Nuclear Power Is Our Best Hope to Ditch Fossil Fuels | Isabelle Boemeke | TED

翻译人员: Hangyuan Liu 校对人员: Yip Yan Yeung

My life completely changed with one tweet.

我的生活因为一条推特 而彻底改变。

This was back in 2015

这事要追溯到 2015 年。

when Twitter was mostly a place we went to see what Kanye was mad about.

当时，我们浏览 Twitter 就是去看看 坎爷 (Kanye West) 又在发什么疯。

But then I saw it.

然后，我看到了那条推特。

A tweet by a scientist I deeply admire,

发这条推特的是 我非常敬仰的一名科学家，

Dr. Carolyn Porco.

卡罗琳·波尔科 (Carolyn Porco) 博士。

Wait, I thought nuclear energy was bad.

不是，我当时以为 核能是不好的。

Yet here is a scientist and a TED speaker

但是，身为科学家 和 TED 讲者的卡罗琳

making it sound good.

却在说核能的好处。

It sent me on a journey,

由此开启了我

I spent years reading papers, talking to scientists,

阅读相关论文 和与科学家对话的旅程。

and I always asked them the same question:

对话中，我总会问的 一个问题就是：

What do you think about nuclear power?

你是怎么看核能的？

Their responses were shockingly similar.

而他们的回应 也总是惊人地相似。

It's good.

核能很好。

We need it.

我们需要它。

People hate it.

但大众却讨厌它。

In the last seven years,

在过去的 7 年里，

I've seen climate change go from being a scary thing of the future

我亲眼目睹了气候变化 这件可怕的事

to being a scary thing of the present.

从远在天边 变得近在眼前。

My wake-up call came after seeing the fires ravage the world in California,

那敲醒我的当头一棒 就是肆虐全球的山火，

in Australia

加利佛尼亚州、澳大利亚，

and in my home country of Brazil.

以及我的家乡巴西 都无一幸免。

I decided I wanted to turn my growing sense of anger and despair

我决定要将自己 日益积攒的愤怒和绝望

into something helpful and productive.

转化为一点实用 和高效的东西。

So I had an unusual idea:

于是乎我有了一个 不寻常的想法：

I should be a nuclear energy influencer.

我应该成为一个 推广核能的网红。

I wanted to make nuclear energy cool.

我想让核能看起来很酷。

Inspired by internet culture,

我在互联网文化的影响之下，

I created a digital version of me and called her Isodope.

创建了一个数字身份， 叫 Isodope。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

She's sassy,

她自信中带着点无理，

a little weird,

还有点怪异，

but she always tells the truth.

但她总是讲真话。

And here, you can see her in action.

下面就让我们看看 她的表演。

(Video) Hey, guys, a lot of you asked about my make-up routine.

（视频）嗨，大家好， 很多人想知道我的化妆步骤。

The most important thing is to wash your face really well,

最重要的就是 脸一定要洗干净，

因为我们要确保毛孔 和我们的电力一样清洁。

because we want those pores as clean as we want our electricity.

而法宝就是 使用这款洁面产品，

And the best way to get that is to use this cleanser called --

叫做“帮帮忙吧， 不要再关停核电厂了”。

stop shutting down nuclear plants, for Christ's sake.

其产出的可是零碳排、 零排污、零污染的“清洁”电能。

It's carbon-free, emission-free, pollution-free electricity.

洁面后，我用的是这款 纯植物提取精华，

Then I use this plant-based serum called --

叫做“核电厂（词同‘植物’）关闭后， 取而代之的是化石燃料。

when a nuclear plant is shut down, it is replaced by fossil fuels.

这很糟糕。”

That's bad.

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声和欢呼声）

Isodope is like a dealer of good memes.

Isodope 就像是一个 网络梗图经销商。

When I say meme, you probably think of something like this.

当我说道网络梗图时， 你想到的可能是这个。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

What I mean by it is a fixed belief or idea, good or bad,

而我所指的是 那些在人群中传播，

并塑造我们对世界看法的

that spreads from person to person and defines how we see the world.

