The Colorful, Shapeshifting Wonder of the Amazon's Praying Mantises | Leo Lanna and Lvcas Fiat | TED

翻译人员: Jacky He 校对人员: Yip Yan Yeung

Leo Lanna: "The Amazon is the center of the world."

利奥·兰纳（Leo Lanna）： “亚马逊雨林是世界的中心。”

Brazilian journalist Eliane Brum shared this quote,

巴西记者埃莉安·布鲁姆 （Eliane Brum）分享了这句话；

and I deeply believe it.

我对此深信不疑。

And now we're taking you there.

现在我们要把你们带到那儿去，

A journey into an alien universe.

进入陌生天地中旅行。

It is the heart of our planet,

这是我们星球的心脏，

where the core of our biodiversity thrives

是生物多样性的本源；

with countless eccentric and mysterious life forms

各种古怪又神秘的生命种类 在那里繁荣生长，

waiting to be discovered.

静待我们的发现。

But here's the twist.

但这次不同的是：

We're actually taking you into the Amazon rainforest at night.

我们将带领你们进入 亚马逊雨林的夜晚。

Lvcas Fiat: When night’s veil covers earth,

勒维卡斯·菲亚特 （Lvcas Fiat）：当夜幕笼罩大地，

rainforest becomes a new dimension

那种壮丽而短暂的景致出现时，

where our spectacular and ephemeral reality arises.

雨林别有洞天。

It is when darkness falls

当黑夜降临时，

that this imperiled kingdom flourishes with life beyond our imagination.

超乎我们想象的繁多生物才 从这濒危的王国中涌现出来。

I am with Leo, alone on a trail at a national reserve.

只有我和里奥两人走在 一条国家保护区的小路上。

It is pitch dark.

那里一片漆黑。

In the deep silence,

在这死寂之中，

we can hear a chorus of tree frogs and the footsteps of tapirs.

我们仍可以听到此起彼伏的 树蛙声以及貘的脚步声。

The decayed leaves and branches crunch under our feet.

腐烂的枝叶在我们脚下嘎吱作响。

It is hot and humid,

这里闷热又潮湿，

and the shimmering stars watch us through the dense canopy.

闪烁的星星透过 密集的树冠看向我们。

When we turn on our flashlights, there is life all around us.

当我们打开手电筒时， 我们发现周围遍布生命。

LL: Every single night, as soon as the rainforest is covered by darkness,

兰纳：每一天傍晚，从雨林 被黑暗笼罩的那一刻起，

a new world emerges, bursting with life.

一个全新的、生机勃勃的 世界浮出水面。

Fantastic animals that are real,

那些真实存在的、极具生命力的

extremely alive and endangered.

但同时濒危的迷人物种：

Boa snakes and kinkajous, opossums and tarantulas,

蟒蛇和蜜熊，负鼠和狼蛛，

salamanders and moths.

蝾螈和飞蛾。

Animals that one might see once in a lifetime,

那些一生也许只能见上一面的动物，

as every night, the ancient and endless forest life changes.

因为每晚， 古老而无垠的森林变化着。

I'm a scientist, Lvcas is an artist.

我是一名科学家， 而卢卡斯是位艺术家。

And we've been working together for six years.

我们已经共事了六年。

Our expeditions take us and our partners into the wild.

我们和同伴们进行的 探险考察无不深入野外。

And within this alien world of tropical rainforests,

而在这片雨林的陌生世界里，

we’re here to show you the creature that we’ve fallen completely in love with:

我们将向你们展现 我们已经为之沦陷的生物：

the praying mantis.

螳螂。

Silent and scentless.

无声响，无气味，

Powerful and patient sage.

强大而耐心的智者，

Our guide on this journey through the darkness.

也是我们此次旅途中 穿行黑暗的向导。

LF: So why the praying mantis?

菲亚特：所以为什么会是螳螂呢？

(Laughs)

（笑声）

Well, praying mantes dazzle us with their huge eyes,

螳螂使我们惊艳。 它们有着大眼睛，

their tweezer-like legs,

如同镊子般的足，

their hypnotizing swagger.

还有令人沉醉的气派架势。

Many of you might be afraid of insects.

