A forgotten Space Age technology could change how we grow food | Lisa Dyson

Translator: 潘 可儿 Reviewer: Winnie Ling

Imagine you are a part of a crew of astronauts

想像一下你係去火星或者其他遙遠星球

traveling to Mars or some distant planet.

嘅其中一個宇航員

The travel time could take a year

旅程時間可能長達一年

or even longer.

或者甚至更長

The space on board and the resources

飛船上嘅空間同資源都受到限制

would be limited.

So you and the crew would have to figure out how to produce food

所以你哋就要諗

點樣利用最少嘅原料去生產食物

with minimal inputs.

What if you could bring with you just a few packets of seeds,

如果你只可以帶幾袋種子

and grow crops in a matter of hours?

喺幾個鐘裏面種出作物，會點？

And what if those crops would then make more seeds,

如果嗰啲作物可以生產更多嘅種子

enabling you to feed the entire crew

令你可以用其中嘅幾包種子

with just those few packets of seeds for the duration of the trip?

全程養活整個團隊，又會點？

Well, the scientists at NASA actually figured out a way to do this.

NASA 嘅科學家已經諗到可行嘅方法

What they came up with was actually quite interesting.

佢哋嘅諗法非常有趣

其中包括單細胞微生物

It involved microorganisms,

which are single-celled organisms.

And they also used hydrogen from water.

科學家同時運用水入面嘅氫氣

The types of microbes that they used were called hydrogenotrophs,

佢哋利用嘅微生物係氫營養菌

and with these hydrogenotrophs, you can create a virtuous carbon cycle

你可以利用呢啲氫營養菌創造一個

良性嘅碳循環，維持太空船上嘅生命

that would sustain life onboard a spacecraft.

Astronauts would breathe out carbon dioxide,

宇航員會呼出二氧化碳

that carbon dioxide would then be captured by the microbes

二氧化碳會畀嗰啲微生物吸收

and converted into a nutritious, carbon-rich crop.

轉化成一種含有豐富營養同碳嘅作物

The astronauts would then eat that carbon-rich crop

之後宇航員食用嗰啲含豐富碳嘅作物

and exhale the carbon out in the form of carbon dioxide,

宇航員會以二氧化碳呼出

which would then be captured by the microbes,

又會畀微生物吸收

to create a nutritious crop,

生產新嘅營養作物

which then would be exhaled in the form of carbon dioxide

之後碳又會畀宇航員

by the astronauts.

以二氧化碳呼出

So in this way, a closed-loop carbon cycle is created.

咁樣就建立咗一個閉環碳循環

So why is this important?

點解呢樣嘢咁重要？

We need carbon to survive as humans,

我哋人類需要碳生存

and we get our carbon from food.

我哋從食物中獲取碳

On a long space journey,

喺漫長嘅太空旅途中

you simply wouldn't be able to pick up any carbon along the way,

根本就冇可能喺途中搵到碳

so you'd have to figure out how to recycle it on board.

所以你要諗點樣喺飛船上循環利用碳

This is a clever solution, right?

呢個係一個聰明嘅方法，係唔係？

But the thing is, that research didn't really go anywhere.

但問題係，呢個研究並冇實行過

We haven't yet gone to Mars. We haven't yet gone to another planet.

我哋未去過火星，亦未去過其他星球

And this was actually done in the '60s and '70s.

事實上呢個研究 喺 60、70 年代就已經完成

So a colleague of mine, Dr. John Reed, and I,

所以我同一個同事，John Reed 博士

were interested, actually, in carbon recycling here on Earth.

對地球上嘅碳循環好感興趣

We wanted to come up with technical solutions

我哋想搵到應對氣候變化嘅

to address climate change.

技術性解決方法

And we discovered this research

通過閱讀 1967 年及以後嘅論文

by reading some papers published in the '60s -- 1967 and later --

articles about this work.

我哋發現咗呢個研究

And we thought it was a really good idea.

我哋覺得呢個真係一個好主意

So we said, well, Earth is actually like a spaceship.

我哋認為，地球就好似一艘太空船

We have limited space and limited resources,

我哋嘅空間、資源都有限

and on Earth, we really do need to figure out

喺地球上，我哋確實需要

how to recycle our carbon better.

