the piles down through通過 the dune沙丘,
173
482000
2000
我們將樁打入沙丘
08:19
and we create創建 an initial初始 bacterial細菌 surface表面.
174
484000
3000
創造出一個初始化的細菌表面
08:22
We then pull the piles up through通過 the dune沙丘
175
487000
3000
然後將樁抽離沙丘
08:25
and we're able能夠 to create創建 almost幾乎 any conceivable可以想像 shape形狀 inside of the sand
176
490000
3000
如此我們能夠在沙丘內創造出任何想要的形狀
08:28
with the sand acting演戲 as a mold模子 as we go up.
177
493000
4000
在搭建起來時把沙當成模
08:32
So, we have a way of turning車削 sand into sandstone砂岩,
178
497000
4000
我們就有將沙轉換為沙岩的方式
08:36
and then creating創建 these habitable可居住 spaces空間 inside of the desert沙漠 dunes沙丘.
179
501000
4000
而且在沙丘裡創造出可居住的空間
08:40
But, what should they look like?
180
505000
2000
但是,這些建築會長成什麼樣子呢?
08:42
Well, I was inspired啟發, for my architectural建築的 form形成, by tafonitafoni,
181
507000
5000
對於建築外型的靈感源於風化穴
08:47
which哪一個 look a little bit like this, this is a model模型 representation表示 of it.
182
512000
3000
長得有點像這個,這是模型的示意
08:50
These are cavernous海綿狀 rock structures結構 that I found發現 on the site現場 in Sokoto索科托.
183
515000
3000
這些是有我在Sokoto找到的洞穴狀岩石結構
08:53
And I realized實現 that if I scaled縮放 them up, they would provide提供 me
184
518000
3000
然後我發覺,若我將規模拉大
08:56
with good spatial空間的 qualities氣質,
185
521000
3000
它們可以提供我
08:59
for ventilation通風, for thermal comfort安慰, and for other things.
186
524000
3000
通風、保溫及其他方面良好且特別的品質
09:02
Now, part部分 of the formal正式 control控制 over this structure結構體
187
527000
3000
這架構的形式控制一部份
09:05
would be lost丟失 to nature性質, obviously明顯,
188
530000
2000
將隨大自然消逝,想當然爾地
09:07
as the bacteria do their work.
189
532000
3000
因為細菌有所作用
09:10
And I think this creates創建 a kind of boundless漫漫 beauty美女 actually其實.
190
535000
3000
我覺得 這實際上創造出一種無限的美感
09:13
I think there is really something in that articulation關節
191
538000
3000
認為由這個所表現出的
09:16
that is quite相當 nice不錯.
192
541000
2000
確實有某些相當不錯的理念
09:18
We see the result結果, the traces痕跡, if you like,
193
543000
4000
我們看到其結果和進程,若你願意,
09:22
of the Bacillus芽孢桿菌 pasteurii巴斯德 being存在 harnessed駕馭 to sculpt塑造 the desert沙漠
194
547000
3000
就是利用巴氏芽孢桿菌
09:25
into these habitable可居住 environments環境.
195
550000
2000
將沙漠雕塑成這些居住環境
09:27
Some people believe that
196
552000
3000
有些人相信
09:30
this would spread傳播 uncontrollably失控,
197
555000
2000
這方式會一發不可收拾
09:32
and that the bacteria would kill everything in its way.
198
557000
2000
細菌會在運作的過程中侵蝕每一件事物
09:34
That's not true真正 at all.
199
559000
2000
這完全不正確
09:36
It's a natural自然 process處理. It goes on in nature性質 today今天,
200
561000
2000
這是個自然的過程,到今日都在自然界發生
09:38
and the bacteria die as soon不久 as we stop feeding饋送 them.
201
563000
3000
只要我們停止餵食細菌,細菌就會死亡
09:41
So, there it is --
202
566000
2000
這就是
09:43
architectural建築的 anti-desertification防沙治沙 structures結構
203
568000
3000
由沙漠所製成的
09:46
made製作 from the desert沙漠 itself本身.
204
571000
2000
反沙漠化建築結構
09:48
Sand-stopping沙停止 devices設備, made製作 from sand.
205
573000
4000
擋沙裝置是由沙所製成
09:52
The world世界 is likely容易 to lose失去 one third第三 of its arable可耕的 land土地
206
577000
3000
在本世紀末 地球很可能
09:55
by the end結束 of the century世紀.
207
580000
2000
減少三分之一的耕地
09:57
In a period of unprecedented史無前例 population人口 growth發展
208
582000
4000
在這史無前例的人口爆炸年代
10:01
and increased增加 food餐飲 demands需要, this could prove證明 disastrous慘重.
209
586000
2000
食物需求激增 這些都代表著災難
10:03
And quite相當 frankly坦率地說, we're putting our heads in the sand.
210
588000
