How supercharged plants could slow climate change | Joanne Chory

翻译人员: Bighead Ge 校对人员: Lipeng Chen

I recently had an epiphany.

我最近有了顿悟。

I realized that I could actually play a role

我发现，其实我 可以扮演一个角色，

in solving one of the biggest problems that faces mankind today,

协助解决人类现今 所面临最大的一个难题，

and that is the problem of climate change.

那就是气候变化的问题。

It also dawned on me that I had been working for 30 years or more

我也开始明白， 我已经工作了三十年，

just to get to this point in my life

只是为了到达 人生中的这个节点，

where I could actually make this contribution to a bigger problem.

让我能为更大的问题贡献心力。

And every experiment that I have done in my lab

过去三十年，

我在实验室中做的每个实验，

over the last 30 years

and people who work for me did in my lab over the last 30 years

以及过去三十年，

在实验室中 手下人所做的实验，

has been directed toward doing the really big experiment,

都是为了这个非常大的实验，

this one last big experiment.

最后一个大实验。

So who am I?

所以，我是谁呢？ 我是一个植物遗传学家。

I'm a plant geneticist.

I live in a world where there's too much CO2 in the atmosphere

我们居住的这个世界， 大气的二氧化碳浓度太高，

because of human activity.

而这是由于人类活动造成的。

But I've come to appreciate the plants

而我渐渐开始欣赏植物

as amazing machines that they are,

身为了不起的机器的那一面，

whose job has been, really, to just suck up CO2.

它们的工作都只是 吸光二氧化碳。

And they do it so well,

它们做得非常好， 因为它们做这件事

because they've been doing it for over 500 million years.

已经做了超过五亿年。

And they're really good at it.

它们非常擅长做这件事。

And so ...

所以……

I also have some urgency I want to tell you about.

我也有件急迫的事要跟各位谈。

As a mother, I want to give my two children a better world

身为母亲，我想要给 我的两个孩子更好的世界，

than I inherited from my parents,

至少比我父母给我的要更好，

it would be nicer to keep it going in the right direction,

我比较希望看到的是世界 朝对的方向继续前进，

not the bad direction.

而不是坏的方向。

But I also ...

但是我也……

I've had Parkinson's for the last 15 years,

我有帕金森氏症， 它跟了我十五年，

and this gives me a sense of urgency that I want to do this now,

这让我更急着想要 现在就做这件事，

while I feel good enough to really be part of this team.

趁我的状况还不错， 还能为团队尽力的时候。

And I have an incredible team.

我的团队非常棒。

We all work together,

我们都同心协力，

and this is something we want to do because we have fun.

我们想要做这件事 是因为我们做得很开心。

And if you're only going to have five people trying to save the planet,

而且，如果你们只有五个人 在试图拯救地球，

you better like each other,

你们最好喜欢彼此，因为你们 会花很多时间相处在一起。

because you're going to be spending a lot of time together.

(Laughter)

（笑声）

OK, alright. But enough about me.

好，不要再谈我了。

Let's talk about CO2.

咱们来谈谈二氧化碳。

CO2 is the star of my talk.

二氧化碳是我这场演说的明星。

Now, most of you probably think of CO2 as a pollutant.

在座大部分的人可能都认为 二氧化碳是污染物。

Or perhaps you think of CO2 as the villain in the novel, you know?

或者，也许你们认为 二氧化碳是小说中的反派。

It's always the dark side of CO2.

总是看到二氧化碳的黑暗面。

But as a plant biologist, I see the other side of CO2, actually.

但是，身为植物生物学家， 我看的其实是二氧化碳的另一面。

And that CO2 that we see,

我们所看到的二氧化碳，

we see it differently because I think we remember, as plant biologists,

我们会对它另眼看待是因为， 身为植物生物学家，我们记得

something you may have forgotten.

某件你们可能已经遗忘的事。

And that is that plants actually do this process called photosynthesis.

那就是，植物会进行 一个叫做光合作用的过程。

And when they do photosynthesis --

当它们进行光合作用时——

all carbon-based life on our earth

地球上所有的碳基生物，

is all because of the CO2 that plants and other photosynthetic microbes

都来自于植物 和其他光合作用微生物

have dragged in from CO2 that was in the atmosphere.

