We Could Kick-Start Life on Other Planets. Should We? | Betül Kaçar | TED

翻译人员: Violet Yu 校对人员: Yip Yan Yeung

Imagine two universes.

想象一下有两个宇宙存在。

In one of these universes,

在其中一个宇宙中，

life flourishes on nearly every planet you can encounter.

每一个星球上，生命都繁荣不息。

Floating in the atmosphere, swimming in the seas,

有的飘荡于空中， 有的遨游于大海，

lounging on the beaches.

有的在海滩上闲荡。

Life in every body form and size you can imagine.

各种形态各种大小， 任何你想象得到的生命。

Now imagine the other universe where life is nowhere to be found.

现在想象一下 没有生命存在的另一个宇宙。

Stars collide, galaxies explode,

恒星碰撞，星系爆炸。

meteorites crash, asteroids everywhere.

陨石坠落，到处都是小行星。

A ton of action, but no life.

宇宙中充满各种活动， 但是没有生命的踪迹。

Let me ask you this.

请让我来问问你：

Which one of these universes is more interesting to you?

这两个宇宙， 你对哪一个更感兴趣？

Which one has more value?

哪一个更有价值？

So today I want to take you to a journey

今天，我将带大家

to explore and understand the origin of life,

探索和理解生命的起源、

the future and where it is headed

生命的未来、 生命将走向何方，

and an ethical dilemma that may arise from understanding this.

以及由此可能带来的伦理困境。

First things first, Earth was formed 4.5 billion years ago.

首先要说的是， 地球诞生于 45 亿年前。

Life happened fairly quickly,

生命出现得十分迅速，

within the first few hundred million years.

早在最初的几亿年，

So that's very fast.

这是非常快的。

Think about that next time you feel like you're aging too fast.

下次你担心自己加速 衰老的时候想想这个吧。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

你没有加速衰老。一切正常。

You're not. You're fine.

And here is how life works.

生命是这样的：

Life is a form of chemistry.

生命是一种化学物质。

A form of chemistry that explores solutions

生命会探索自己所处的 直接化学环境中

in response to the problems in its own immediate chemical environment.

存在的问题的解决对策。

Life is a form of chemistry that retains a memory of these solutions

生命这种化学物质， 几十亿年来对这些解决对策

over billions of years.

保持着记忆。

And life's first solution was quite the trick:

生命的第一个对策很是奇妙：

copy itself.

自我复制。

This is astounding.

这种方式非常惊人。

We would not be standing here today if other tricks didn't follow,

假如接下来的步骤没有发生， 我们今天就不会站在这里。

like how to use water as a source of electrons

比如如何把水作为电子的来源，

or how to use the nitrogen in the atmosphere

如何利用大气中的氮，

or how to chew on sunlight.

如何利用太阳光。

This is remarkable.

都非常了不起。

I am chemistry that explores.

我就是会探索的化学物质。

I am chemistry that defies degradation, and I am chemistry that remembers.

我就是反抗退化的化学物质， 我就是保有记忆的化学物质。

I am a tiny part of an unbroken four-billion-year-old heritage,

我是四十亿年连续的 历史遗产的一小部分，

a four-billion-year-old linkage.

四十亿年不间断的历史。

Life makes our planet an incredibly exotic place

生命的存在，让地球与已知宇宙的

compared to the rest of the known universe.

其他地方相比，显得如此奇妙。

This is the only place that it is known to exist.

这是已知有生命存在的 唯一一个地方。

In fact, you can study physics or chemistry or geology

事实上，你可以在 宇宙其他任何地方

anywhere else in the universe.

研究物理、化学或地理。

But this is the only place where you can study biology.

但是只有在地球上才能研究生物学。

Well, I happen to be a biologist on the only planet

我恰好在宇宙中唯一一个可以研究

where you can be a biologist in the entire universe.

生物学的星球上当生物学家。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And that makes my job very, very special, right?

这就是说，我的职业 非常、非常特别，对吧？

Because our planet offers an incredible opportunity

那是因为地球为我们 提供了绝无仅有的机会

to explore its own origins

来探索地球的起源，

and understand how chemistry converted itself into an agent

理解化学物质如何转变成

capable of responding to its environment

能够对环境做出反应的物质，

and stimulating itself in response to this.

并刺激自己做出反应。

In the past 10 years, there has been remarkable innovations

过去 10 年中， 人们对生命起源的理解

in our understanding of origin of life.