思考點樣更有效去循環利用碳

So we had the idea,

所以我哋有一個諗法

can we take some of these NASA-type ideas and apply them

可唔可以將呢啲 NASA 式嘅主意

用嚟解決地球上嘅碳問題？

to our carbon problem here on Earth?

Could we cultivate these NASA-type microbes

我哋可唔可以培養呢啲 NASA 式微生物

in order to make valuable products here on Earth?

用嚟喺地球上生產有價值嘅物品？

We started a company to do it.

我哋創立咗一間公司嚟研究

And in that company, we discovered that these hydrogenotrophs --

喺呢間公司，我哋發現呢啲氫營養菌

which I'll actually call nature's supercharged carbon recyclers --

事實上我叫佢哋

大自然嘅「強勁碳循環機」

we found that they are a powerful class of microbes

我哋發現佢哋係一種強大嘅微生物

that had been largely overlooked and understudied,

佢哋畀嚴重忽視、未被深入研究

and that they could make some really valuable products.

而且佢哋確實可以生產 一啲有價值嘅產物

So we began cultivating these products, these microbes, in our lab.

所以我哋開始喺實驗室

培養呢啲產物同微生物

We found that we can make essential amino acids from carbon dioxide

我哋發現可以利用呢啲微生物

將二氧化碳合成必需氨基酸

using these microbes.

And we even made a protein-rich meal

我哋甚至可以製作蛋白質營養餐

that has an amino acid profile similar to what you might find

其中嘅必需氨基酸外形

同一啲動物蛋白質嘅氨基酸相似

in some animal proteins.

We began cultivating them even further,

我哋開始更進一步培養

and we found that we can make oil.

發現我哋可以生產油

Oils are used to manufacture many products.

油可以用嚟大量生產好多產品

We made an oil that was similar to a citrus oil,

我哋生產咗一種類似檸檬油嘅油

which can be used for flavoring and for fragrances,

除咗可以摞嚟調味、製造香水

but it also can be used as a biodegradable cleaner

佢仲可以摞嚟做生物可降解清潔劑

or even as a jet fuel.

甚至係噴氣燃料

And we made an oil that's similar to palm oil.

跟住我哋又生產咗一種類似棕櫚油嘅油

Palm oil is used to manufacture

棕櫚油可以用嚟生產唔同嘅

a wide range of consumer and industrial goods.

消費品同工業品

We began working with manufacturers to scale up this technology,

我哋開始同製造商合作大量生產

and we're currently working with them

依家我哋合作

to bring some of these products to market.

將其中一啲產品推出市場

We believe this type of technology can indeed help us

我哋相信呢種技術可以幫助我哋

profitably recycle carbon dioxide into valuable products --

將二氧化碳有效轉化為有價值嘅產品

something that's beneficial for the planet

一啲同時對地球

but also beneficial for business.

同商業都有益嘅產品

That's what we're doing today.

呢啲就係我哋依家做緊嘅事

But tomorrow, this type of technology and using these types of microbes

但以後，如果我哋要更上一層

actually could help us do something even greater

呢種技術同呢種微生物嘅應用

會幫助我哋完成一啲更加偉大嘅事

if we take it to the next level.

We believe that this type of technology

我哋相信呢種技術

can actually help us address an issue with agriculture

可以幫助我哋解決農業問題

and allow us to create a type of agriculture that's sustainable,

可以畀我哋發展出一種可持續農業

that will allow us to scale to meet the demands of tomorrow.

令我哋可以滿足到未來嘅要求

And why might we need a sustainable agriculture?

點解我哋需要一個可持續農業呢？

Well, actually, it is estimated

事實上，根據預測

that the population will reach about 10 billion by 2050,

到咗 2050 年

世界人口將會達到大概一百億

and we're projecting that we will need to increase food production

我哋預計糧食產量要提高70%

by 70 percent.

In addition, we will need many more resources and raw materials

同時，我哋會需要更多嘅資源、原材料

to make consumer goods and industrial goods.

去生產消費品、工業品

So how will we scale to meet that demand?

咁我哋要點樣滿足呢個需求？

Well, modern agriculture simply cannot sustainably scale to meet that demand.