把大气中的二氧化碳吸收进来。

And almost all of the carbon in your body came from air, basically.

基本上，你们体内 所有的碳都来自空气。

So you come from air,

所以你们来自空气，

and it's because of photosynthesis,

因为光合作用，

because what plants do is they use the energy in sunlight,

因为植物所做的就是 使用太阳的能量

take that CO2 and fix it into sugars.

来吸取二氧化碳，放到糖类中。

It's a great thing.

这是件好事。

And the other thing that is really important

还有一件事，也对今天 要谈的主题很重要，

for what I'm going to tell you today

is that plants and other photosynthetic microbes

那就是，植物和其他 光合作用微生物

have a great capacity for doing this --

做这件事的能力很强——

twentyfold or more than the amount of CO2 that we put up

比我们人类活动 所产生出来的二氧化碳量

because of our human activities.

还要高二十倍以上。

And so, even though we're not doing a great job

所以，虽然我们在减少排放方面

at cutting our emissions and things,

没有做得很好，

plants have the capacity,

但是，身为光合作用有机体，

as photosynthetic organisms, to help out.

植物或许有能力协助我们。

So we're hoping that's what they'll do.

所以，我们希望它们能够帮忙。

But there's a catch here.

但是，没这么容易的事。

We have to help the plants a little ourselves,

我们自己得要先稍微协助植物，

because what plants like to do is put most of the CO2 into sugars.

因为，植物会做的是把 大部分的二氧化碳放到糖类中。

And when the end of the growing season comes,

在生长季节要结束时，

the plant dies and decomposes,

植物会死亡并分解，

and then all that work they did to suck out the CO2 from the atmosphere

接着，它们之前做的所有工作：

将二氧化碳从大气中吸掉

and make carbon-based biomass

以及制造碳基生物质，

is now basically going right back up in the atmosphere as CO2.

现在基本上都以二氧化碳的 形式回到大气当中。

So how can we get plants to redistribute the CO2 they bring in

所以，我们要如何让植物

重新分配它们所带入的二氧化碳，

into something that's a little more stable?

制成稍微更稳定一点的东西？

And so it turns out that plants make this product,

结果发现，植物会制造一项产物，

and it's called suberin.

叫做软木脂。

This is a natural product that is in all plant roots.

它是一种天然产物， 在所有植物的根部都有。

And suberin is really cool,

软木脂非常酷，

because as you can see there, I hope,

因为各位可以在这里 看到，我希望可以，

everywhere you see a black dot, that's a carbon.

凡是看到黑点的地方，就代表碳。

There's hundreds of them in this molecule.

在这个分子中有数百个黑点。

And where you see those few red dots,

还可以看到少数的红点，

those are oxygens.

它们是氧。

And oxygen is what microbes like to find

微生物喜欢去找氧，

so they can decompose a plant.

这么一来它们就可以分解植物。

So you can see why this is a perfect carbon storage device.

所以各位可以看得出来这为什么 是个完美的碳储存装置。

And actually it can stabilize the carbon that gets fixed by the plant

事实上，它可以稳定

植物所提供的碳，

into something that's a little bit better for the plant.

成为对植物更好一点的东西。

And so, why now?

所以，为什么是现在？

Why is now a good time to do a biological solution to this problem?

为什么现在是个好的时机点， 很适合用生物解决方案

来处理这个问题？

It's because over the last 30 or so years --

因为，在过去三十年左右——

and I know that's a long time, you're saying, "Why now?" --

我知道那是很长的时间， 你们说“为什么是现在？”——

but 30 years ago, we began to understand

但是，三十年前，我们开始了解

the functions of all the genes that are in an organism in general.

一般有机体中所有基因的功能。

And that included humans as well as plants

那包括了人类以及植物，

and many other complicated eukaryotes.

还有许多其他复杂的真核生物。

And so, what did the 1980s begin?

