The fascinating (and dangerous) places scientists aren't exploring | Ella Al-Shamahi

翻译人员: Yu Xie 校对人员: Jingdan Niu

So I've got something that I'm slightly embarrassed to admit to.

我有一些不太想承认的尴尬的事情。

At the age of 17,

在17岁的时候，

as a creationist,

作为一名发明家，

I decided to go to university to study evolution

我决定去大学学习进化论，

so that I could destroy it.

这样我就可以毁灭掉它。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I failed.

如你们所见，我失败了。

I failed so spectacularly that I'm now an evolutionary biologist.

我失败得彻彻底底， 现在更是成为了一名进化生物学家。

(Applause)

（掌声）

So I'm a paleoanthropologist, I'm a National Geographic Explorer

我现在是一名古人类学研究者， 也是一名国家地理探索者，

specializing in fossil hunting in caves

专攻那些掩埋在山洞以及

in unstable, hostile and disputed territories.

不稳定、有争议地区里的化石。

And we all know that if I was a guy and not a girl,

我们都知道， 如果我是一个男性而不是女性的话，

that wouldn't be a job description, that would be a pick-up line.

以上内容就不是一份职业简述， 而是一种炫耀的谈资。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Now, here's the thing. I do not have a death wish.

有件事我需要澄清一下， 我并没有一颗冒险的热血之心。

I'm not an adrenaline junkie.

我并不是肾上腺素瘾君子。

I just looked at a map.

我只是会查看地图。

See, frontline exploratory science does not happen as much

开创性的探索科学 并没有那么多，

in politically unstable territories.

尤其是在一个政局动荡的地区上。

This is a map of all the places which the British Foreign Office

这是一幅地图，上面有被英国外交部

have declared contain red zones, orange zones

标上了红色、橘色的地方，

or have raised some kind of a threat warning about.

以及特意做了警示的地方。

Now I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it is a tragedy

现在我正在这里一个分支上做着探索， 并且认为如果我们

if we're not doing frontline exploratory science in a huge portion of the planet.

在如此广袤的星球上没有做任何 前沿科学的探索，这绝对是一种悲剧。

所以，对于学科的探索而言， 地理因素成了一个问题。

And so science has a geography problem.

Also, as a paleoanthropologist,

并且，作为一名古人类学家，

guys, this is basically a map of some of the most important places

这些被标记的地方 也正是进行人类科学探索中

in the human journey.

十分重要的地方。

There are almost definitely fascinating fossils to be found here.

这些地方大概率埋着珍贵的化石。

But are we looking for them?

但是我们是在寻找它们吗？

And so as an undergraduate, I was repeatedly told

当我还是本科生的时候， 我就被反复告知

that humans, be they ourselves, homo sapiens, or earlier species,

人类、智人甚至是更早的人种，

that we left Africa via the Sinai of Egypt.

都是通过埃及 的西奈半岛离开的非洲。

I'm English, as you can probably tell from my accent,

你们也许能从我的口音中 听出我是英国人，

but I am actually of Arab heritage,

但实际上，我的祖先来自阿拉伯，

and I always say that I'm very, very Arab on the outside.

我总是不耐其烦地说在外表上 我真的很像阿拉伯人。

You know, I can really be passionate.

我可以非常的热情，

比如， “你真棒！我爱死你了！”

Like, "You're amazing! I love you!"

But on the inside, I'm really English, so everybody irritates me.

但是在内里，我又十分像英国人， 所以每个人都在令我烦躁。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

It's true.

这些都是实话。

And the thing is, my family are Arab from Yemen,

事实上，我的家人是 从也门到达的阿拉伯。

我也知道那一条路，

and I knew that that channel,

Bab-el-Mandeb,

巴布-埃尔-阿姆德布,

is not that much of a feat to cross.

并不是很难跨越的。

And I kept asking myself this really simple question:

我以前也总是在 自问一个很简单的问题：

if the ancestors to New World monkeys could somehow cross the Atlantic Ocean,

如果新大陆猴子的祖先都能够 用某种方法穿越大西洋，

why couldn't humans cross that tiny stretch of water?

那为什么人类不能越过那一小段水？

But the thing is, Yemen,

但问题是，

compared to, let's say, Europe,

相比于欧洲，

was so understudied

我们并没有对也门做过充分的研究，

that it was something akin to near virgin territory.

也就相当于这是一次 对于处女地的探索。

But that, along with its location, made the sheer potential for discovery

但是加上它的地理位置， 这将是一场纯粹的探索之旅，

so exciting,

太令人激动了，

and I had so many questions.