依家嘅現代農業滿足唔到呢個需求

There are a number of reasons why.

原因有好多

One of them is that modern agriculture is one of the largest emitters

其中一個就係現代農業

係溫室氣體嘅其中一個最大排放源

of greenhouse gases.

In fact, it emits more greenhouse gases

事實上，佢溫室氣體嘅排放總量

than our cars, our trucks, our planes

比我哋嘅汽車、貨車、飛機

and our trains combined.

同埋火車嘅排放總量仲要大

Another reason is that modern ag simply takes up a whole lot of land.

另一個原因就係佢佔據咗大面積嘅土地

We have cleared 19.4 million square miles for crops and livestock.

我哋為作物、牲畜騰出咗

一千九百四十萬平方英里

What does that look like?

即係點樣？

Well, that's roughly the size of South America and Africa combined.

大概就係南美洲同非洲加起嚟咁大

Let me give you a specific example.

等我舉一個具體嘅例子

In Indonesia, an amount of virgin rainforest was cleared

喺印尼，從 2000 年到 2012 年

totaling the size of approximately Ireland,

大概有同成個愛爾蘭咁大嘅

between 2000 and 2012.

原始熱帶雨林畀移除咗

Just think of all of the species, the diversity,

我哋可以想像到

畀趕離家園嘅物種數量之大

that was removed in the process,

whether plant life, insects or animal life.

植物、昆蟲、動物，無一倖免

And a natural carbon sink was also removed.

同時，一個天然碳匯都難逃一劫

So let me make this real for you.

咁等我講得更加真實一啲

This clearing happened primarily to make room for palm plantations.

呢次移除係為咗種植棕櫚樹

And as I mentioned before,

就好似我之前所講

palm oil is used to manufacture many products.

棕櫚油用於大量生產好多種產品

In fact, it is estimated that over 50 percent of consumer products

事實上，根據估計

超過 50％ 嘅消費品都離不開棕櫚油

are manufactured using palm oil.

And that includes things like ice cream, cookies ...

其中包括雪糕、曲奇

It includes cooking oils.

仲有食用油

It also includes detergents, lotions, soaps.

同埋清潔劑、乳液、肥皂

You and I both probably have numerous items

好可能你同我嘅廚房、浴室裏面

in our kitchens and our bathrooms

都有大量嘅由棕櫚油

that were manufactured using palm oil.

製成嘅生活用品

So you and I are direct beneficiaries of removed rainforests.

所以你同我都係 移除熱帶雨林嘅罪魁禍首

Modern ag has some problems,

現代農業存在住一啲問題

and we need solutions if we want to scale sustainably.

如果想可持續發展

我哋就需要解決方法

I believe that microbes can be a part of the answer --

我相信微生物可以提供答案

specifically, these supercharged carbon recyclers.

特別係呢種強勁嘅碳循環機

These supercharged carbon recyclers,

呢種強勁嘅碳循環機

like plants, serve as the natural recyclers

比如植物，喺佢哋成長嘅生態系統中

in their ecosystems where they thrive.

扮演著「自然循環機」嘅角色

And they thrive in exotic places on Earth,

佢哋喺地球嘅特殊地貌生長

like hydrothermal vents and hot springs.

比如海底熱泉、溫泉

In those ecosystems, they take carbon and recycle it

喺嗰啲生態系統，佢哋吸收碳

into the nutrients needed for those ecosystems.

將碳再生為生態系統所需嘅營養

And they're rich in nutrients,

佢哋含有豐富營養

such as oils and proteins, minerals and carbohydrates.

譬如油脂、蛋白質 礦物質、碳水化合物

And actually, microbes are already an integral part of our everyday lives.

事實上，微生物已經成為

我哋日常生活嘅一部分

If you enjoy a glass of pinot noir on a Friday night,

如果辛苦工作咗一個漫長嘅星期

你喺星期五晚品嘗一杯葡萄酒

after a long, hard work week,

then you are enjoying a product of microbes.

咁其實你就係品嘗緊微生物嘅產物

If you enjoy a beer from your local microbrewery --

如果你品嘗當地小型啤酒廠嘅一種啤酒

a product of microbes.