所以，80年代是什么的开端？

What began then is that we now know

那时，我们开始了解

the function of many of the genes that are in a plant

在植物中有许多基因的功能 在告诉植物要如何生长。

that tell a plant to grow.

And that has now converged with the fact that we can do genomics

那些知识现在被用在基因组学上，

in a faster and cheaper way than we ever did before.

发明出比以前更快速、 更便宜的方法。

And what that tells us is that all life on earth is really related,

我们从中学到的是， 地球上的所有生命都是相关联的，

but plants are more related to each other than other organisms.

但是，植物和彼此的关系 比和其他有机体之间的关系更密切。

And that you can take a trait that you know from one plant

你可以选一项 你所知道的植物特性，

and put it in another plant,

放到另一株植物上，

and you can make a prediction that it'll do the same thing.

你便可以预测， 它会做出同样的事。

And so that's important as well.

这点也十分重要。

Then finally, we have these little genetic tricks that came along,

最后，我们还有 这些小小的基因技俩，

like you heard about this morning --

比如今天早上各位听到的那些——

things like CRISPR, that allows us to do editing

像是 CRISPR，可以用来编辑基因

and make genes be a little different from the normal state in the plant.

并制造出和植物中 正常状态不太一样的基因。

OK, so now we have biology on our side.

好的，现在，生物学 站在我们这一边。

I'm a biologist, so that's why I'm proposing a solution

我是生物学家，那就是为什么

我针对气候变化问题 提出的解决方案

to the climate change problem

that really involves the best evolved organism on earth to do it -- plants.

会需要依赖地球上演化得 最好的有机体——植物。

So how are we going to do it?

所以，我们要怎么做？

Biology comes to the rescue.

生物学来救援了。来吧。

Here we go.

OK.

好的。

You have to remember three simple things from my talk, OK?

请各位记住这场演说的 三个简单要点，好吗？

We have to get plants to make more suberin than they normally make,

我们要让植物制造出 比正常量更多的软木脂，

because we need them to be a little better than what they are.

因为我们需要它们 比现在的状态再更好一些。

We have to get them to make more roots,

我们要让它们制造更多根，

because if we make more roots, we can make more suberin --

因为，如果能制造多根， 就能制造更多软木脂——

now we have more of the cells that suberin likes to accumulate in.

现在，我们有更多 能够聚集软木脂的细胞，

And then the third thing is, we want the plants to have deeper roots.

第三点，我们希望植物的根更深。

And what that does is --

那样的用途是——

we're asking the plant, actually, "OK, make stable carbon,

我们其实是在请求植物： “好，制造稳定的碳，

more than you used to,

比平常的还要多，

and then bury it for us in the ground."

接着，为我们 将这些碳埋在地下。 ”

So they can do that if they make roots that go deep

所以，如果它们的根很深，

而不是在接近土壤表面处迂回， 它们就能做到这件事。

rather than meander around on the surface of the soil.

Those are the three traits we want to change:

这三项特性是我们想要改变的：

more suberin, more roots, and the last one, deep roots.

更多软木脂、更多根， 以及，最后一项，更深的根。

Then we want to combine all those traits in one plant,

接着，我们想把这三项特性 结合到同一株植物中，

and we can do that easily and we will do it,

这很容易，我们将会这么做，

and we are doing it actually, in the model plant, Arabidopsis,

其实，我们正在这么做， 用的是模型植物，阿拉伯芥，

which allows us to do these experiments much faster

这种植物让我们 做实验的速度能更快，

than we can do in another big plant.

比使用其他大型植物更快。

And when we find that we have plants where traits all add up

当我们的植物有了 所有这些特性之后，

and we can get more of them, more suberin in those plants,

我们就能从那些植物 取得更多软木脂，

we're going to move it all --

我们打算全部移植——

we can and we we will, we're beginning to do this --

我们能且我们会这么做， 我们已经开始着手——

move it to crop plants.

移植到作物植物上。

And I'll tell you why we're picking crop plants to do the work for us

我等下会告诉各位 为什么要选作物植物

when I get to that part of my talk.

来为我们做这项工作。

OK, so I think this is the science behind the whole thing.