你们中很多人也许害怕昆虫，

We used to be afraid too.

我们曾经也是。

But as we learned more about these tiny, mighty beings,

但当我们更深入地了解这些 体型小却颇厉害的生物后，

our fear turned into passion.

我们的惧怕转变为了热爱。

The search for the praying mantis became a gateway

寻找螳螂成为了

进入迷宫般奥妙之地的机遇，

into a labyrinth of wonders

in which every corner had something new to discover

其中每个角落都有 新的事物静待挖掘，

and get inspired.

新的灵感等着被捕获。

These are portraits of a variety of praying mantis

这些是各种各样的螳螂“头像”，

specifically from the rainforest of Brazil.

收集于巴西的雨林中。

Which one do you identify with the most?

你最倾向于哪个呢？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Each of them could easily be a character in a sci-fi novel.

它们中的任何一个成为 科幻小说里的角色也不为怪。

Faces of the people from an exotic planet.

仿佛是天外来客的面容。

But we share our planet with these creatures.

但我们与这些生物共有同一个星球。

There are over 2,500 species of praying mantises;

螳螂物种共有超 2500 个，

ten percent of them are in Brazil,

其中的 10% 栖息在巴西——

the most biodiverse country in the world.

世界上生物最为多样的国家内。

And we expect at least 300 more species to be discovered there.

而我们预计还可以在那里发现 至少 300 个螳螂物种。

LL: Within their micro-world,

兰纳：在它们的小天地中，

they are fierce predators,

它们是凶猛的捕食者，

hunting down any creature they can grasp, from mosquitoes to cicadas.

会捕猎任何能 钳住的生物，从蚊子到蝉，

And even, though rarely, vertebrates,

有时候甚至可以捕获脊椎动物，

such as frogs and birds.

如青蛙和鸟类。

They can eat anything, from soft and yummy flies

它们可以吃任何东西，

to armor-plated beetles.

无论是软绵多汁的苍蝇 还是披着盔甲的甲虫。

They can even eat and process poisonous caterpillars without harming themselves.

它们甚至能吃下并消化有毒的 毛毛虫，而不受其影响。

And last year,

去年，

we just published the first ever account of a praying mantis feeding on plant sap.

我们发表了有史以来第一篇 关于螳螂以植物汁液为食的描述。

A vegetarian mantis?

一位素食者螳螂？

Well, when walking this alien world, questions arise more often than answers.

显然， 在这奇异的世界里， 问题比答案更多。

Speaking of poison, they have none in their bodies.

说到毒素，这是它们体内没有的。

So they rely on the physical strength of their spiky legs, called raptorials,

于是它们依赖于带有挂刺长腿， 即“捕捉足”的肢体力量

and their swift moves to catch their prey.

和迅捷的动作以捕捉猎物。

Their vision is highly accurate,

它们的视觉非常灵敏，

precisely detecting depth through a unique 3D vision system

通过在动物王国中 一套独有的三维视觉系统

in the animal kingdom, which reacts to movement.

在发现动向的情况下 精确感知距离。

Their eyes synch or adapt to the light,

它们的眼睛会同步适应光线，

changing color between day and night.

在白昼夜晚之间改变颜色。

But we're still unsure how good their night vision is,

但是，我们即使观察到 它们在黑暗中活跃地游走，

despite seeing them actively roam around in darkness.

也不清楚它们视力究竟有多好。

LF: Most of them are masters of camouflage,

菲亚特：它们大多是伪装的高手——

an ancient art meaningful on the native habitats.

这门古老的技艺在它们的 自然栖息地里尤其适用。

This colorful male vanishes on the grassy fields where he lives.

这只色彩斑斓的雄性螳螂 在它栖息的草地里隐蔽着。

Can you spot a praying mantis on these pictures?

你能在这些图片中找出螳螂吗？

Yes? No?

能，还是不能？

Well, actually, these photos are exclusively of praying mantises.

好吧，其实这些图片 都是螳螂的特写。

The first looks like a dry leaf,

第一张看上去是干枯的树叶，

the second like a stick,

第二张好像是根树枝，

and the third like lichen.

