The deadly irony of gunpowder - Eric Rosado

火药的致命讽刺--艾瑞克·洛萨多

翻译人员: Tenghui Koh 校对人员: Zhiting Chen

Everybody loves fireworks --

每个人都喜欢烟花

the lights, the colors,

喜欢华光熠熠，也喜欢色彩缤纷

and, of course, the big boom.

当然也喜欢绽放时的响声

But the history of fireworks

但烟花的历史

isn't all hugs and celebrations.

并没有像烟花那么灿烂

Long before epic fireworks displays,

在有烟花记载的很久以前

chemists in China invented the key ingredient

中国的化学家门发明了一种重要的物质

that propels those bright lights into the sky.

这种物质驱动着亮光冲向天空

That invention was what we now call gunpowder.

这种发明就是我们现在所称的火药

Our story begins back in ancient China

故事起源于古老的中国

in the mid-ninth century

在九世纪中期

where early Chinese alchemists

当中国早期的炼金者

were trying to create a potion for immortality.

尝试着制造长生不老药时

Instead, what they created was a flammable powder

他们意外地发明了一种易燃的粉末物质

that burned down many of their homes.

这种易燃物质烧掉了很多人们的房屋

They quickly realized that this black powder,

他们很快意识到

which they called fire medicine,

这种被他们叫做火药的黑色粉末

was precisely the opposite of something

恰恰与他们日益追求的长生不老药

that would make you live forever.

背道而驰

In these early days,

在最开始的这个时期

the Chinese hadn't yet figured out

中国人还没有找到

how to make the powder explode;

使粉末爆炸的方法

it was simply very flammable,

知道的只是这种黑粉非常易燃

and their armies used it

所以那时中国的军队使用这种黑粉

to make flaming arrows

来制造烟焰火箭支

and even a flamethrower.

甚至喷火器

But once they figured out the right proportions

但是当他们研究出能够制造爆炸

of ingredients to create a blast,

所需的物质的比例时

they began using the powder even more,

他们开始更多地使用火药

creating fireworks to keep evil spirits away

来制造烟花用来驱赶恶魔

and bombs to defend themselves

以及制造炸弹用来抵挡

against Mongol invaders.

蒙古的入侵者

It was these Mongols, most likely,

大概是这些蒙古人

who spread the invention of gunpowder

将火药传播到了

across the world.

世界各地

After fielding Chinese attacks,

在与中国交战的过程中

they learned how to produce the powder themselves

蒙古人学会了怎样生产火药

and brought it with them

而且用火药

on their conquests in Persia and India.

征服了波斯和印度

William of Rubruck,

威廉·鲁不鲁乞

a European ambassador to the Mongols,

欧洲派往蒙古的使者

was likely responsible for bringing gunpowder

于1254年把火药

back to Europe around 1254.

带回了欧洲

From there, engineers and military inventors

正是从那时起，工程师和军事发明家

created all kinds of destructive weapons.

发明创造了各种各样具有破坏性的武器

From bombs to guns to cannons,

从炸弹到抢，再到大炮

gunpowder left its mark on the world

火药遍布于世界各地

in some pretty terrible ways,

很多时候，火药留下的

in contrast to the beautiful marks

不是漫天华彩

it can leave in the air.

而是令人畏惧的痕迹

So, how does black powder propel

那么，火药是怎样驱使烟花

fireworks into the sky?

飞向天空的呢？

You might have seen old Westerns or cartoons

你或许在旧时西部电影或动画片中看到过

where a trail of gunpowder is lit

当一根火药线被点燃

and it leads to a large and obviously explosive barrel.

就会引向一个巨大的并可爆的桶

Once the fire gets to the barrel,

一旦火进入了这个桶

a large boom occurs.

爆炸就会发生

But why doesn't the trail itself explode?

但是，为什么这根火药线自己不爆炸呢?

The reason is that burning the powder

这是因为火药燃烧的时候

releases energy and gases.

会释放能量和气体

While the trail is burning,

当这根火药线燃烧的时候

these are easily released into the surrounding air.

这些能量和气体自然地散放到了周围的空气中

But when the gunpowder

但一旦火药

is contained within the barrel,

进入封闭的桶

the energy and gases cannot easily escape

这些能量和气体不能散开

and build up until

堆积起来直到

BOOM!

发生爆炸

Firework canisters provide

烟花筒上有

a single, upward-facing outlet

一个朝上的单向出口

to channel this explosive energy.

可以输送这股爆炸的能量

The wick ignites the gunpowder

当火药芯被点燃

and the energy takes

能量就自然地

the easiest exit from the canister,

从烟花筒里释放

launching the firework high into the sky.

推动烟花升向天空

The flame then makes its way

火焰冲破

through the firework's encasing

烟火的层层包围

and the same reaction occurs

在天空中完成了

high above our heads.

同样的反应

So, while the Chinese alchemists

所以说，虽然中国的炼金者

never found the compound for eternal life,

没有找到长生不老的灵丹妙药

they did find something

他们却找到了

that would go on to shape all of civilization,

铸成人类文明道路的东西--火药

something that has caused

人类历史中的

many tragic moments in human history,

火药造成了许多悲剧

and yet still gives us hope

但同时给予我们希望

when we look up in celebration

因为当我们仰望星空时

at the colorful night sky.

也能看到黑夜的五彩斑斓