为此我内心充满了许多问题。

When did we first start using Bab-el-Mandeb?

我们是什么时候第一次开始使用 巴布-埃尔-阿姆德布这一条路的？

But also, which species of human besides ourselves made it to Yemen?

另外，除了我们之外， 还有哪些人种去了也门？

Might we find a species as yet unknown to science?

我们会找到还未发现的新人种吗？

And it turned out, I wasn't the only one who had noticed Yemen's potential.

并且最后证明了，我并不是 唯一一个注意到也门研究潜力的人。

There was actually a few other academics out there.

还有其他的学者也在关注这个地区。

But sadly, due to political instability, they moved out, and so I moved in.

但不幸的是，由于政局动荡， 他们退出了研究，于是我进去了。

And I was looking for caves:

我在寻找洞穴，

caves because caves are the original prime real estate.

因为洞穴是最原始的居住地。

But also because if you're looking for fossils in that kind of heat,

而且如果当你在如此炎热 的天气下去寻找化石，

your best bet for fossil preservation is always going to be caves.

洞穴是化石出现概率最高的地方。

But then, Yemen took a really sad turn for the worse,

但接着，就在我计划 飞去也门的前几天，

and just a few days before I was due to fly out to Yemen,

也门局势急剧变糟，

the civil war escalated into a regional conflict,

内战升级为地区冲突，

the capital's airport was bombed

首都机场被炸，

and Yemen became a no-fly zone.

因此也门成了禁飞区。

Now, my parents made this decision before I was born:

我的父母在我未出生前 便做出了一个决定：

that I would be born British.

我必须在英国出生， 成为一名英国人。

I had nothing to do with the best decision of my life.

这一个我一生中最好的决定， 其实和我没有太大关系。

And now ...

但是现在……

Now the lucky ones in my family have escaped,

我的家族中有幸存者逃了出来，

and the others, the others are being been bombed

而其他人就处在被随时炸死的危境下，

and send you WhatsApp messages that make you detest your very existence.

给你发来一条让你对自己的 存在感到厌恶的消息。

This war's been going on for four years.

这场战争持续了4年，

It's been going on for over four years, and it has led to a humanitarian crisis.

并将再持续四年， 而且引出了人道主义危机。

There is a famine there,

也门出现了饥荒，

a man-made famine.

一场人为制造的饥荒。

That's a man-made famine, so not a natural famine,

这是一场人为制造而非自然的饥荒，

an entirely man-made famine that the UN has warned

是一场完全由人类制造的灾难，

could be the worst famine the world has seen in a hundred years.

联合国已经发出警告，这场饥荒 将可能成为近百年来最恶劣的一次。

This war has made it clear to me more than ever

而这场战争让我 前所未有的看得清清楚楚，

that no place, no people deserve to get left behind.

没有任何一个地区、 任何一个人应该被遗忘。

And so I was joining these other teams, and I was forming new collaborations

于是我加入了一些团队， 并在一些不稳定的地区

in other unstable places.

组建了新的合作。

But I was desperate to get back into Yemen,

但是我仍渴望回到也门，

because for me, Yemen's really personal.

我对于也门有着非常强烈的个人情感。

And so I kept trying to think of a project I could do in Yemen

我一直在思考着能在也门做些什么，

that would help highlight what was going on there.

在思考一个能够让公众知道 也门的现状的项目。

And every idea I had just kept failing,

我计划了很多， 但是总在失败，

or it was just too high-risk, because let's be honest,

有的是因为太过于危险。 因为诚实地说，

most of Yemen is just too dangerous for a Western team.

对于一支西方的研究团队而言， 也门基本上没有一个安全的地方。

But then I was told that Socotra, a Yemeni island,

但是突然， 我被告知 一个也门的岛屿，索科特拉岛，

was safe once you got there.

只要你去了，就会发现那里是安全的。

In fact, it turned out there was a few local and international academics

后来我发现，在这座岛上， 有一些当地以及国际的

that were still working there.

研究机构仍在工作。

And that got me really excited,

这让我感到非常激动，

because look at Socotra's proximity to Africa.

因为请看一下，索科特拉岛 与非洲的距离有多近！

And yet we have no idea when humans arrived on that island.

那时我们对于人类登陆 那座岛屿的时间毫无头绪。

But Socotra, for those of you who know it,

但是索科特拉岛， 你们中的一部分也许知道，

well, let's just say you probably know it for a completely different reason.

