How Life on Earth Adapts to You and Me | Shane Campbell-Staton | TED

翻译人员: danying wang 校对人员: suya f.

So I'm an evolutionary biologist.

我是一名进化生物学家。

The thing I love most about evolution is the story.

我最喜欢进化书写的故事。

Evolution is a single story that links every species,

进化书写的是一个由每个物种

every branch in the tree of life together.

每个共生共荣的生命所窜成的故事。

It's this sense of connectivity with the rest of the living world.

就是这种万物相连的意识

It's like one of the reasons why I became a biologist in the first place.

让我从一开始便想成为生物学家。

Now, when Charles Darwin, my man Chuck D,

如今，当年查尔斯·达尔文， 我的Chuck D哥

when he first proposed this theory ...

提出进化论的时候

(Laughter)

（笑声）

When he first proposed the theory of evolution,

当初他提出进化论的时候

he imagined it as this slow, gradual process

他把进化想象成一个 缓慢、渐进的过程

that played out over thousands or millions of years.

延续了千百万年。

But now, in the face of all the different changes

然而如今，面对人类在地球上

that we are making to the planet,

带来的众多变化

we're finding that evolution is rapidly altering species around our planet

我们开始发现万物进化 的过程正让各个物种经历快速的转变

in order to live alongside us.

只为与人类共存。

And in our short time on this planet,

而我们在地球上生存的短短时间里

we have trimmed, trained

我们以惊人的速度减少了、驯化了

and reshuffled the tree of life at breakneck speed.

以及重组了生命的规律。

10,000 years ago,

一万年以前，

we had already learned how to manipulate the basic building blocks of life,

我们学会了如何利用生命 的基础组成部分

turning wild plants and animals into domesticated forms

栽培植物、驯养动物

to use for our own purposes.

为人私用。

With mass global transportation,

全球大规模运输的到来

we've reshuffled species around the globe,

让我们能够把全球物种迁移各地

bringing them together and forming all new ecological interactions.

聚集到一起，形成新的生态作用。

And on top of that,

在这个基础上，

we've fundamentally altered Earth's surface and its climate

我们也因为工厂化农业、城市化

through industrialized agriculture, urbanization,

造成了污染以及全球暖化

pollution and global warming.

从根本上改变了地球的表面和和气候。

Now I've dedicated my life to trying to understand

如今我已经奉献了一生来试图理解

the lasting biological impacts of our human footprint.

我们人类足迹所留下来 的长久生物影响。

One of the things that I've learned along the way is that life is a paradox.

这一路来，我学到的 一件事就是生命是个悖论。

It's simultaneously incredibly fragile

它极尽脆弱的同时

and relentlessly resilient.

也具有顽强的韧性。

The thing that impresses me most

让我印象最深的是

is that despite our devastating impacts on this planet,

尽管我们为地球带来毁灭性的影响，

I'm constantly in awe of the surprising, incredible,

生命还是能根据如今 人类影响地球的时代

amazing ways that life is changing,

奇妙地进行改变

evolving and adapting

转换和适应

to a time that's literally defined by our species' impact on the planet.

这一点我一直都很敬畏。

We now live in a time where one half of the human species lives in cities.

我们现在生活在这样一个时代， 人类中有一半生活在城市里。

As urban areas grow and expand,

随着城市面积的扩撒，

life around the world,

世界各地的生命，

non-human life, is changing

那些非人类的生命也在改变，

to figure out how to exploit the novel resources

来学会如何利用新的资源

and avoid the potential dangers.

和规避潜在的风险。

My research group and my colleagues have been studying these small lizards

我的研究团队和同事 一直在研究这些小型的蜥蜴

called anoles

他们叫做安乐蜥

that occur across the island of Puerto Rico.

生活在整个波多黎各的岛上。

Now, most of the time,

如今，大部分的时候

these lizards spend their time running up and down trees,

这些蜥蜴会在树上爬上爬下

chasing after insects, doing the things you know, that lizards do.

