Should we be looking for life elsewhere in the universe? - Aomawa Shields

譯者: Helen Chang 審譯者: S Sung

Astronomers have discovered thousands of planets orbiting stars other than the Sun.

天文學家已經發現了數以千計的行星 繞著各自的恆星旋轉，

They come in all sizes,

他們有大有小，

at different orbital distances from their stars.

軌道距離各不相同。

The closest of them are trillions of miles away,

即使最近的一個， 也遠在數兆英里之外，

and even the largest are just fuzzy patches

最大的，用高倍數的望遠鏡觀看， 也不過像是模糊的補綴而已。

in the fields of high-powered telescopes.

But if one of these planets is close in size to the Earth

如果其中有顆行星的大小類似地球，

and orbits not too close and too far away from its parent star,

軌道離它的恆星不遠也不近，

it could be rocky and warm enough to have oceans

地形高低起伏，夠溫暖，有海洋，

and perhaps life.

也可能有生物。

Astronomers discover these potentially habitable planets,

一旦天文學家發現這些 潛在適合居住的行星，

and their eyes get big and wide.

他們便睜大了眼睛。

Could one of these distant worlds carry the building blocks of life?

或許這些遙遠的世界裡存在著 涵養生命的元素？（氧、氫、氮）

Or even a living, breathing, civilization?

甚至有個活生生的文明？

Is the question, "Are we alone in the universe?" about to be answered?

「我們是獨有的生命體嗎？」這問題 是不是就快被解答了？

But wait.

且慢。

Maybe we should ask a different question first.

也許我們應該先問 另一個的問題。

Should we try to find out if we're alone in the universe?

我們真的應該在宇宙裡 尋找其他的生命體嗎？

If we do find the atmospheric fingerprints of life

若我們發現大氣層有生命的跡象

on one of these small, distant worlds,

存在於那遙遠的某個小世界裡，

should we try to contact any beings who may live there?

我們應該跟住在那邊的生命聯絡嗎？

Is that wise?

這樣明智嗎？

Three decades ago, NASA decided the answer was yes.

30年前，美國太空總署 持肯定的態度，

Voyager 1 and 2 were launched in 1977

於 1977 年發射了 航海家 1 號和 2 號

to explore the giant planets in the solar system.

去探索太陽系的大行星。

Each spacecraft carried a golden phonograph record,

兩艘太空船各自攜帶一張鍍金光碟，

a time capsule of sorts that included clues and messages

類似時光膠囊，

內含傳達人類文明故事 的線索和訊息。

meant to convey the story of human civilization.

The contents of these gold-plated copper disks were chosen by a committee

由一委員會挑選鍍金光碟的內容，

chaired by American astronomer and author Carl Sagan.

委員會主席是 美國天文學家卡爾·薩根。

They included over 100 images,

光碟中有 100 多幅照片；

and a range of sounds from the natural world:

一系列自然界的聲音：

ocean waves,

海浪聲、

thunder,

雷聲、

the sounds of birds

鳥鳴、

and whales.

鯨魚聲；

The records also included music from many different time periods and cultures,

還有不同時代的音樂和文化；

greetings in 55 languages,

55種語言的問候語；

and messages from the President of the United States,

美國總統和聯合國秘書長的訊息； [卡特：第 39 任美國總統]

and the UN Secretary General.

They also included a map.

和一張地圖。

Each golden record displays the location of our solar system

鍍金光碟的地圖顯示我們太陽系

with respect to fourteen pulsars.

相對於 14 個脈衝星的位置；

Their precise, unique frequencies were indicated

所標示的脈衝星 具有精確、獨一的頻率，

so that intelligent, extraterrestrial lifeforms

讓外星智慧生物

could use them to find the Earth.

可以用來找到地球。

Many years later, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking said

多年後，著名物理學家霍金說：

that it was a mistake to give an alien species a roadmap to our planet.

把航向地球的地圖 給外星生物是錯的。

Hawking suspected that any extraterrestrial life

霍金認為，雖然外星生物多半看來 會是不複雜的微生物；

probably wasn't any more complex than microbes,

but he warned that if an advanced alien species did visit Earth,

但他警告，如果 先進的外來生物來到地球，

it could be as catastrophic as Christopher Columbus's arrival was

可能就如同當年哥倫布登陸美洲，

for the Native Americans.

對原住民而言，是個大災難。

Meanwhile, the golden records continue their journeys.

與此同時，鍍金光碟繼續前行。

In 1990, both Voyager spacecraft passed beyond the orbit of Pluto.

1990 年，這兩艘航海家太空船 飛過了冥王星的軌道。

Voyager 1 entered interstellar space in 2012,

於 2012 年，航海家 1 號進入星際，

and will reach the nearest stellar system in 40,000 years.

四萬年後將會抵達最近的恆星系統。

If either spacecraft is discovered by extraterrestrial life,

如果外星生命發現了任一航海家號，

there's a possibility that they could decipher the clues from the golden record

他們可能會解碼鍍金光碟上的線索，

and one day reach our planet.

於某一天抵達地球。

That's particularly true

如果他們是個更先進的文明， 可能性就更大。

if theirs is a much more technologically advanced civilization.

That life could be benevolent,

他們可能是和睦的生物，

as we would hope to be if humans are one day able to achieve interstellar travel.

如同我們所希望 人類實現星際旅行後展現的那樣；

Or it could be hostile.

但他們也有可能懷著敵意，

Searching for planets that might have life means staring into a great abyss.

緊盯著太空虛無 尋找可能有生物的行星。

We'll likely have no clear knowledge of the evolutionary stage,

我們很可能不清楚

最先碰到的生物的進化階段、

sentience,

知覺、字符、或意圖。

character,

or intentions of the first form of life we discover.

So it's a risk to turn our eyes outwards.

這是把眼睛向外看的風險：

We risk our very way of life.

置我們的生活於險地。

But it may be a greater risk not to look,

但不去看的風險可能更大：

to deny the very pioneering spirits that help shape our own species.

等同是否定了 有助塑造我們物種的拓荒者精神。

We are all born curious about the world and the universe.

我們生而具有 對世界和宇宙的好奇心。

Pursuing that curiosity is one of humankind's greatest achievements.

追尋那好奇心 是人類最偉大的成就之一。

Perhaps there is room to push the frontiers of science,

或許仍有把科學疆界往外推的空間，

provided that we cradle alongside our fervor

只要我們並肩呵護我們的熱情

another of humankind's greatest assets:

另一個人類最偉大的資產：

hope.

希望。