How a blind astronomer found a way to hear the stars | Wanda Diaz Merced

譯者: Helen Chang 審譯者: Elva Wang

Once there was a star.

從前，有顆星星。

Like everything else, she was born;

和其他的事物一樣，她誕生了;

grew to be around 30 times the mass of our sun

長到體積約為太陽的三十倍，

and lived for a very long time.

並且存活了很長一段時間。

Exactly how long,

究竟有多長，

people cannot really tell.

沒有人能確切地講。

Just like everything in life,

就像生活中的每一樣東西，

she reached the end of her regular star days

她走到了生命的盡頭，

when her heart, the core of her life,

她的心臟，生命的核心，

exhausted its fuel.

耗盡了燃料。

But that was no end.

但，這不是終點。

She transformed into a supernova, and in the process

她變成了「超新星」，並在此過程中，

釋放出巨大的能量，

releasing a tremendous amount of energy,

outshining the rest of the galaxy

她的光芒掩蓋了銀河其他的一切，

and emitting, in one second,

她在一秒鐘內所射出的能量，

the same amount of energy our sun will release in 10 days.

相當於我們的太陽在十天內釋放的能量。

And she evolved into another role in our galaxy.

她進化為銀河系的另一角色。

Supernova explosions are very extreme.

超新星的爆炸非常的激烈極端

But the ones that emit gamma rays are even more extreme.

那些射出伽瑪射線更是極端。

In the process of becoming a supernova,

在成為超新星的過程中，

the interior of the star collapses under its own weight

恆星的內部因自身的重量而坍塌，

and it starts rotating ever faster,

並且越轉越快，

like an ice skater when pulling their arms in close to their body.

就像溜冰者把手臂拉近身體那樣。

In that way, it starts rotating very fast and it increases, powerfully,

這樣，飛快的轉速有力的增加了

磁場的力道。

its magnetic field.

The matter around the star is dragged around,

這顆星牽引著圍繞著她的物質，

and some energy from that rotation is transferred to that matter

把一些旋轉動能轉移至該物質，

and the magnetic field is increased even further.

更進一步擴大了磁場。

In that way, our star had extra energy to outshine the rest of the galaxy

如此一來，這顆星有了額外的能量， 使她比銀河的其他星星

更亮並射出更多的伽瑪射線。

in brightness and gamma ray emission.

My star, the one in my story,

我故事裡的這顆星

became what is known as a magnetar.

成為所謂的「磁星」。

And just for your information,

提供資料讓你參考，

the magnetic field of a magnetar is 1,000 trillion times

磁星的磁場是地球磁場的一千兆倍。

the magnetic field of Earth.

The most energetic events ever measured by astronomers

天文學家測量到最具有活力的事件

carry the name gamma-ray bursts

被稱為「伽馬射線暴」，

because we observe them as bursts most or explosions,

因我們觀察到它們的迸裂或爆炸時

most strongly measured as gamma-ray light.

被測量到的伽瑪射線最強。

Our star, like the one in our story that became a magnetar,

我們故事中成為磁星的那顆星，

is detected as a gamma-ray burst

被偵測到猛力爆炸時的伽瑪射線暴。

during the most energetic portion of the explosion.

Yet, even though gamma-ray bursts are the strongest events

然而，即使天文學家偵測到 最強力道的伽馬射線暴

ever measured by astronomers,

we cannot see them with our naked eye.

我們卻無法用肉眼看得見。

We depend, we rely on other methods

我們倚賴其他的方法

in order to study this gamma-ray light.

來研究伽瑪射線。

We cannot see them with our naked eye.

我們無法以肉眼看見伽瑪射線。

We can only see an itty bitty, tiny portion

人眼只能看到小片斷

of the electromagnetic spectrum that we call visible light.

些微的電磁波譜，稱為「可見光」。

And beyond that, we rely on other methods.

得依靠其他的方法 來觀察可見光以外的光。

Yet as astronomers, we study a wider range of light

身為天文學家，我們研究 比可見光範圍更廣的光，

and we depend on other methods to do that.

我們倚賴其他的方法才辦得到。

On the screen, it may look like this.

在螢幕上，看起來像這樣。

You're seeing a plot.

你看到的圖

That is a light curve.

是個光的曲線圖，

It's a plot of intensity of light over time.

光隨著時間推移所對應的強度圖，

It is a gamma-ray light curve.

伽瑪射線的曲線圖。

Sighted astronomers depend on this kind of plot

明眼的天文學家倚賴這類的圖

in order to interpret how this light intensity changes over time.

來判讀隨時間變化的光強度。

On the left, you will be seeing the light intensity without a burst,

在左邊，你看到是未迸裂的光強度，

and on the right, you will be seeing the light intensity with the burst.

在右邊，你看到是迸裂的光強度。

Early during my career, I could also see this kind of plot.

在早期的職業生涯中，我也可以目視這樣的圖。

But then, I lost my sight.