有了重大创新。

I lead a research laboratory,

我领导研究团队，

and we are using statistics and mathematical models

我们利用统计学和数学模型、

and evolutionary systems

进化系统

and infer the sequences of ancient DNA that existed billions of years ago.

来推算几十亿年前 存在的古DNA序列。

We then synthesize these ancient DNA molecules

之后，我们合成了 这些古DNA分子，

and engineer them inside organisms.

并将其植入生命体中。

For the first time, we are able to activate molecules

这是我们第一次 成功激活了几十亿年前

that existed billions of years ago

存在的分子，

to understand and capture what happened back then.

理解、捕捉当时发生的事情。

We also stimulate and simulate ancient environments in the lab

我们还在实验室中 刺激、模拟远古环境，

to understand the ingredients

利用水、空气、岩石 还原这些环境，

by creating them from water, air and rocks.

理解当时的环境成分。

This means accessing and obtaining chemistry

这意味着获取

that is novel.

新的化学物质。

This means the ability to drive chemical reactions

这意味着刺激化学反应发生，

so that they can create chemistry that organizes itself.

形成能够自我组织的化学物质。

This means having chemistry in hand that may act lifelike.

这意味着，我们拥有了 具有生命特征的化学物质。

This is really remarkable.

这是很了不起的。

So we might wonder:

所以我们或许会想：

What do we do when we have this knowledge in our hands?

掌握了这些知识，那下一步呢？

This may mean that we would be able to connect the dots

这或许意味着我们能够连接

between nonliving and living

生命界与非生命界，

and understand how chemistry is translating and transforming

理解化学物质如何转变、转化、

and transitioning into a lifelike behavior.

过渡为生命的形态。

This may mean that we would be able to obtain the recipe of life, if you will,

这也许意味着我们能掌握 生命的配方，如能这么说的话，

and having this recipe would enable us to connect the dots

拥有了生命的配方， 我们就能连接

between these two states of living and nonliving.

生命与非生命两种状态。

This may enable us to look at the particular environments

我们也许就能观察特定环境，

and know how far along is that particular environment

知晓这个环境距离

from its own unique chemical revolution.

其独特的化学演化还有多远。

We might be able to study different planets and moons

也许我们能研究不同行星和卫星，

and assess them, and assess their chemistry,

对它们进行评估， 评估其化学物质，

and know how far along they are from giving birth to life.

知晓它们距离孕育生命还有多远。

And we may be able to guide our telescopes in the vast sky

也许我们能用望远镜更精准地

in more guided ways

望向广阔的太空，

in our pursuit of finding life in the universe.

在宇宙中寻找生命。

We might also ask ourselves: What can we do with this knowledge?

我们可能还会问自己： 用这些知识能做什么？

What if you weren't only assessing?

要是不只是评估呢？

What if we were also interacting and engaging with these planets and moons?

如果还要与这些行星、 卫星互动呢？

What if we were able to seed life

如果我们能在银河中几十亿个

across the billions of planets in the galaxy?

星球上中播种生命，会怎么样？

This would not be seeding them with Earth life.

并不是播种来自地球生命。

This wouldn't be engineering an Earth organism

不是改造地球已有的生命，

and preadapting them, and preconditioning them

对其进行预处理，

in a way that they exist and survive in this other planetary body.

使其适应其他星球的生活方式。

No.

不。

This this wouldn't be terraforming,

我们要做的并不是地球化，

altering the environment of this other planet,

改变其他星球原本的环境，

so that whatever we ship there makes it.

然后我们运送的 任何东西都能生存。

No.

不。

This would be about empowering and not colonizing these environments.

我们是要赋予这些星球孕育 生命的能力，而不是去殖民。

This would be about letting them explore their own unique chemistry

为这些星球提供缺失的成分，

to express their own unique reactions by providing them the missing ingredients.

让它们自己探索独特的化学物质， 发生独特的化学反应。

This wouldn't be about sending them some life

并不是输送生命，

so that we are genetically related

让这些生命与我们有亲缘关系，

or something that is familiar to us.

或是为我们所熟知。

This would be enabling them to do

这些星球上会发生

what perhaps they were supposed to do or meant to do all along,

本来就该发生的事情，

but they were lacking and missing ingredients.

只是之前缺少了一些成分。

And not lacking in the sense

并不是它们本身缺少了

that they themselves were lacking something important,

什么重要的东西，

in the sense that they weren't lacking, right?

