The operating system of life - George Zaidan and Charles Morton

生命的操作系统 - 乔治•载旦，查尔斯•摩尔顿

翻译人员: jie chen 校对人员: Xuwen Zhu

Every chicken was once an egg,

小鸡的前身是蛋，

every oak tree an acorn,

橡树的前身是橡子，

every frog a tadpole.

青蛙前身是蝌蚪。

The patch of mold on that old piece of bread

你家冰箱深处

in the back of your fridge,

那片放了很久的面包上的霉菌

not so long ago that was one, solitary cell.

所有这些的前身，都曾是一个单细胞。

Even you were once but a gleam

就连你自己，最初

in your parents' eyes.

也不过是你父母投向彼此的一个深情注视。

All these organisms share

所有一切有机物

the same basic goal:

都有一个共同的目标：

to perpetuate their own existence.

让自己长存下去。

All lifeforms that we've discovered so far

一切已知的生命体，

stay alive by using

其存在方式从本质上说，

basically the same rules, materials, and machinery.

都采用同样的规则，原料和运行机制。

Imagine a factory full of robots.

请想象一个全是机器人的工厂。

These robots have two missions:

这些机器人有两种使命：

one, keep the factory running,

第一个是保持工厂运作

and two, when the time is right,

第二个则是在时机成熟时，

set up an entirely new factory.

建立一个全新的工厂。

To do those things,

they need assembly instructions,

为了达成这样的目标，

他们需要把指令,

raw materials,

原材料，

plenty of energy,

大量的能量，

a few rules about when to work normally,

还有一些规则结合起来，这些规则是：何时正常工作，

when to work quickly,

何时快速工作，

or when to stop,

或者何时停止工作，

and some exchange currencies

以及，如何获得一些奖励货币，

because even robots need to get paid.

因为，即使是机器人，也应该有报酬。

Each factory has a high security office with blueprints

每间工厂里都有绝密办公室，里面藏着各种蓝图，

for all the possible factory configurations

描绘所有工厂结构

and complete sets of instructions

以及整套整套的指令，

to make all the different types of robots

其目标是制造工厂所需的

a factory could ever need.

各类机器人。

Special robots photocopy these instructions

特种机器人复制并发出

and send them off

这些指令，

to help make the building blocks of more robots.

用于建立更多的机器人原件。

Their colleagues assemble those parts

他们的同事则组装起这些元件，

into still more robots,

制造出更多的机器人，

which are transported

这些机器人被运送到

to the right location in the factory

工厂里相应的部门，

and given the tools they need to start working.

然后他们拿起工具，开始工作。

Every robot draws energy

每一个机器人都会

from the central power plant,

从中央供电单元获取能量，

a giant furnace that can burn regular fuel

那是一个巨型熔炉，不但消耗常规燃料，

but also scrap materials

还可能在常规燃料不足的情况下，

if not enough regular fuel is available.

燃烧废旧原料。

Certain zones in the factory

工厂的某些部门

have harsher working conditions,

工作条件更艰辛，

so these areas are walled off.

因此这些区块都会筑墙防护。

But the robots inside can at least communicate

但这些墙内机器人

with the rest of the factory

至少可以和工厂的其他部门沟通，

through specialized portals

他们采用直接嵌入墙体的

embedded directly into the walls.

特别接口。

And as you've probably figured out,

现在，你也许意识到了，

what we're describing here

我们向你描述的，

is a cell.

正是一个细胞。

The high security office is the nucleus.

绝密办公室是细胞核。

It stores the blueprints and instructions

细胞核存放设计规划蓝图和指令集，

as deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA.

譬如脱氧核糖核酸也就是俗称的DNA。

The photocopied instructions are RNA.

被复制下来的指令是RNA。

The robots themselves are mostly proteins

这些机器人本身来说，多数就是

built from amino acids,

氨基酸组成的蛋白质，

but they'll often use special tools

但他们往往采用特殊工具，

that are, or are derived from,

可以说，这些工具是或者源于

vitamins and minerals.

维生素和矿物质。

The walls between factory zones

工厂各部门之间的高墙，

and around the factory itself

还有包围工厂的围墙，

are mostly made up of lipids,

多数由脂类组成，

a.k.a. fats.

也就是俗称的脂肪。

In most organisms,

在大多数有机物体内，

the primary fuel source are sugars,

主要燃料是糖类，

but in a pinch,

但在必要时，

fats and proteins can be broken down

身体的熔炉也会分解掉脂肪和蛋白质

and burned in the furnace as well.

将其化为燃料。

The portals are membrane proteins

接口则是膜蛋白，

which allow very specific materials and information

它们使那些特殊原材料和信息

to pass through the walls at the right times.

得以适时通过高墙创造便利。

Many interactions between robot proteins

许多在机器人蛋白质之间发生的互动活动，

require some kind of push,

都需要某种动机，

think robot minimum wage.

就像要付给机器人最低工资一样。

A few small but crucial forms of money

一笔数量虽小但极为关键的货币

are transferred between proteins

在蛋白质之间转手

to provide this push.

用以推动机器人工作。

Electrons, protons, oxygen, and phosphate groups

电子，质子，氧气以及各种磷酸盐

are the main chemical currencies,

就是主要化学货币，

and they're kept in small molecular wallets

它们要么被存放在小小的分子钱包里

or larger tote bags to keep them safe.

要么是大手袋，总之很安全。

This is biochemistry,

这就是生物化学，

the study of how every part of the factory

这门学问研究工厂里每个元件

interacts to keep your life running smoothly

如何互动从而让你的生命运行无碍，

in the face of extreme challenges.

无论面临何种极端的挑战。

Maybe there's too much fuel;

有时候会有过多的燃料；

your body will store the excess as glycogen or fat.

你的身体就会把多余的燃料作为糖元或脂肪储存起来。

Maybe there's not enough;

有时候燃料不足；

your body will use up those energy reserves.

你的身体就会动用能量储备。

Maybe a virus or bacteria tries to invade;

有时候某种病毒或者细菌正在门外蠢蠢欲动；

your body will mobilize the immune system.

你的身体则调动起免疫系统。

Maybe you touched something hot or sharp;

有时候你不小心碰到了滚烫或者尖锐的东西；

your nerves will let you know so you can stop.

你的神经系统会通知你立即停下。

Maybe it's time to create a new cell

哟时候则是分化出新细胞

or a new person.

或者新的人类的时候了。

Amazingly, oak trees, chickens, frogs,

多么神奇：橡树，鸡，青蛙，

and, yes, even you

对了还有你，

share so many of the same

都有那么多共同点

basic robot and factory designs

它们的基础机器人和工厂设计

that biochemists can learn a lot

就是生物化学家的知识源头，

about all of them

通过它们，我们可以在同一时间

all at the same time.

了解到这一切知识。