4000
老實說我們仍是鴕鳥心態
10:07
If nothing else其他, I would like for this scheme方案 to initiate發起 a discussion討論.
211
592000
5000
若沒有其他資源,我希望這個計畫可以引發討論
10:12
But, if I had something like a TEDTED wish希望,
212
597000
2000
但是若我有像TED的願景
10:14
it would be to actually其實 get it built內置,
213
599000
2000
那將是能夠真正將它實現
10:16
to start開始 building建造 this habitable可居住 wall,
214
601000
3000
開始建造這種可居住的牆
10:19
this very, very long, but very narrow狹窄 city in the desert沙漠,
215
604000
4000
這將是沙漠中非常長 且狹窄的城市
10:23
built內置 into the dunescapedunescape itself本身.
216
608000
4000
內建在沙丘結構本身
10:27
It's not only something that supports支持 trees樹木,
217
612000
3000
它不只可以支撐樹木
10:30
but something that connects所連接 people and countries國家 together一起.
218
615000
4000
也可以將人們及國家串連在一起
10:34
I would like to conclude得出結論 by showing展示 you an animation動畫 of the structure結構體,
219
619000
6000
我想以一段結構的動畫影片作為總結
10:40
and leave離開 you with a sentence句子 by Jorge喬治 Luis路易斯 Borges博爾赫斯.
220
625000
6000
並附上波赫士所說的一句話
10:46
Borges博爾赫斯 said that "nothing is built內置 on stone,
221
631000
6000
波赫士說:「沒有建物是建築在岩石上的
10:52
everything is built內置 on sand,
222
637000
4000
所有的建物都是建在沙上
10:56
but we must必須 build建立 as if the sand were stone."
223
641000
5000
但我們必須視沙猶如岩石般來建立一切
11:01
Now, there are many許多 details細節 left to explore探索 in this scheme方案 --
224
646000
4000
現在這個計畫仍有許多細節有待探索
11:05
political政治, practical實際的, ethical合乎道德的, financial金融.
225
650000
5000
如政治、實際操作、道德、財務等面向
11:10
My design設計, as it takes you down the rabbit兔子 hole,
226
655000
5000
如同帶你仙境一遊般
11:15
is fraught誤人子弟 with many許多 challenges挑戰
227
660000
4000
我的設計在現實生活中
11:19
and difficulties困難 in the real真實 world世界.
228
664000
3000
是充滿許多挑戰及困難
11:22
But, it's a beginning開始, it's a vision視力.
229
667000
4000
不過這是個開端,是個願景
11:26
As Borges博爾赫斯 would have it, it's the sand.
230
671000
4000
如同波赫士所言 它是沙
11:30
And I think now is really the time
231
675000
3000
我認為現在
11:33
to turn it into stone. Thank you.
232
678000
3000
是將它們變成石頭的時候了 謝謝
11:36
(Applause掌聲)
233
681000
2000
(掌聲)
Translated by Dxm Online大小媒體
Reviewed by Geoffrey Chen

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Magnus Larsson - Dune architect
Magnus Larsson hopes to build new structures in the desert -- by using bacteria to turn shifting sand into a solid mass.

Why you should listen

Architecture student Magnus Larsson wants to turn some of the most deserted and harsh landscapes on the planet into habitable structures. How? By turning loose sand dunes into solid architecture using bacteria. A team at UC Davis has been looking at the microorganism bacillus pasteurii to solidify the ground in earthquake-prone areas. As Larsson puts it, "All I did was to deliberately misapply their technology ... and to pump up the scale, and turn it into a 6,000-km-long wall that's made of sand and protects against sand."

After talking with Jason DeJong at UC Davis and with Stefano Ciurli, a b. pasteurii expert at the University of Bologna, Larsson put together a team at University College London to grow the bacteria and attempt to solidify sand. His Holcim Award-winning proposal is a complement to the Green Wall Sahara shelterbelt, being planted across the African continent. Larsson is now investigating how to bring the project to the next stage: a 1:1 scale prototype.

More profile about the speaker
Magnus Larsson | Speaker | TED.com