但是是出于完全不同的原因。

You probably know it as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean,

你们也许是通过印度洋 加拉帕戈斯而知道的，

because it is one of the most biodiverse places on this earth.

也许是因为作为地球上生物多样性 最复杂的地区之一而知道的它。

But we were also getting information

但我们在越来越多的信息中发现，

that this incredibly delicate environment and its people

这个地区以及生活在其中的人们

were under threat

实际上处于中东政局，

because they were at the frontline of both Middle Eastern politics

以及气候变化的

and climate change.

危险前线。

And it slowly dawned on me that Socotra was my Yemen project.

这些认知让索科特拉岛 成为了我也门项目的研究重点。

And so I wanted to put together a huge multidisciplinary team.

因此，我想组建起一支 庞大的多学科协作的团队。

We wanted to cross the archipelago on foot, camel and dhow boat

我们想通过步行、骆驼和独桅帆船 等方式穿越这些群岛，

to conduct a health check of this place.

对这个地方进行完整的检查。

This has only been attempted once before, and it was in 1999.

而这项举措仅仅 在1999年实行过一次。

But the thing is, that is not an easy thing to pull off.

这并不是一件容易完成的事情。

And so we desperately needed a recce,

我们非常需要一个勘察报告，

and for those of you who aren't familiar with British English,

让我先来为并不熟悉英式英语的 观众们解释一下，

a recce is like a scouting expedition.

recce就像是探险考察，

It's like a reconnaissance.

或者说是侦察。

And I often say that a really big expedition without a recce

我认为一个没有侦察人员的大型考察

is a bit like a first date without a Facebook stalk.

跟第一次约会前没有 悄悄看过对方脸书一样。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Like, it's doable, but is it wise?

也就是说，这样虽然是可以的， 但是这是明智的吗？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

There's a few too many knowing laughs in this room.

这些笑声里夹杂着一些 已然明了的声音。

Anyway, so then our recce team thankfully were no strangers to unstable places,

庆幸的是，我们的勘察部队 对于不安定的地区非常熟悉，

which, let's be honest, is kind of important

老实说，因为我们要抵达也门

because we were trying to get to a place between Yemen and Somalia,

与索马里亚中间的地区， 这一点就凸现得尤为重要。

And after calling in what felt like a million favors,

在募集了包括副省长在内的

including to the deputy governor,

一百万次援助后，

我们终于踏上了探索之路，

we finally found ourselves on the move,

albeit on a wooden cement cargo ship

尽管用的是一艘穿行在 印度洋海盗水域的，

sailing through pirate waters in the Indian Ocean

拿这个当作厕所的

with this as a toilet.

用木头巩固过的货船。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Can you guys see this?

你们能看得到么？

You know how everybody has their worst toilet story?

这成为了成员最糟糕的如厕经历。

Well, I've never swam with dolphins before.

我从来没有和海豚一起游过泳，

I just went straight to pooping on them.

当时却直接在它们身上大便。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And also, I genuinely discovered that I am genuinely less stressed

并且，我发现在海盗水域中 相比于我身处

的蟑螂成灾时候的，

by pirate waters

than I am with a cockroach infestation

那种强烈的刺激，

that was so intense

那种当我在甲板下，

that at one point I went belowdeck,

地板又黑并且还在移动的情况下，

and the floor was black and it was moving.

更加放松。

(Audience moans)

（观众惊讶惋惜的声音）

Yeah, and at night there was three raised platforms to sleep on,

是的，船上有三个升起的 供睡觉的平台，

but there was only -- let's say there was four team members,

但是我们有四个成员，

and the thing is, if you got a raised platform to sleep on,

如果你得到了一个睡觉的台子，

you only had to contend with a few cockroaches during the night,

你就只需要忍受几只蟑螂，

whereas if you got the floor, good luck to you.

但如果你只能睡在地板上， 那就祝你好运了。

And so I was the only girl in the team and the whole ship,

那个时候我是整个团队 以及船上唯一的女性，

so I got away without sleeping on the floor.

所以我不用睡在地上。

And then, on, like, the fourth or fifth night,

但是，在第四或第五个的晚上，

Martin Edström looks at me and goes, "Ella, Ella I really believe in equality."

马丁·埃德斯特罗姆看着我说： ”艾拉，艾拉，我认为应该公平一点。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So we were sailing on that cement cargo ship for three days,

我们在船上又航行了三天，

and then we slowly started seeing land.