既定观念和想法（不论好坏）。

For example,

比如，人们应当拥有 平等的权利。

people should have equal rights.

Birds aren't real.

鸟类并不真实存在。

It's a thing.

这个说法已经流行开了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Nuclear energy is bad.

核能不好。

When it comes to nuclear power,

而在核能上，

the world has been sold a bad meme.

整个世界都受到了 一个负面热梗的影响。

An outdated one.

还是一个 已经过时的梗。

Let's go back in time.

让我们来回顾一下。

It all started with the anti-nuclear movement of the 1970s.

一切都始于 1970 年代的反核运动。

The movement was driven in large part

推动这一运动的 一大因素是

by an understandable fear of nuclear weapons.

人们对于核武器的 合理的恐惧。

And I get it.

这我能理解。

It must have been terrifying to grow up in the '50s and '60s

成长于五六十年代 一定是一种可怕的经历，

fearing a nuclear attack.

时时担心遭到核武器攻击。

But here's the problem.

但问题就在于，

Their logic was: nuclear bombs are bad,

他们的逻辑是： 既然核武器是坏的，

therefore nuclear energy is bad.

那么核能就不会好。

Which, if you think about it, is like saying: the electric chair is bad,

你仔细想想，这就好比说： 电椅是坏的，

therefore electricity is bad.

所以电也是坏的。

The case against nuclear power was never based on science,

对核能的针对 从来不是基于科学，

but the anti-nuclear meme was very catchy.

但是反核相关的梗 倒是很引人注目。

In the decades that followed,

在随后的几十年里，

aspiring engineers didn't choose nuclear engineering.

多少满怀抱负的工程师 因此没有选择核工程。

Politicians got points for closing nuclear plants,

即使关停核电站 一定会导致碳排的增加，

even though it always led to higher carbon emissions.

但政客依然会因此 而获得政治加分。

The meme even snuck into people's homes,

而关于反核的梗 甚至在不知不觉中，

every Sunday night at eight, without them knowing.

于每周日晚八点 溜进了人们的家中。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I wish Homer had worked at a coal plant.

我真希望荷马 是在一家火电厂工作。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

In the last 10 years,

在过去的十年中，

we have spent trillions of dollars on renewables,

我们在可再生能源上 花费了数千亿，

yet we only get eight percent of our electricity from wind and solar.

但却只有 8% 的电能 来自于风能和太阳能。

Now, don't get me wrong, I love renewables,

大家别误会， 我爱可再生能源，

but to me, it's clear that we need more.

但在我看来，它无法满足 我们的需求。

We need a source of energy that's clean

我们需要一种

清洁、全天候不间断的能源 来与可再生能源互补。

and works 24/7 to complement them.

And it's been sitting right in front of us this whole time,

这种能源一直都在 我们眼前，

but we have ignored it

但我们却一直视而不见，

because we're too blinded by the meme.

因为我们被 各种烂梗蒙蔽了双眼。

Now most people today aren't exactly anti-nuclear

如今的人对待核能的态度 并不是反对，

as much as they’re “meh.”

而是漠然。

Not passionately against it, but they've heard of Chernobyl.

他们并非旗帜鲜明地反对， 但也都听说过切尔诺贝利核事故。

They've seen images of leaking green barrels.

他们看过正在泄漏的 绿色油桶的图片。

They have a vague feeling it's bad.

他们隐约感觉这东西不好。

And remember, that's where I used to be.

而我曾经也是他们中的一员。

Until I saw this chart.

直到我看到了这张图。

The only thing you need to take away from this chart

看完这张图 你只需要记住一点，

即在所有的能源中， 核能的生命周期碳排

is that nuclear power has the lowest life cycle emissions

of all energy sources,

是最低的。

producing only three tons of CO2 per gigawatt hour of electricity.