它们自己本身 并不缺乏什么，对吧？

But what if we were able to send the spice?

那如果我们能添一把调料呢？

The secret sauce.

给它们神秘配方，

Give it a little nudge.

稍微向前推动一下，

For it to react

使其与星球上

with whatever is already present in this planetary body

本身存在的物质发生反应，

so that life is sparked,

就这样，生命迸发，

in conjunction and agreement with the own history and journey

与星球本身的历史、旅程

and origin of this own planetary body,

和起源结合，

without our meddling, without our direction,

没有我们的干预和指挥，

without anything that we do to direct this in any way.

我们也没有用 任何方式引导这一切。

This would be kickstarting a process that may unfold itself

这将有可能启动一个在未来

over thousands or millions of years into the future.

数千年甚至数百万年里 展开的旅程。

But should we do it?

但是，我们应该这样做吗？

This is an extraordinary proposition.

这个提议多么非同寻常。

And it brings up an extraordinary dilemma about what it means to be alive.

这个提议引发了新的困境： 活着意味着什么？

Does life, as a chemical system capable of formulating,

生命作为化学系统， 能够对自身的存在发出疑问，

and in some cases answering, questions about its own existence,

甚至在一定条件下 能够解答这些问题，

have a responsibility or should have a prohibition

那么生命体是否有责任， 抑或是否该制止

against sponsoring more life across the universe?

在宇宙中播种生命的行为？

Do we do this just because we could?

我们能因为自己做得到， 就去这样做吗？

And what is the ethical difference and is there any ethical difference

在向外星播种某种地球生命，

between spreading a particular Earth life

与赋予外星孕育生命的可能之间，

versus spreading a potential of life across the galaxy?

是否存在伦理上的差异？ 这种差异是什么？

And where does this difference lie?

这种差异在哪里？

So I really tried to bring you answers today,

我很想试着给出答案，

and I don't have any.

我却没有答案。

But I see the facts shaping in front of me.

但我看到事实在我面前展开。

A universe full with life is interesting

充满生命的宇宙很有趣，

because having a solution in hand has value, right?

因为掌握解决对策 是有价值的，对吧？

But perhaps the spontaneity

但是也许发现新化学物质、

and unpredictability of discovering novel chemistries and novel life forms

新生命形式的自发性与不确定性

is also interesting and has its own unique merits.

也很有趣，具有独特的价值。

But do we get to set course

但是我们是否应该设定方向，

and let natural evolution discover its own local environments

让自然演化无论在宇宙中的何处

wherever it might be in the cosmos?

都能探索自己所处的环境呢？

An empty universe in this regard, I think,

在这一点上，我认为可以视宇宙为

can be viewed as an wide open palette for solutions waiting to be discovered.

一块巨大的空白调色板， 等待未知答案的出现。

But should we do it just because we can?

能因为我们做得到， 就去这样做吗？

It is very important to keep in mind that Earth is our only home,

地球是人类唯一的家园， 这一点我们需要牢记在心。

and it's a good planet.

地球是个美好的星球。

And you know the saying: “Good planets are hard to find.”

大家都听说过一句话：“好的星球很难找到”。 （Steve Forbert演唱的歌曲）

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I know that, I've been looking for one.

我知道，我一直在寻找。

I'll let you know when I find a good one.

等我找到了会告诉大家。

Exploring the origins may allow us to truly understand life around us,

探索生命的起源让我们 真正理解我们周围的生命，

and perhaps an exercise like this may encourage us

也许这样的实验将会促进人类

to truly appreciate and understand how life emerged in the first place.

真正珍惜和理解 生命最初是如何诞生的。

I really think that in order for us

我相信，要理解

to understand the biology and life around us,

我们身边的生物学和生命，

we really need to understand

就要理解

how life happened to this planet in the first place.

地球上的第一个生命 是如何诞生的。

I really, really believe in this.

我真的相信这一点。

I will dedicate my life to do this.

我将奉献一生追求这一事业。

And before I leave to do that, back to my lab that I missed very much,

在我结束演讲，回到我 十分想念的实验室之前，

let me ask you again:

让我再来问一次：

A universe that is empty and one with a lot of life.

一个空荡荡宇宙和 一个充满生命的宇宙，

Which one of this is more interesting to you?

你对哪个更感兴趣？

Thank you. Thank you very much.

谢谢。非常感谢。

Teşekkürler.

谢谢（土耳其语）。

(Applause)

（掌声）