追逐昆虫，做一些蜥蜴该做的事情。

But in cities, they have evolved at the genetic level.

但在城市里，他们开始从基因上进化

They've evolved longer limbs and larger sticky toe pads

进化出了更长的四肢和更大的脚底吸盘

to utilize the sides of buildings

来适应住在高楼的侧面

and artificial surfaces like glass and metal and concrete as their homes.

以及如玻璃、金属 和混凝土等人造表面上。

They've also evolved greater heat tolerance

他们也进化出了更强的耐热性

to deal with the high temperatures that define dense urban environments,

来适应城市密集环境里的高温

what we call urban heat islands.

也就是所谓的城市热岛。

And what's more, is that multiple populations of this species

更重要的是，该物种的种群

have come up with the same solutions over and over again, independently.

已经分别一次又一次地 找出同样的适应方法。

Showing us that not only is the process of evolution very rapid sometimes,

这向我们表明了进化 的过程不仅可以非常快速

but in some cases it can also be quite predictable.

在某些情况下也是可以预测的。

Now, urbanization is not our only impact on this planet,

如今城市化不是我们 在地球上留下的唯一影响，

far from it.

这个影响和其他的相比，差远了。

Perhaps our earliest and longest-lasting impact

或许我们最早留下的最持久的影响

has been through our want and need

已经经过了我们曾为了 吃喝享乐而猎杀其他物种

to hunt other species for food and for sport.

来满足所需所求的阶段。

I spent the last few years studying the evolution of African elephants

我把读书最后的几年花 在研究非洲大象的进化，

in response to ivory poaching.

以应对象牙偷猎。

In Mozambique,

在莫桑比克，

there was a civil war from 1977 to 1992.

1977到1992年之间， 发生了一场内战。

During this time, in Gorongosa National Park,

这段期间，戈龙戈萨国家公园里 （Gorongosa National Park）

elephants in particular were reduced by 90 percent

大象的数量减少了百分之九十

because of the ivory trade, being targeted for their trademark tusks.

象牙贸易，让大象因其标志性 的象牙而成为攻击目标。

Now, under most circumstances, African elephants have tusks,

如今，绝大部分的情况下， 非洲大象都有象牙，

all males have tusks,

所有的公象有象牙

the vast majority of females have tusks.

母象多数也有象牙。

But there is a small number of females that carry a gene

但少数母象身上带着一种基因

that prevents them from growing their tusks.

让它们长不了象牙。

But after the Mozambican Civil War,

然而，莫桑比克内战结束后，

one-half of the surviving females, completely tuskless.

幸存的母象当中， 有一半完全不长象牙。

Now, during a time where individuals are being hunted

如今这个时代，个体是因为 身上的某种特质，

specifically for a trait,

如长着象牙，

having tusks,

而被猎捕，

not having that trait puts you at a decided advantage

而没有这种特质 就会让你在生存能力方面

in your ability to survive.

处于决定性的优势。

That in and of itself is natural selection.

这本身就是物尽天择。

Those surviving females then went on

这些幸存的母象接下来

and passed that gene on to many of their daughters.

也把这层基因遗传给很多雌性后代。

That turnover of genes across generations,

那跨代基因的更替

that is rapid evolution

就是快速的进化

in this long-lived species in response to a decade and a half

发生在了这个受人类猎捕十五年

of human hunting.

的长寿物种上。

I remember going to Gorongosa for the first time

我还记得第一次去戈龙戈萨

and participating in these elephant captures

参与捕捉大象的活动

where we collar these individuals

把大象圈起来

and collect data and track their movements.

来收集数据和记录他们的行踪。

And we came across this female,

我们遇到了这个母象

and she's old enough where we know that she had survived

一个年纪大到我们知道 它在莫桑比克内战

the Mozambican Civil War.