才慢慢地看到了陆地。

And after three years of failing,

在经历了三年的失败，

I was finally seeing Yemen.

我终于真实地看到了也门。

And there is no feeling on earth like that start of an expedition.

开始探索的心情是无法形容的。

It's this moment where you jump out of a jeep

就像是你从吉普车上跳下来

or you look up from a boat

或者说你从船上往上看的时候

and you know that there's this possibility,

内心中相信着有那么一种可能性，

it's small but it's still there,

尽管渺小但是存在，

that you're about to find something

你就要找到

that could add to or change our knowledge of who we are and where we come from.

能够增加甚至改变人们对于自我 以及祖先的认识的一些东西。

There is no feeling like it on earth,

这种心情无法比拟。

and it's a feeling that so many scientists have

很多科学家都有这样的体验，

but rarely in politically unstable places.

但在政局动荡的地区中几乎没有。

Because Western scientists are discouraged or all-out barred

因为西方科学家不被鼓励，甚至被禁止

from working in unstable places.

在不稳定的地区进行工作。

But here's the thing:

但是，有一点需要注意的是：

scientists specialize in the jungle.

研究丛林的科学家，

Scientists work in deep cave systems.

研究深洞穴的科学家，

Scientists attach themselves to rockets and blow themselves into outer space.

献身于火箭以及载人火箭 的科学家怎么办呢？

But apparently, working in an unstable place

但显然，在不稳定的地区工作

is deemed too high-risk.

被认为是高度危险的。

It is completely arbitrary.

这是一种武断的想法。

Who here in this room wasn't brought up on adventure stories?

在座的各位有谁没在 各式各样的冒险故事中成长的吗？

And most of our heroes were actually scientists and academics.

绝大多数的英雄其实都是 科学家和学者。

Science was about going out into the unknown.

科学在于探索未知，

It was about truly global exploration, even if there were risks.

在于全球性的探索， 尽管危机重重。

And so when did it become acceptable to make it difficult for science to happen

那从何时起这种科学不能 在不稳定地区开展的观念

in unstable places?

深入人心的呢？

And look, I'm not saying that all scientists should go off

我并不是说所有的科学家都应该

and start working in unstable places.

外出到危险的地方进行探索研究。

This isn't some gung-ho call.

这并不是什么狂热的的号召。

But here's the thing:

但事情是这样：

for those who have done the research, understand security protocol

对于那些完成了自己的研究， 并清楚安全规定，

and are trained,

接受了专业训练的研究者，

stop stopping those who want to.

要让他们停止去阻止 想要参与研究的人。

Plus,

加上，

just because one part of a country is an active war zone

一个国家的某些地区 正处于战时状态，

doesn't mean the whole country is.

并不能代表整个国家的形势。

I'm not saying we should go into active war zones.

我并不是在提倡 我们应该进入那些战区。

But Iraqi Kurdistan looks very different from Fallujah.

但是伊拉克库迪斯坦的情况 与费卢杰的情况完全不同。

And actually, a few months after I couldn't get into Yemen,

实际上，经历了好几个月， 我仍没有进入也门，

another team adopted me.

而是另外一个团队接纳了我。

So Professor Graeme Barker's team were actually working in Iraqi Kurdistan,

格雷姆·巴克教授的团队其实研究 的是伊拉克库迪斯坦地区，

and they were digging up Shanidar Cave.

他们那时正在挖掘沙尼达尔的洞穴。

Now, Shanidar Cave a few decades earlier

在距今几十年前， 研究人员从沙尼达尔洞穴中

had unveiled a Neanderthal known as Shanidar 1.

发现了尼安德特人种， 命名为沙尼达尔一号（Shanidar 1）。

Now, for a BBC/PBS TV series we actually brought Shanidar 1 to life,

通过BBC/PBS的电视系列节目， 我们才将沙尼达尔一号公布于众

and I want you guys to meet Ned, Ned the Neanderthal.

在这里我想将这位尼安德特人， 即内德（Ned）介绍给你们。

Now here's the coolest thing about Ned.

接下来是关于内德最酷的一点。

Ned, this guy,

这个被命名为内德的家伙，

you're meeting him before his injuries.

你们看到的是他受伤前的样子。

See, it turned out that Ned was severely disabled.

研究发现内德其实受了重伤。

如果没有其他尼安德特人的帮助，

He was in fact so disabled that there is no way he could have survived

without the help of other Neanderthals.