第三张看起来似乎是地衣。

Their shapes range from fresh green leaves, mosses, branches,

它们的形态囊括新鲜的 绿叶、苔藓、枯树枝，

to everything in between.

以及所有类似的物体。

We are blown away by how evolution led these incredible predators to blend

自然演化是如何驱使 这些非凡的捕食者融入环境的，

into the natural environment.

这让我们瞠目结舌。

And if they feel threatened, they can play dead.

当它们感觉受到威胁时，还会装死，

Or display colors like a peacock

或像孔雀开屏那般展现色彩。

all within an extremely light body.

而这都发生于这轻巧的躯壳内。

Large males like this,

像这样体型较大的雄性，

eight centimeters long, can weigh just one gram.

长达八厘米，但仅重达一克。

Others are even smaller.

其他的甚至更小。

The more permanent changes they go through are just as awesome.

它们需完成的永久变化也令人赞叹。

Like other insects, they grow through molts,

和其他昆虫一样， 它们的成长会经历蜕皮，

changing their skin.

即更替表皮。

And when adults, developing wings, depending on their species.

成年后，有的品种会长出翅膀。

LL: Since the very beginning of "Projecto Mantis" six years ago,

兰纳：自从六年前 “螳螂计划”的最一开始，

we've taken care of every mantis we've collected for research.

我们便照料着每一只 为研究目的收集的螳螂。

They live in our homes with us.

它们和我们一起住在家里。

Our family and friends think of them as pets.

我们的家人和朋友 都把它们看作宠物。

This unusual, no-kill protocol, allows us to understand about their life cycles,

这种非常规、不杀生的方案， 使我们得以了解它们的生命周期、

behavior, and, perhaps more importantly,

习性以及更为重要的是，

to connect them to people around us.

使我们周围的人与它们建立了联系。

Back home, there are over 40 mantises waiting for us,

在家里有着超过 40 只螳螂恭候着我们，

and some will live for over two years.

有些能活过两年。

This year we just discovered a new species.

今年我们刚发现了一个新品种。

This tiny green mantis has a translucent body

这类绿色的小螳螂 有着半透明的身躯，

and intrigues us

并勾起了我们的好奇，

because it was found only through our non-lethal lights trap

因为它只出现在了 我们吸引有翼雄性的

which attract winged males.

非致命灯光诱捕器中。

We believe it lives high up in the canopy,

我们推断它生活在高高的树冠上，

out of our sight.

处于视线之外。

And despite the advances of technology

尽管科技的更新迭代

allowing humanity to explore the deep sea,

使得人们去探索深海、

outer space, the metaverse now,

外太空和现在的元宇宙；

we still lack efficient tools to research and survey

我们仍然缺乏用来有效研究、勘察

the highest parts of Amazonia,

亚马逊流域植被顶端的工具；

which is exactly where scientists expect to find the greatest biodiversity

而这恰恰是科学家们预期 会找到最高生物多样性的

in the rainforests.

雨林部分。

On our last expedition,

在我们的最后一次考察中，

we tried night drone flights, without success.

我们夜间试飞了 无人机，却没能成功。

The creative uses of technology are part of our contemporary science,

技术的创新性运用 是现代科学的一部分，

and we keep chasing ideas

而我们不懈追求着这些目标，

that could lead us to explore the unreachable treetops

也许最终便可以 探索无法到达的树冠，

and understand more and more about mantises in the wild.

并对野生螳螂产生 越来越多的认识。

LF: The closer you look,

菲亚特：你看得越仔细，

the more beautiful complexity you will find,

你便会在复杂中发现越多的美丽，

like this amazing row of praying mantis wings.

就像这一排精美的螳螂翅膀。

And there’s the Brazilian dragon mantis;

还有着巴西龙纹螳螂，

the flower bud mantis; the unicorn.

花蕾螳螂，独角兽麒麟。

But of course, rainforest isn't just a fantasy wonderland.

但当然了，雨林并非 只是一个奇幻仙境。

"What if you are afraid of the dark?"

“如果你怕黑怎么办?”

you might be wondering.

你也许会这样想。

Well, the answer is the same among explorers.