但後來，我失去了視力。

I completely lost my sight because of extended illness,

由於長期的疾病，我完全失明，

and with it, I lost the opportunity to see this plot

自此，無法再看這樣的圖，

and the opportunity to do my physics.

也無法再研究物理學。

對我而言，許多方面是個巨變。

It was a very strong transition for me in many ways.

And professionally, it left me without a way to do my science.

專業上，我無法再從事科學研究。

I longed to access and scrutinize this energetic light

我渴望靠近、檢視這能量的光，

and figure out the astrophysical cause.

並弄清楚其背後天體物理學的原因。

I wanted to experience the spacious wonder, the excitement,

我想體驗太空的奇蹟、激動，

the joy produced by the detection of such a titanic celestial event.

以及因偵測到超大天體事件 而產生的喜悅。

I thought long and hard about it,

我深思、長考，

when I suddenly realized that all a light curve is,

突然意識到所有的光曲線

is a table of numbers converted into a visual plot.

都是由表列的數字轉換成可視的圖形。

So along with my collaborators,

所以，我與合作的夥伴

we worked really hard and we translated the numbers into sound.

一同努力把數字轉換成聲音。

I achieved access to the data,

我再度能接觸到數據，

and today I'm able to do physics at the level of the best astronomer,

如今能達到最佳天文學家的物理水平，

using sound.

憑藉的是聲音。

And what people have been able to do,

幾百年來，人們主要靠視覺做的事，

mainly visually,

for hundreds of years,

now I do it using sound.

現在我用聲音也做得到。

(Applause)

Listening to this gamma-ray burst

聽到你們用眼睛看的伽瑪射線暴 －

that you're seeing on the -- (Applause continues)

（掌聲）

謝謝。

Thank you.

我聽著你們在螢幕上看的射線暴，

Listening to this burst that you're seeing on the screen

帶給我耳朵，遠超出明顯的射線暴。

brought something to the ear beyond the obvious burst.

Now I'm going to play the burst for you.

現在我播放射線暴給你們聽。

It's not music, it's sound.

不是音樂，是聲音。

(Digital beeping sounds)

（數位叮咚聲）

This is scientific data converted into sound,

是把科學數據轉換聲音，

and it's mapped in pitch.

投射為音調。

The process is called sonification.

這個過程被稱為「音波處理」。

（數位叮咚聲）

So listening to this brought something to the ear

聽這聲音，帶給耳朵的，超出明顯的射線暴。

besides the obvious burst.

When I examine the very strong low-frequency regions,

當我細察有強烈訊號的低頻區，

or bass line -- I'm zooming into the bass line now.

或低音區，

我正聚焦於低音區，

We noted resonances characteristic of electrically charged gasses

我們注意到帶電氣體的共振特徵

like the solar wind.

像是太陽風。

And I want you to hear what I heard.

我要你們聽我所聽到的。

You will hear it as a very fast decrease in volume.

你們會聽到音量快速的降低。

And because you're sighted, I'm giving you a red line

因為你們明眼人不習慣，我在這畫了條紅線

indicating what intensity of light is being converted into sound.

指示何種光的亮度被轉換成聲音。

(Digital hum and whistling sound)

（數位嗡嗡聲和呼嘯聲）

The (Whistles) is frogs at home, don't pay attention to that.

哨聲是青蛙聲，別管它。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Digital hum and whistling sound)

（數位嗡嗡聲和呼嘯聲）

I think you heard it, right?

你們聽到了，對吧？

So what we found

我們發現的是

is that the bursts last long enough in order to support wave resonances,

一長串足以支撐共振波的脈衝，

which are things caused by exchanges of energy between particles

由粒子間交換能量所產生，

that may have been excited,

依體積大小所激發的。

that depend on the volume.

You may remember that I said that the matter around the star

還記得我先前所說的，恆星牽引著圍繞的物質？

is dragged around?

It transmits power with frequency and field distribution

它以由維數決定的音頻和音域來傳輸能量。

determined by the dimensions.

You may remember that we were talking about a super-massive star

你們可能還記得，我們​​剛剛談論的超質量恆星，

that became a very strong magnetic field magnetar.

成為磁場非常強大的磁星。

If this is the case, then outflows from the exploding star

倘若是這種情況，

恆星爆炸可能與向外射出的伽瑪射線暴相關。

may be associated with this gamma-ray burst.

What does that mean?

這意味著什麼？

That star formation may be a very important part

恆星的形成可能是超新星爆炸重要的一部分。

of these supernova explosions.

Listening to this very gamma-ray burst brought us to the notion

聆聽伽瑪射線暴帶給我們這觀念：

that the use of sound as an adjunctive visual display

用聲音輔助視覺

may also support sighted astronomers

也可以幫助明眼的天文學家

in the search for more information in the data.