他所受的伤则是致命的。

And so this was proof that,

而这一发现也就证明了，

at least for this population of Neanderthals at this time,

至少对于那个时期的尼安德特人，

他们与现在的我们很像，

Neanderthals were like us,

and they sometimes looked after those who couldn't look after themselves.

他们会帮助那些没有自理能力的同类。

Ned's an Iraqi Neanderthal.

内德是一名来自伊拉克的尼安德特人。

So what else are we missing?

那我们还漏了什么信息呢？

What incredible scientific discoveries

有什么重要的科学发现

are we not making because we're not looking?

因为我们无意寻找而错过呢？

And by the way, these places, they deserve narratives of hope,

顺便一提，这些地方 是值得被赋予希望的，

and science and exploration can be a part of that.

是值得被探索与研究的。

In fact, I would argue that it can tangibly aid development,

其实我认为对于这些地方的 考查研究有助于当地的发展，

and these discoveries become a huge source of local pride.

这些发现能够成为 当地自豪感的源泉。

And that brings me to the second reason why science has a geography problem.

同时这一发现将我引向了第二个问题： 为什么科学具有地域性的问题。

See, we don't empower local academics, do we?

实际上，我们并没有 参与当地的研究。

Like, it's not lost on me

我并没有忘记，

that in my particular field of paleoanthropology

在古人类研究领域，

we study human origins,

我们研究人类的起源，

but we have so few diverse scientists.

但是我们的科学家背景太单一。

And the thing is, these places are full of students and academics

而这些地方充斥着大量的想要合作

who are desperate to collaborate,

的学生和学者。

and the truth is

并且事实是，

that for them,

对于他们来说，

they have fewer security issues than us.

他们会更少的考虑安全问题。

I think we constantly forget that for them it's not a hostile environment;

我们经常忘记，对他们来说， 这不是一个充满危险的环境，

for them it's home.

对他们来说，这里是家园。

I'm telling you,

以我的经验来说，

research done in unstable places with local collaborators

在不稳定的地区里， 当地协作者的参与

can lead to incredible discoveries,

往往会带来更加重要的发现，

and that is what we are hoping upon hope to do in Socotra.

而这正是我们希望 在索科特拉岛所做的事情。

They call Socotra

他们将索科特拉岛称为

the most alien-looking place on earth,

地球上最像外星球的地方，

and myself, Leon McCarron, Martin Edström and Rhys Thwaites-Jones could see why.

而我自己、利昂·麦卡伦、马丁·埃德斯特罗姆 以及里斯·斯威茨-琼斯知道其中缘由。

大家看看这个地方。

I mean, look at this place.

These places, they're not hellholes, they're not write-offs,

这些地方并不是荒蛮之地、 也不是没有价值的地方，

它们是未来科学探索的前沿阵地。

they're the future frontline of science and exploration.

90 percent of the reptiles on this island,

在这座岛上90%的爬行动物，

37 percent of the plant species exist here and nowhere else on earth,

以及37%的植物品种 是地球上独一无二的，

and that includes this species of dragon's blood tree,

其中还包括龙血树，

which actually bleeds this red resin.

一种能够分泌红色树脂的物种。

And there's something else.

这里还有其他的东西。

People on Socotra, some of them still live in caves,

在索科特拉岛居住的人们 有一部分仍居住在洞穴，

and that is really exciting,

这一发现真的令人热血澎湃，

because it means if a cave is prime real estate this century,

因为这些发现意味着， 如果洞穴是这个世纪主要的居住地点，

maybe it was a few thousand years ago.

也许它早在几千年前就是了。

But we need the data to prove it, the fossils, the stone tools,

但是我们需要例如化石、石器等的 数据去证明这一点，

and so our scouting team have teamed up with other scientists,

于是我们的侦察团队 就像艾哈迈德·阿拉克比一样，

anthropologists and storytellers,

与其他来自国际和当地的 科学家、人类学家、说书人

international as well as local, like Ahmed Alarqbi,

结成了一个团队，

and we are desperate to shed a light on this place

我们急切地想要在还没有太迟之前

before it's too late.

为这个地方寻求一个突破口。

And now, now we just somehow need to get back

而现在，我们需要做的是

for that really big expedition,

重新进入这个大型的探索中。

because science,

因为科学，

science has a geography problem.

具有地域性的问题。

You guys have been a really lovely audience.

你们真是一群可爱的观众。

Thank you.

谢谢聆听。

（鼓掌）

(Applause)