Self-assembly: The power of organizing the unorganized - Skylar Tibbits

Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar

翻译人员: xiao gu 校对人员: Jenny Yang

Have you ever wondered

你们是否想知道

how things are built within our bodies?

我们身体内部是如何运转的？

Why our bodies can regrow and repair themselves,

为什么我们的身体能重新生长和自我修复

and how we can pass on genes

我们如何能把基因

from one generation to the next?

代代相传

Yet, none of our man-made objects have these traits;

然而，没有一种人造物具有这样的特性

they're simply thrown away when they break

当他们坏掉，就直接扔掉

and they definitely can't reproduce.

而且一定不会再生

The answer lies in something called self assembly.

答案是"自我组装"的系统

Self assembly is a system where unordered parts

自我组装是这样一种系统

come together in an organized structure,

一堆无序的元件依靠自我

completely on their own.

变成有组织结构

This means that a pile of parts on your desk should,

就是说，你书桌上的一堆东西

in theory, be able to move around on their own,

理论上讲，能自我移动

find one another,

发现彼此

and build something useful.

重新链接成有用的东西

This seems impossible,

不可思议吧

like Transformers

or the Sandman,

像变形金刚

或者沙人

but it's exactly how our bodies are built,

这正是我们身体组成的方式

how our immune system works,

我们的免疫系统的运作方式

and why we can reproduce.

以及我们的机体能繁衍再生的原因

Self assembly is the factory and copy machines within our bodies

自我组装是我们身体内的工厂和复印机

that make proteins fold and DNA replicate.

它可以制造蛋白折叠，自我复制DNA

It's a process that not only happens

这个过程不仅发生在

in the biological and chemical world,

生物和化学的里

but is a phenomenon that can be seen from magnets

常见于---磁铁

to snowflakes,

雪花，

robotics,

机器人

social networks,

社交网络

the formations of cities and galaxies,

城市和银河系的形成

to name just a few.

还有好多好多

In biology and chemistry,

在生物和化学范围内

self assembly is everywhere,

自我组装随时都在发生

from atomic interactions,

原子间相互作用

cellular replication

细胞复制

to DNA, RNA, and protein folding.

DNA ，RNA和蛋白质折叠

Proteins are like bicycle chains

蛋白质就像自行车链条

with sequences of amino acid links.

由一系列氨基酸组成的

They self assemble into 3-D structures

他们自我组合成3D形状

because of the interaction

让氨基酸链接之间

between the amino acids along the chain,

相互作用

as well as the relationship

就像

between the chain and the environment.

氨基酸链条和周围环境的关系

These forces make the flexible chain

这些力量使得

fold into a 3-D shape

可弯曲的氨基酸链条折叠成3D 形状

that governs the function in the protein.

管理蛋白质功能

Viruses, on the other hand, are like soccer balls.

病毒，另一方面，就像足球

They're made up of a series of sub-units with specific shapes.

他们组成一系列的特殊形状的亚单位

Those shapes have attraction to one another,

这些形状相互吸引

so they fit together in precise ways.

他们能精确的链接在一起

Image you want to build a perfect sphere.

想象一下，你要造一个完美的圆球

It turns out that making a precise sphere

要做好一个完美的球

through traditional means is actually quite difficult.

传统方法很难

Alternatively, you could try to self assemble the sphere.

相反，你可以让他自我组装成圆球

One way would be to inflate the sphere

方法一:充气成一个圆球

like a bubble or a balloon.

就像气泡或者气球

Another option would be to create many identical pieces

另外一个方法：创造很多分型小圆球

that would come together to make a perfect sphere.

他们能自己链接起来成为完美大圆球

You could try to put the pieces together one-by-one,

可以一块一块的叠在一起

but it might take a long time

但要用很长时间

and you would still have human errors.

仍然会犯错误

Instead you could design a connection

相反，设计一个构件之间的链接

between the components like magnets

比如磁铁粉

and dump them into a container.

抛进一个容器

When you shook the container,

摇这个容器

all the parts would find one another

所有部分会找到对方

and build the sphere for you.

形成一个圆球

Self assembly is being used as a new design,

自我组装可以用来进行---新设计

science,

and engineering tool

科学

机械工具

for making the next generation of technologies

使得下一代的技术

easier to build,

更容易实现

more adaptive,

更多适应性

and less reliant on fossil fuels.

减少对化石能源的依赖

Scientists are now making molecular microchips for computers

科学家正在为计算机做分子芯片

where small, molecular elements are given

小分子元素

the right conditions to form themselves into organized pathways.

在正确的条件下能自己形成有效结构

Similarly, we can now use self assembly

同样，我们现在自我组装

as a way to make 3-D structures with DNA,

在DNA内设计3D机构

like capsules that could deliver drugs inside the body,

就像胶囊能把药送入身体

releasing them only if certain conditions are met.

当条件合适时释放他们

Soon, self assembly will be used for larger applications,

很快，自我组装更加广泛使用

where materials can repair themselves,

材料自我修复

water pipes can reconfigure on demand,

水管根据需要重新装配

buildings can adapt on their own

建筑物能适应环境

to environment or dynamic loading,

动态更新

and space structures can self assemble without humans.

太空飞行器能在无人状态下自我组装

Imagine if our factories were more like organisms or brains

如果工厂像一个有机体或者大脑

and our construction sites were like gardens

我们的建筑工地像花园

that grow and adapt independently.

独立生长，适应环境

The possibilities are endless

可能性无穷尽

and it's now up to us

完全取决于我们

to design a better world through self assembly.

通过自我组装，设计一个更好的世界