产生一千兆瓦时的电能 仅排放 3 吨二氧化碳。

And I could keep talking like this all day long, but let's be real,

这么讲我能讲一天， 但说实话，

this is not changing minds on social media.

这改变不了社交媒体上 人们的想法。

So I do things a little bit differently.

所以我另辟蹊径。

(Video) The reality is that nuclear is one of the safest forms of energy.

（视频）事实上，核能 是最安全的能源之一。

而问题在于， 核能事故非常戏剧化，

The problem is that nuclear accidents are dramatic.

化石燃料带来的伤害 就要无聊得多。

While fossil fuel damage is boring.

讲着讲着 我都要睡着了。

I'm literally falling asleep talking about it.

最新研究显示，燃烧化石燃料 每年导致 870 万人死亡。

Recent studies say that 8.7 million people die from burning them every year.

This would be like having 5.8 Chernobyls a day.

这相当于每天发生 5.8 个切尔诺贝利事故。

I'm just a humble influencer,

虽然我只是 一个小小的网红，

but I think this means fossil fuels are worse.

但我觉得这说明了 化石燃料要更糟糕。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

(Applause)

（掌声）

Most people have a feeling airplanes are more dangerous than cars

大多数人感觉 飞机比汽车更危险，

because when a plane crashes, it makes the headlines.

因为飞机坠毁 是要上头条的，

It's memorable.

更容易让人记住。

Of course, we know the opposite is true.

显然，我们知道 飞机要更安全。

Planes are significantly safer than cars,

飞机的安全系数 要远高于汽车。

just like nuclear power is significantly safer than fossil fuels.

同理，核能也要比 化石燃料安全得多。

In this next video, Isodope will address the idea

下面这个视频里， Isodope 针对回应的是

that we don't know what to do with nuclear waste.

我们不知道如何处理 核废料的这一观点。

(Video) I'm sure you don't know what to do with it,

（视频）你当然不知道 该怎么处理核废料，

but there are people who spent decades studying this issue.

但花费数十年从事 该领域研究的大有人在。

They're called scientists.

他们叫做科学家。

Finland is almost done building

芬兰已经快要建成

the world's first nuclear waste repository.

世界上第一个 核废料处置库。

They're storing it deep underground in geologically stable locations.

它们被储藏在地下深处 地质结构稳定的部位。

Sweden is about to do the same.

瑞典也将紧随 芬兰的脚步。

I know you're worried about what may happen 19,000 years from now, but ...

我知道，你可能在担心 19,000 年后会发生什么，但……

(Loud buzzing)

（响亮的嗡嗡声）

Again, just a humble influencer,

还是那句话， 我只是个小小的网红，

but we might not make it that far if we keep burning fossil fuels.

但接着烧化石燃料的话， 我们可能都活不了这么久。

(Applause)

（掌声）

By the way, most think nuclear energy waste looks like this.

顺嘴一说，大多数人认为 核废料长这样。

It actually looks like this.

但它实际上长这样。

Fully contained in concrete casks that are so good at blocking radiation

核废料被完全包裹在 混凝土制成的桶中，

这些桶能够很好的阻断辐射， 所以我才能在那里拍照。

I might do a photo shoot there.

Now, a more modern objection to nuclear power

反对核能的一个 更新潮的理由是

is that it's too slow.

它太慢了。

It takes too long to build.

修建核电厂太耗时。

Well, I'm sure Isodope has something to say about that.

我觉得 Isodope 关于这点 一定也有话要说。

(Video) (Isodope claps)

（视频） （Isodope 的掌声）

Finally, an argument that isn't older than me.

总算是有点新鲜的东西了。

Unfortunately, it still sucks.

不幸的是， 这个理由依然很逊。

In the '70s, France built 45 reactors in 15 years.

1970 年代，法国用了 15 年 建造了 45 个核反应堆。

More recently, Japan, China and Korea have built reactors in six years or less.

但近代，日本、中国和韩国建造核反应堆 只花了 6 年或更短的时间。

So this means BTS is blow-drying their hair with clean energy.