好，这就是这种做法背后的科学。

And so I know we can do the science, I feel pretty confident about that.

我知道科学的部分我们 没问题，这我有信心。

And the reason is because, just in the last year,

原因是因为，就在去年，

we've been able to find single genes that affect each of those three traits.

我们分别找出了影响 那三项特性的个别基因。

And in several of those cases, two out of the three,

在许多情况中， 大概有三分之二的比例，

we have more than one way to get there.

我们都有不只一种方法可以办到。

So that tells us we might be able to even combine within a trait

那就表示，我们甚至可以 在单一项特性中做组合，

and get even more suberin.

来取得更多软木脂。

This shows one result,

这里呈现的结果是， 在右手边的植物，

where we have a plant here on the right

that's making more than double the amount of root

它的根的数量，比左边的 一般植物高出两倍之多，

than the plant on the left,

and that's just because of the way we expressed one gene

它会变成这样，是因为我们 将这种植物中的一个常见基因

that's normally in the plant

in a slightly different way than the plant usually does on its own.

用和它自己一般的做法 稍微不同的方式来表现。

Alright, so that's just one example I wanted to show you.

好，这只是我想 给各位看的一个例子。

And now I want to tell you that, you know,

现在，我想要跟各位谈的是，

we still have a lot of challenges, actually,

我们其实还要面对很多挑战， 才能解决这个问题，

when we get to this problem,

because it takes ...

We have to get the farmers to actually buy the seeds,

我们得要让农夫 真的去买这些种子，

或至少让种子公司去买

or at least the seed company to buy seeds

that farmers are going to want to have.

农夫想要买的这些种子。

And so when we do the experiments,

所以，当我们做实验时，

we can't actually take a loss in yield,

我们其实无法承受产出损失，

because while we are doing these experiments,

因为，当我们在做这些实验时，

say, beginning about 10 years from now,

比如，从现在开始算起十年，

the earth's population will be even more than it is right now.

地球的人口将会比现在还多。

And it's rapidly growing still.

人口仍然在快速成长。

So by the end of the century, we have 11 billion people,

到这个世纪末， 我们将有一百一十亿人，

we have wasted ecosystems that aren't really going to be able to handle

我们未能有效利用的生态系统， 将无法处理

all the load they have to take from agriculture.

来自农业的所有负荷。

And then we also have this competition for land.

接着，还有土地竞争。

And so we figure, to do this carbon sequestration experiment

所以，我们认为， 要做这种碳隔离实验，

actually requires a fair amount of land.

其实会需要相当大片的土地。

We can't take it away from food,

我们不能抢食物用的土地，

because we have to feed the people that are also going to be on the earth

因为在我们渡过这次危机之前，

until we get past this big crisis.

我们仍然得要提供 食物给地球上的人。

And the climate change is actually causing loss of yield all over the earth.

而气候变化其实已经 在世界各地造成了产出损失。

So why would farmers want to buy seeds

所以，农夫怎么会想要买 会影响产出的种子？

if it's going to impact yield?

So we're not going to let it impact yield,

所以，我们不能让它影响产出，

we're going to always have checks and balances

我们得要一直有制衡原则，

that says go or no go on that experiment.

来决定实验要不要进行。

And then the second thing is, when a plant actually makes more carbon

第二点，当植物 真的制造出更多碳，

and buries it in the soil like that,

并这样将碳埋入土壤时，

almost all the soils on earth are actually depleted of carbon

地球上几乎所有的土壤的碳 可能都已经耗尽了，

because of the load from agriculture,

原因是农业的负担，

trying to feed eight billion people,

现在地球上有八十亿人，

which is what lives on the earth right now.

要提供他们食物所造成的负担。

And so, that is also a problem as well.

所以，那也是个问题。

Plants that are making more carbon, those soils become enriched in carbon.

制造更多碳的植物， 那些土壤就会更富含碳。

And carbon-enriched soils actually hold nitrogen

富含碳的土壤其实也含有氮，

and they hold sulphur and they hold phosphate --

还有硫以及磷酸盐——

all the minerals that are required for plants to grow and have a good yield.