幸存了下来。

Now we sedated this female and as we were there,

我们给这头母象注入了镇静剂

sort of working up all of these data,

并在那里处理着数据，

looking into her big, groggy, sleepy eyes,

我看着她那双昏昏沉沉的大眼睛

and it really struck me, the impact that our species can have

我顿时感到非常震惊， 我们人类对其它生物世界

on the rest of the living world.

居然可以带来这样的影响。

This female, she lived during a time

这位母象生活的在这样一个时期

that saw nine out of ten of the members of her species slaughtered.

一个十分之九的同类遭宰杀的时期

But she survived.

但她幸存了下来。

She grew up, she went on and had children, had grandchildren,

她长大后有了子孙后代，

became the matriarch of a family group.

成为了家族的女族长。

But what strikes me the most about this story

但让我对此故事

is that the reason

印象最深的是

for all of that destruction and that slaughter

她们家族所经历的宰杀和破坏

was simply because

都是因为

humans like to make trinkets out of their teeth.

人类喜欢用他们的象牙来做小饰品。

Which is about the most

这是我至今说出来

ridiculous and sad thing I've ever had to say out loud.

最荒谬、最悲哀的话。

But we live in a time where even the simplest human whims

但我们如今生活的时代， 人最轻易的心血来潮

can fundamentally alter the evolutionary fate

也能从本质上改变

of the largest land animal on our planet.

世界上最大的陆地动物的进化命运。

And many of these stories of rapid evolution are sad,

这些与快速进化有关 的故事许多都让人伤心

but some also offer us hope for our own future on this planet.

但有些故事也能为人类在地球上 的未来带来希望。

In nature's struggle to deal with all the nonsense that we're throwing at her

我们一直以各种方式 在大自然的身上搞破坏，

in all these different ways,

而在大自然努力应对破坏的过程中，

some of those solutions may lead us to novel insights

其中一些应对方法或许可以 让我们获得新的见解，

that may help our bodies

帮助我们的身体

deal with things that we currently struggle with

应对我们目前正在努力应对的事情

that will allow us to survive all the different changes

让我们能够在这个星球上 发生的所有不同变化中

that we're making on this planet.

幸存下来。

For instance, fast forward to the year 2040,

例如，快进到2040年

it's estimated that there will be about 30.2 million new cancer cases

据估计，仅在那一年内

diagnosed in that year alone.

就会出现大约3020万的新癌症病例。

Now, we know a lot about the genes and mutations

现在，我们知道了很多关于

that are responsible for many cancers

导致许多癌症或

or make an individual more predisposed to getting cancer.

使个体更容易患癌症的基因突变。

We know a lot less about potential genetic mutations or variation

但对于可能会让个体对癌症抵抗力更强

that may make an individual more resistant

或更具韧性的潜在基因突变或变异

or more resilient to cancer.

我们知道的却更少。

But perhaps nature has already found the solution.

但也许大自然已经找到了解决办法。

April 26th, 1986,

1986年4月26日

the day before my very first birthday.

我出生的前一天

There was an explosion in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

切尔诺贝利核电站发生了一场爆炸。

Humans were immediately evacuated from that region,

人类立马撤离了该地区，

what is now called the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

这个如今叫切尔诺贝利禁区的地方。

But in the decades since,

但之后的十几年里

wildlife has actually moved into the Chernobyl exclusion zone

野生动物其实都住进了切尔诺贝利禁区

and has proliferated.

繁殖迅速。

So my research group and colleagues,

所以我和我的研究团队和同事

we have been studying the wolves that live in the Chernobyl exclusion zone,

一直在研究生活 在切尔诺贝利禁区的狼群，

trying to understand how they have responded biologically

想尝试理解它们生理上是如何应对

to now generations of exposure to elevated radiation levels.

如今一代代都需要暴露 在升高的辐射水平的这种生活。

Now, if we consider a wolf pup that's born in the Chernobyl exclusion zone,

现在就让我们想象一只 出生在切尔诺贝利禁区的小狼

it lives every single day of its life, from the time it's born,

它从出生开始，生活的每一天

gaining increased doses of exposure from its environment.