也就是说，BTS 吹头发 用的都是清洁能源。

Even if it takes 10 years to build one,

即使建一座 核电站要 10 年，

但它可在 80 年 或更长的时间里

nuclear power plants can make clean and reliable electricity

持续产生清洁、可靠的电能。

for at least 80 years.

This --

这……

(Applause)

（掌声）

This idea that it takes too long to build plants is confusing,

这种修建核电厂很耗时的观念 让人摸不着头脑，

considering we're going to need energy forever.

因为我们对能源的需求 是永恒的。

You know, the best time to build nuclear plants

你知道吗， 修建核电站的最好时机

was 10 years ago.

是 10 年前。

The next best time is today.

下一个最好时机， 就是现在。

Now we’ve finally arrived at the most fashionable objection at the moment:

我们终于说到关于反对核电站的 最时髦的理由：

nuclear power is too expensive.

核能太贵了。

I'm going to take that one.

这一点由我本人来回应。

A little weird to say something is too expensive

说一件能够拯救 人类未来的东西太贵，

to save the future of our species,

多少有点奇怪。

but I get it, cost matters.

但我能理解， 成本很重要。

Here's the thing.

但老实说，

We know how to make clean energy cheaper.

我们知道如何降低 清洁能源的成本。

It's not rocket science.

并不是什么 高精尖的科技。

You build the same thing over and over and over.

反复不停地建设就行。

Solar, 10 years ago, was also considered "too expensive,"

10 年前，人们同样认为 太阳能“太昂贵”，

but we decided it was cool and invested in it.

但我们投资了 这项很酷的技术。

Like magic, the costs have dropped by 90 percent.

而它的成本也像魔术一般 降低了 90%。

One way to make nuclear cheaper is with small modular reactors like these.

降低核能成本的方法之一就是 使用这种模块化的小型反应堆。

China just finished building their own version.

中国已经建成了 自己的版本。

Poland will use a similar technology

波兰将会使用类似的技术

to convert their aging coal plants into nuclear plants.

将其不断老化的火电厂 改造为核电厂。

They'll use the same building, the same transmission lines,

它们将使用原有的建筑 和电力传输线路，

even retrain the same workers.

甚至保留原有的工人。

But now making clean energy

这么一来，波兰就能 自己生产清洁能源，

instead of buying dirty fuels from dictators.

而无需从独裁者手中 购买肮脏的化石燃料。

这让我有了一个 疯狂的想法。

Which leads me to a crazy idea.

What if instead of viewing nuclear power as destructive,

如果我们不将核能 看作是毁灭性的，

而将其视为实现能源独立，

we view it as a force for energy independence

甚至是和平的途径。

and even peace.

What if this technology offers our best hope for the future?

如果核能技术是我们 通向未来的最大的希望呢？

A future where wars aren't funded by our addiction to fossil fuels.

在这样的未来里，战争不至因我们对 化石燃料的极度依赖而起。

A future where energy is clean.

在这样的未来里， 我们有着清洁的能源，

A future where electricity finally makes its way

在这样的未来里， 地球上最后的那 700 万

还没有用上电的人，

to the 700 million people on Earth

终于用上了电。

who still don't have access to it.

认为核能很坏的这一观念 正摧毁这一未来。

The idea that nuclear power is bad is costing us that future.

And it's time to let go of it.

是时候改变这一观念了。

I'm not asking you to build a reactor.

我不是要大家 去亲手建设核电站，

也不是要大家去重写 《辛普森一家》的剧本。

I'm not asking you to rewrite "The Simpsons."

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I'm not even asking you to sign a petition on Change.org.

我甚至不要求大家 去 Change.org 上签请愿书。

All I'm asking you is to please, join me in spreading the meme.

我只是想请大家和我一起 转发传播这些梗图。

Nuclear energy is cool.

核能很酷。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Cheers and applause)

（欢呼声和掌声）