这些都是植物成长并盛产 所需要的矿物质。

And they also retain water in the soil as well.

它们也会让土壤中保有水份。

So the suberin will break up into little particles

所以，软木脂会拆开成为小粒子，

and give the whole soil a new texture.

让整体土壤有新的结构。

And as we've shown that we can get more carbon in that soil,

我们已经展示过， 若土壤中有更多碳，

the soil will get darker.

颜色会变得比较暗。

And so we will be able to measure all that,

我们能够测量这项特性，

and hopefully, this is going to help us solve the problem.

希望这能协助我们解决问题。

So, OK.

所以，好的。

So we have the challenges of a lot of land that we need to use,

我们的挑战包括 需要使用很多土地，

we have to get farmers to buy it,

要让农夫去购买，

and that's going to be the hard thing for us, I think,

我认为，那对我们来说会很困难，

because we're not really salesmen,

因为我们不是推销员，

we're people who like to Google a person rather than meet them,

我们这种人比较喜欢去 Google 别人而不是去和别人见面。

you know what I mean?

你们能懂吧？

（笑声）

(Laughter)

大部分科学家都是这样子的。

That's what scientists are mostly like.

But we know now that, you know, no one can really deny --

但是我们知道，没有人能否认——

the climate is changing, everyone knows that.

气候正在变迁，大家都知道。

And it's here and it's bad and it's serious,

事情发生了，状况很糟，很严重，

and we need to do something about it.

而我们得要采取行动。

But I feel pretty optimistic that we can do this.

但是对此我是相对乐观。

So I'm here today as a character witness for plants.

所以，今天我是以植物的 品格证人身分来到这里。

And I want to tell you that plants are going to do it for us,

我想要告诉各位， 植物会为我们做这些，

all we have to do is give them a little help,

我们只需要给它们一点点协助，

and they will go and get a gold medal for humanity.

它们就会为人类取得金牌。

Thank you very much.

非常谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）

(Cheers)

（欢呼）

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）

I finally got it out.

我终于把它说完了。

Chris Anderson: Wow.

克里斯·安德森：哇。

Joanne, you're so extraordinary.

乔安妮，你真了不起。

Just to be sure we heard this right:

让我确认一下我们有听对：

you believe that within the next 10 years

你认为在接下来的十年间，

you may be able to offer the world

你们将会为世界创造出

seed variants for the major crops, like -- what? -- wheat, corn, maybe rice,

主要作物种子的变种， 比如小麦、玉米，也许还有稻子，

that can offer farmers just as much yield,

而且农夫还是能保持产量，

sequester three times, four times, more carbon than they currently do?

并捕捉到比目前还要高 三倍或四倍的碳量？

Even more than that?

甚至更多？

Joanne Chory: We don't know that number, really.

乔安妮·乔里：我们其实 不知道确切数字。

But they will do more.

但是它们会产出更多。

CA: And at the same time,

安德森：并且，同时，

make the soil that those farmers have more fertile?

让那些农夫的土壤更肥沃？

JC: Yes, right.

乔安妮：是的，没错。

CA: So that is astonishing.

安德森：那好惊人。

And the genius of doing that and a solution that can scale

且非常天才，这个解决方案能够

将已经有的规模再扩大规模。

where there's already scale.

JC: Yes, thank you for saying that.

乔安妮：是的，谢谢你这么说。

CA: No, no, you said it, you said it.

安德森：不，不，是你说的，你说的。

But it almost seems too good to be true.

但听起来太好了，不太像真的。

Your Audacious Project is that we scale up the research in your lab

你的“大胆项目”是要 把你的实验室研究扩大规模，

and pave the way to start some of these pilots

并为一些试点计划铺路，

and make this incredible vision possible.

让这了不起的远景成为可能。

JC: That's right, yes, thank you.

乔安妮：没错，是的，谢谢你。

CA: Joanne Chory, thank you so much.

安德森：乔安妮·乔里， 非常谢谢你。祝成功。

Godspeed.

(Applause)

（掌声）

JC: Thank you.

乔安妮：谢谢你。