其实，探险家们的回答都是一致的。

Out there,

在那儿，

surrounded by all kinds of creatures,

周围是各种各样的生物，

the only thing we fear

我们惟独畏惧的……

is mankind.

是人类。

And when we are back home,

我们回去之后，

we fear that the next time we visit the rainforest again,

我们担心待下一次探索雨林时，

it will be further destroyed.

它受到的破坏更严重了。

LL: Rainforests are delicate and endangered ecosystems

兰纳：雨林是脆弱 而又濒危的生态系统，

critical to the stability of our planet.

它对于地球的稳定繁荣至关重要。

Most of its life remains unknown.

其中大部分生命仍然不为人知。

And just during this single talk,

而就在我们演讲期间，

we've lost about 15 hectares of rainforest in the Amazon of Brazil

巴西亚马逊 有大约 15 公顷的雨林

to deforestation.

因砍伐而缩减。

That's bigger than 20 football fields.

这大过 20 个足球场的面积。

Every 10 minutes,

每十分钟，

countless praying mantises gone.

无数的螳螂也会消失。

No matter how magical darkness is,

不论今晚笼罩在亚马逊上空的

when it covers the Amazon tonight,

黑夜有多么美妙，

these areas will be empty.

有些区域已经空空如也。

A silent mourning that few will hear.

这似乎是鲜有人注意到的 无声的哀悼。

We are documenting species that may not exist in future generations.

我们在记录几代以后 可能会消失的物种。

We’re just beginning to learn about them,

我们才刚开始了解它们，

and we are sharing our discoveries

而且我们会贡献出我们的发现，

so that we can increase their chances of survival.

以增加它们存活下来的机会。

Last October,

去年十月，

we led our National Geographic-funded expedition

我们带领了一场 由国家地理学会资助的

"Amazon from dusk to dawn,"

“从黄昏到黎明的亚马逊”探险，

with a team of amazing scientists and storytellers

成员包括一队渴望找到 探索夜晚新途径的

eager to find new ways of exploring the night.

优秀科学家和作家。

And here,

现在，

for the first time,

你们将第一次

you're going to see what happens when we expose praying mantises

看到我们把螳螂暴露在

to pure ultraviolet light.

纯紫外线下会发生什么。

LF: They all shine it back to us,

菲亚特：它们的身躯闪着光，

in colors we could have never even dreamed of.

而且是那种做梦都想象不到的颜色。

A brilliant blue is some species,

有些品种是亮眼的蓝色，

a soft and warming orange in others,

有些则是柔和而温暖的橙色，

and then all at once, on this beautiful hooded mantis.

而这只美丽的 蒙面螳螂放出各种光芒。

These colors are real,

这些全是真实的色彩；

technology allowed us to see them with our naked eyes.

技术使得我们可以 用肉眼看到它们，

A visible and magical fluorescence.

这种直观又魔幻的荧光。

Even the dead leaf mantis was certainly sparkling like liquid fire.

即使是死去的叶螳螂也像 液体火焰那般闪耀着。

And to our delight,

令人欣喜的是，

the whole jungle reverberated in unimaginable colors.

整个丛林中绽放着超乎想象的光彩。

What are they trying to communicate?

它们在试图传达什么？

Which other secrets are we missing?

我们还缺失哪些秘密呢？

And yet again,

同样地，

rainforest at night shows us how little we understand about its beauty.

夜晚的雨林突显了 我们对它的美有多么的无知。

With hundreds of hours of nocturnal dives,

随着数百小时潜入雨林，

our expeditions are filled with wonders in the rainforest zootopia.

我们的探险满满收获了 动物天地里的各式奇观。

We are hoping these discoveries will kick off this new era

我们希望这些发现 将拉开新时代的帷幕。

where science, arts, technology will bloom again

那时，科学、艺术 与技术将迎合着大自然

in favor of nature.

再次走向复兴。

The age of exploration on planet Earth is far from over.

地球上的人类探索时代 远未结束；

And in the nights of the rainforest, it is just beginning.

它才刚从雨林中的夜色中开始。

(Both) Thank you.

（两位嘉宾）谢谢大家。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声和欢呼声）