都係一種微生物嘅產物

Or bread, or cheese, or yogurt.

或者係麵包、芝士、酸奶

These are all products of microbes.

呢啲全部都係微生物嘅產物

But the beauty and power associated with these supercharged carbon recyclers

但呢哋強勁碳循環機嘅魅力、力量在於

lies in the fact that they can actually produce in a matter of hours

佢哋嘅生產力係數以小時計

versus months.

而唔係以月嚟計算

That means we can make crops

咁就意味著我哋可以

much faster than we're making them today.

以比依家更快嘅速度去種作物

They grow in the dark,

作物可以喺黑暗中生長

so they can grow in any season

即係可以喺任何季節

and in any geography and any location.

任何地理環境、任何地方生長

They can grow in containers that require minimal space.

佢哋可以喺佔地最小嘅容器生長

And we can get to a type of vertical agriculture.

咁我哋就可以開發一種垂直農業

Instead of our traditional horizontal agriculture

同佔地廣闊嘅傳統水平農業唔同

that requires so much land,

we can scale vertically,

我哋可以向上發展

and as a result produce much more product per area.

從而提高單位土地嘅產量

If we implement this type of approach and use these carbon recyclers,

如果我哋利用呢啲碳循環機

實行呢種方法

then we wouldn't have to remove any more rainforests

咁我哋就唔再需要為食物、消費品

to make the food and the goods that we consume.

而移除任何熱帶雨林

Because, at a large scale,

因為通過大規模種植

you can actually make 10,000 times more output per land area

實際上你可以種出 – 比如種大豆

如果你喺同一片土地種植大豆

than you could -- for instance, if you used soybeans --

一年之後

if you planted soybeans on that same area of land

你會比原先得到多出一萬倍嘅單位產量

over a period of a year.

Ten thousand times over a period of a year.

一年時間收穫係比原先產量嘅一萬倍

So this is what I mean by a new type of agriculture.

呢個就我所講嘅新型農業

And this is what I mean by developing a system

呢個亦係我所講嘅發展一個系統

that allows us to sustainably scale to meet the demands of 10 billion.

嚟滿足一百億人口需求嘅系統

And what would be the products of this new type of agriculture?

咁呢種新型農業可以生產乜嘢？

Well, we've already made a protein meal,

我哋已經整咗一種蛋白質餐

so you can imagine something similar to a soybean meal,

咁你可以想像到一啲類似黃豆餐

or even cornmeal, or wheat flour.

或者甚至係粟米粉、小麥麵粉嘅產品

We've already made oils,

我哋已經生產咗油

so you can imagine something similar to coconut oil

咁你可以想像一啲類似椰子油嘅產品

or olive oil or soybean oil.

或者係橄欖油、大豆油

So this type of crop can actually produce the nutrients

所以呢種作物實際上可以生產

富含營養嘅意大利麵、麵包

that would give us pasta and bread,

cakes, nutritional items of many sorts.

蛋糕、各種營養食品

Furthermore, since oil is used to manufacture multiple other goods,

而且，既然油可以用嚟生產多種物品

industrial products and consumer products,

工業品、消費品

you can imagine being able to make detergents, soaps, lotions, etc.,

你可以想像利用呢種作物

都可以生產清潔劑、肥皂、乳液等等

using these types of crops.

如果我哋繼續用依家嘅現代農業種植

Not only are we running out of space,

but if we continue to operate under the status quo

就唔單止面臨土地資源匱乏嘅問題

with modern agriculture,

we run the risk of robbing our progeny of a beautiful planet.

仲會有風險令我哋啲子孫

失去呢個美麗嘅星球

But it doesn't have to be this way.

但係用新型農業就可以避免

We can imagine a future of abundance.

我哋可以想像一個富足嘅未來

Let us create systems that keep planet Earth, our spaceship,

等我哋嚟創造唔單止可以

避免地球毀滅、太空船墜毀

not only from not crashing,

but let us also develop systems and ways of living

仲可以發展造福我哋

that will be beneficial to the lives of ourselves

以及 2050 年一百億人口生活嘅

and the 10 billion that will be on this planet by 2050.

生態系統同生活方式

Thank you very much.

好多謝大家

(Applause)

（掌聲）