都需要面对更多来自于环境的辐射。

With every meal that that animal eats,

它们每吃一顿

it then gets another dose of radiation from prey species.

又会在体内注入新的一层辐射

And we can see that radiation accumulating in this wolf population

我们都发现了这几层辐射在狼群里的堆积

in the form of cesium-137.

以铯-137的形式存在。

And one of the things that our data are showing us

而数据给我们显示的其中一件事

is that the fastest-changing regions of the Chernobyl wolf genome

就是切尔诺比利狼 基因组里变化最快的区域

occur in and around genes that we know are involved in cancer

出现在与癌症相关的基因内及其周围

or in the mammalian anti-tumor immune response.

或在哺乳动物的抗肿瘤免疫反应内。

We're now working with biomedical companies

我们现在正与生物医药公司

and cancer biologists

和癌症生物学家合作

to understand the physiological impacts of these mutations

来了解这些基因突变所带来的生理影响

with the hope that at least some of these changes

希望至少这些改变

may lead us to novel therapeutics

能让我们找到新的治疗方法

that might result in new treatments for cancer in humans.

或许也能找到新的方法治疗人类的癌症

In this grand story of life,

生命的宏大故事里，

we're writing a brand new chapter.

我们正在书写一个崭新的篇章。

Now our chapter in this story is not a pretty one, let's be honest.

说实在的，由我们写 的这一篇章并不美好。

As a matter of fact, there's a distinct possibility

事实上，我们的物种很有可能

that our species could bring about Earth's sixth major mass extinction event.

会给这个世界带来第六次的大灭绝。

So, you know, that sucks.

我们都知道，这很糟糕。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

It'd be messed up if I had just left the talk like that, I was like,

如果我真以这句话结束 今天的演讲，那真的会一团糟。

"Hope you're all proud of yourselves, bye."

我想我会说：

“希望大家都很自豪，再见。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

(Applause)

（掌声）

But luckily I don't have to leave the talk like that

但有幸的是，我并不用 以这种方式离开演讲台

because this chapter is still being written.

因为我们的故事还未完结。

Our chapter in this story of life is still happening,

我们人类书写 的这一篇章，还在不断上演

which means that there are still many possibilities ahead of us.

这也意味着， 我们面前还有很多机会。

We have the possibility to act,

我们还有机会付诸行动，

the possibility to fight for those species

有机会为无法为自己 的生死而战的物种

that don't have the ability to fight for themselves.

争取求存的机会。

We have the possibility to turn our chapter in this story

我们有机会扭转故事的发展方向

into one of redemption,

让它叙说的是一个以救赎为名，

one of hope and one of care for this epic legacy of life

以希望和关爱为题的故事， 以此致敬我们人类在地球上继承的

on this planet that we've inherited.

这史诗般的生命遗产。

A legacy, by the way, that's four billion years in the making.

顺便说一句， 这是一个40亿年的遗产。

Which brings up the possibility that we can pass on a world to our kids

这也就说明我们有机会 把世界传给我们的孩子

and our grandkids

和我们的孙子

so that they can enjoy and revel in the incredible biodiversity

让他们能够享受和陶醉于 这奇妙的生物多样性

that the story of evolution has produced.

一个由进化故事生产的产物。

What Charles Darwin referred to as “endless forms most beautiful.”

查尔斯·达尔文所说的 “无穷形成的极致美”。

One way or another, what we do matters.

无论如何，重要的是我们做什么。

We live in a time

我们生活的时代

when we are literally etching our decisions

我们人类做的每一个决定都会刻在

into the DNA of the species that live in, on and around us.

生活在我们周边的生物的DNA里。

When we're considering this story that we're writing,

想想我们正在写的这个故事，

what do we want our chapter in this grand story of life to be?

在宏大的生命故事里，

属于我们的这一篇章， 将会述说什么样的故事呢？

Thank you.

谢谢大家。

(Applause)

（掌声）