從數據中找出更多的資訊。

Simultaneously, I worked on analyzing measurements from other telescopes,

同時，我分析其他望遠鏡的量測數據，

and my experiments demonstrated

證明了

that when you use sound as an adjunctive visual display,

用聲音輔助視覺，

astronomers can find more information

可讓天文學家更容易取得數據、找到更多的資訊。

in this now more accessible data set.

This ability to transform data into sound

使用轉換數據為聲音的方法，

gives astronomy a tremendous power of transformation.

提供天文學巨大的轉型動力。

And the fact that a field that is so visual may be improved

事實上，改善這個顯而易見的領域

in order to include anyone with interest in understanding what lies in the heavens

可振奮任何有興趣探索、瞭解太空的人。

is a spirit-lifter.

When I lost my sight,

失明之後，我意會到無法獲得

I noticed that I didn't have access

to the same amount and quality of information

與明眼的天文學家同樣多質量的資訊。

a sighted astronomer had.

It was not until we innovated with the sonification process

直到我們創新使用音波處理，

that I regained the hope to be a productive member of the field

我恢復再度貢獻於此領域的希望，

that I had worked so hard to be part of.

我曾是其中辛苦耕耘的一份子。

Yet, information access is not the only area in astronomy

然而，天文學並非資訊取得 至關重要的唯一領域。

where this is important.

The situation is systemic

這種情況是系統性的，

and scientific fields are not keeping up.

科學領域尚未跟上。

The body is something changeable --

人的身體多變，

anyone may develop a disability at any point.

任何人都可能於某個時間、於某方面殘疾。

Let's think about, for example,

例如，想想看，

scientists that are already at the top of their careers.

在職業生涯最高點的科學家

What happens to them if they develop a disability?

倘若發生了殘疾會怎樣？

Will they feel excommunicated as I did?

他們會和我一樣覺得被排除在外嗎？

Information access empowers us to flourish.

得以接觸資訊使我們能蓬勃發展，

It gives us equal opportunities to display our talents

給我們一展長才的均等機會，

and choose what we want to do with our lives,

讓我們得以選擇想要的生活，

based on interest and not based on potential barriers.

依循興趣，而不受限於潛在的障礙。

When we give people the opportunity to succeed without limits,

當人們被賦予不受限制的成功機會，

that will lead to personal fulfillment and prospering life.

將使個人實現價值，繁榮地生活。

And I think that the use of sound in astronomy

我認為在天文學領域使用聲音

is helping us to achieve that and to contribute to science.

正在幫助我們實現這一目標並促進科學。

While other countries told me that the study of perception techniques

其他國家告訴我，

感知技術的研究已被用在非天文學的領域中，

in order to study astronomy data is not relevant to astronomy

because there are no blind astronomers in the field,

因他們沒有眼盲的天文學家。

South Africa said, "We want people with disabilities

南非表示，「我們希望殘疾人貢獻於天文學領域。」

to contribute to the field."

Right now, I'm working

現在，我在南非天文台的天文學促進發展辦公室工作。

at the South African Astronomical Observatory,

at the Office of Astronomy for Development.

There, we are working on sonification techniques and analysis methods

在那裡，我們正研究以音波處理技術和分析方法

to impact the students of the Athlone School for the Blind.

來影響阿斯隆盲人學校的學生。

These students will be learning radio astronomy,

這些學生將學習無線電天文學和音波處理法，

and they will be learning the sonification methods

in order to study astronomical events like huge ejections of energy

以研究噴出巨大能量的天文事件，

from the sun, known as coronal mass ejections.

像是太陽的「日冕質量拋射」。

What we learn with these students --

我們與這些學生一起學習，

these students have multiple disabilities and coping strategies

這些有多重殘疾的學生，學習應對策略和適應。

that will be accommodated --

what we learn with these students will directly impact

我們與這些學生一起

將會直接影響做事的專業水平。

the way things are being done at the professional level.

I humbly call this development.

我謙恭地把這稱為進展，

And this is happening right now.

而這進展此刻正在進行中。

I think that science is for everyone.

我認為，科學屬於每個人。

It belongs to the people,

它屬於人們，

and it has to be available to everyone,

必須是人人可及，

because we are all natural explorers.

因為我們每個人天生都是探險家。

I think that if we limit people with disabilities

我認為

如果我們限制殘疾人參與科學，

from participating in science,

we'll sever our links with history and with society.

將會斷絕歷史與社會的鏈接。

I dream of a level scientific playing field,

我夢想一個公平的科學競爭環境，

where people encourage respect and respect each other,

那裡的人們互相鼓勵，互相尊重，

where people exchange strategies and discover together.

交流策略，共同探索。

If people with disabilities are allowed into the scientific field,

如果殘疾人能被允許進入科學領域，

an explosion, a huge titanic burst of knowledge will take place,

一個巨大無比的知識爆炸將會發生，

I am sure.

我確定。

(Digital beeping sounds)

（數位叮咚聲）

That is the titanic burst.

這是巨大無比的爆炸。

Thank you.

謝謝。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）