If superpowers were real: Invisibility - Joy Lin

如果超能力是真的: 隐身 - Joy Lin

翻译人员: nancy liu 校对人员: Ying Wang

Wouldn't it be great if we could be

如果我们能隐身

invisible?

这难道不好么？

Ha, right?

对么？

I mean, we could spy on people without being noticed

我是说，我们可以偷窥别人而且不会被发现

and do whatever we want

可以做我们想做的任何事

without being held responsible.

而且不用负责任

Now, magicians have figured out

现在，魔术师研究出了

how to utilize full-sized mirrors to bend light

如何让真实尺寸的镜子来弯曲光线

in order to create disappearing illusions.

来产生隐身的假象

Scientists have created metamaterials

科学家创造出了一种“超材料”

to guide rays of light

在极小的二维空间的物品中

around tiny, two-dimensional objects.

可以引导光线的方向

Cameras can also film what is behind you

相机可以拍到你身后的东西

and project the image

so you appear invisible from the front.

并映射出图片

所以，从前面是看不见你的

However, none of these options

然而，所有的这些操作

can make an object as large as a person

都无法使人这么大的物品

appear invisible for all angles and distances

在他移动的时候的隐形，

while its moving.

从各个角度和不同的距离来看

But if you are truly invisible,

但是，如果你真的隐形了

as in from within,

完全做到了隐身

here are a few problems

有一些问题

you may not have thought about before.

你之前可能从来没想到过

To move around undetected by other people,

为了行动的时候不被别人察觉

you would have to be totally naked.

你必须要完完全全的赤裸

Even if it's freezing outside!

即使外面非常的冷

You can't carry anything,

你不能带任何东西

including your wallet and keys,

包括你的钱包和钥匙

otherwise people would just see

否则人们就会看见

your wallet and keys floating around.

你的钱包和钥匙飘来飘去

Drivers and people on the street can't see you either,

街上的司机和行人也都看不见你

therefore they can and will run into you at some point.

因此他们可能会撞上你

Oh, and you better not wear any perfume

对了，你最好不要喷香水

or make any noise breathing,

或者大声喘气

otherwise they'll know you're there.

否则，他们就会知道你在那里

And, just because you start off invisible,

而且，就算你开始的时候是隐身的

并不代表你会永远隐身

doesn't mean you'll stay that way.

What if someone accidentally spills

如果有个人不小心

scolding hot coffee on you?

把热咖啡洒到了你身上，你会怎么样？

And what if it rains?

如果下雨了呢？你又会怎么样？

But if you think only liquid can make you visible,

但是如果你认为只有液体才能使你现身

you're wrong.

那么你就错了

Dust consists of dead skin cells from humans,

人体死亡的细胞，

soil particles,

and fibers from clothes made from cotton

土壤颗粒，

棉衣上的纤维

and other materials.

和其他的材料组成了灰尘

Dust sticks to the moisture on our skin when we sweat

当我们出汗的时候，灰尘就会沾在我们皮肤上的潮湿的地方

and the tiny hairs on our skin when we are dry.

当我们没出汗的时候，灰尘也会沾在我们的毛发上

So, even if you are invisible,

因此，即使你做到了隐身

dust would still land on every part of you.

灰尘依旧会沾满全身

We usually don't notice the dust on our skin

我们通常不会注意到我们身上的灰尘

because we can't see a thin layer of dust

因为在我们肤色映衬之下

on top of our skin color.

我们看不见那薄薄的一层灰

But, if you're invisible,

但是，如果你能隐身

people would see a human-shaped blob of dust

人们就会看见那一团人形的灰尘

walking around with extremely dirty soles.

走来走去，而且脚底特别脏

Gross!

超级恶心！

What do you think the world looks like

如果你能隐身

if you are invisible?

你觉得你眼中的世界会变成什么样？

Well, the answer is nothing.

然而，答案是，什么都没有

The reason you can't see in the dark

你在黑暗中看不见东西的原因

is because there is no light.

是因为没有光

To see an apple,

如果你看到了一个苹果

light has to hit the apple

这是因为光照到了苹果上

and return it to your eyes.

又反射到了你的眼里

Then, the retinas in your eyes

因此，你眼中的视网膜

catch the light reflection for your brain

为你的大脑捕捉了反射光线

to interpret into the image of an apple.

并给你呈现出一个苹果像

If you're invisible,

如果你变得隐身

then, by definition, light would travel

那么，依据科学，光线会穿过你

through you or around you

或者绕过你

instead of bouncing off you for people to see.

而不是从你身上弹回去让别人看到你

But that means that retinas in your eyes

但是这意味着你眼中的视网膜

are not catching the light, either.

也没有捕捉到光线

Therefore, your brain has nothing

因此，你的脑中什么都没有

to interpret into an image.

也就无法成像

Can you see your reflection

如果没有一面镜子来停止光线

without a mirror to stop the light?

你能看见你自己么？

No.

不，你不能

So, when you can't be seen by others,

所以，当这个世界看不见你的时候

you also cannot see.

你自己也看不见这个世界

Ouch!

啊！

Now, have you given any thought

现在，你是否考虑过

as of whether the invisibility is permanent?

隐身是不是永恒的呢？

If it is, how can you receive medical treatment

如果是的话，当你受了伤

from a doctor if you're injured?

你该怎么从医生那里得到治疗？

The doctor wouldn't know

医生不知道哪里应该上药

where to apply ointments or bandages

哪里应该贴创可贴

because they cannot access your injury.

因为他们看不见你的伤口

For that matter, you can't see it either.

而且，你自己也看不见

I mean, what if you have an illness or an infection?

我是说，如果你生病了或者被感染了

How can the doctor diagnose you

在看不见颜色改变或者炎症的情况下

without being able to see the color change or inflammation?

医生该如何对你进行诊断？

And what if everyone is permanently invisible?

那么，如果所有人都永远的隐身了呢？

Well, think about how boring the world would be

世界会变得多么无聊

如果街上一个人都没有

without seeing people on the streets,

on TV,

电视里也一个人也没有

or at home on your computer

电脑里也是

like right now.

就像现在

It's lonely being invisible.

隐身是非常孤独的

Now, which superpower physics lesson

现在，你还想参加

will you explore next?

哪一种研究超能力的物理课？

Shifting body size and content,

迅速改变身体的大小

super speed,

还是获得超快速度

flight,

能够飞行

super strength,

还是变得力大无穷

immortality,

长生不老

and

还是

invisibility.

隐身