Scientists must be free to learn, to speak and to challenge | Kirsty Duncan

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yanyan Hong

Let me tell you about rock snot.

讓我告訴各位關於「石鼻涕」的事。

Since 1992, Dr. Max Bothwell,

從 1992 年開始，加拿大政府的科學家

a Government of Canada scientist,

麥斯博斯威爾博士

has been studying a type of algae that grows on rocks.

就開始研究一種 生長在石頭上的藻類。

Now, the very unscientific term for that algae is rock snot,

這種藻類有個很不科學的名稱， 就是「石鼻涕」，

because as you can imagine,

因為，你可以想像得到，

it looks a lot like snot.

它看起來就像是鼻涕。

But scientists also call it Didymosphenia geminata

但科學家也稱它為雙生雙楔藻，

and for decades, this algae has been sliming up riverbeds

這數十年來， 全世界的海床上出現了

around the world.

越來越多這種藻類。

The problem with this algae

這種藻類有個問題，

is that it is a threat to salmon, to trout

它會對鮭魚、鱒魚構成威脅，

and the river ecosystems it invades.

亦會入侵河流的 生態系統而造成威脅。

Now, it turns out Canada's Dr. Bothwell

結果發現，加拿大的博斯威爾博士

is actually a world expert in the field,

其實是這個領域的世界級專家，

so it was no surprise in 2014

所以，並不意外，在 2014 年

when a reporter contacted Dr. Bothwell

有一名記者聯絡博斯威爾博士，

for a story on the algae.

詢問關於這種藻類的故事。

The problem was, Dr. Bothwell wasn't allowed to speak to the reporter,

問題是，博斯威爾博士 不被允許跟記者交談，

because the government of the day wouldn't let him.

因為當時的政府不讓他這麼做。

110 pages of emails

有 110 頁的電子郵件

and 16 government communication experts

及 16 名政府溝通專家

stood in Dr. Bothwell's way.

阻擋著博斯威爾博士。

Why couldn't Dr. Bothwell speak?

為何博斯威爾博士不能發言？

Well, we'll never know for sure,

我們可能永遠不會有肯定的答案，

but Dr. Bothwell's research did suggest

但博威博士的研究確實指出，

that climate change may have been responsible

氣候變遷也許是導致

for the aggressive algae blooms.

這種藻類快速繁衍的原因。

But who the heck would want to stifle climate change information, right?

但怎麼可能有人會想要阻止 關於氣候變遷的資訊流出，是吧？

Yes, you can laugh.

沒錯，你可以笑出來。

It's a joke,

這是個笑話，

because it is laughable.

因為它是可笑的。

We know that climate change is suppressed for all sorts of reasons.

我們知道有各式各樣的理由 導致氣候變遷的資訊被封鎖。

I saw it firsthand when I was a university professor.

我親自看過，當時我是大學教授。

We see it when countries pull out of international climate agreements

這樣的事會發生在 有國家退出國際氣候協議時，

like the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Accord,

像是京都議定書以及巴黎協議；

and we see it when industry fails to meet its emissions reduction targets.

這樣的事也會發生在工業 無法達成排放減量的目標時。

But it's not just climate change information that's being stifled.

但被阻擋的不僅是 關於氣候變遷的資訊。

So many other scientific issues are obscured by alternate facts,

有許多其他的科學議題， 都被其他替代的事實、

fake news and other forms of suppression.

假新聞以及其他形式的壓迫給遮掩。

We've seen it in the United Kingdom,

我們在英國見過這樣的事，

we've seen it in Russia,

我們在俄國也見過，

we've seen it in the United States

我們在美國也見過，

and, until 2015,

直到 2015 年之前，

right here in Canada.

在加拿大這裡也能見到。

In our modern technological age,

在現代科技的時代，

when our very survival depends on discovery,

我們的生存要仰賴發現、

innovation and science,

創新，以及科學，

it is critical, absolutely critical,

因此，很重要的是， 絕對重要的是，

that our scientists are free to undertake their work,

我們的科學家要能自由地 從事他們的研究工作，

free to collaborate with other scientists,

自由地和其他科學家合作，

free to speak to the media

自由地對媒體發言，

and free to speak to the public.

自由地對大眾發言。

Because after all,

因為，畢竟，

science is humanity's best effort at uncovering the truth

人類在發掘真相上 能做的最大努力，就是科學，

about our world,

去發掘我們的世界，

about our very existence.

我們存在的真相。

Every new fact that is uncovered

每發現一項新的事實，

adds to the growing body of our collective knowledge.

就讓我們越來越多的 集體知識又再增長些。

Scientists must be free to explore

科學家必須要能自由地探索

unconventional or controversial topics.

不符合習俗或爭議性的主題。

They must be free to challenge the thinking of the day

他們必須要能自由地 挑戰每天的想法，

and they must be free

他們必須要能自由地

to present uncomfortable or inconvenient truths,

呈現出讓人不舒服 或不方便的真相，

because that's how scientists push boundaries

因為科學家得要這麼做 才能把界線向外拓展，

and pushing boundaries is, after all, what science is all about.

畢竟，科學的重點就是拓展界線。

And here's another point:

還有另一個重點：

scientists must be free to fail,

科學家必須要能有失敗的自由，

because even a failed hypothesis teaches us something.

因為即使是失敗的假設， 也能教我們一些事。

And the best way I can explain that is through one of my own adventures.

我能想出最好的解釋方式就是用 我自己的其中一項冒險來當例子。

But first I've got to take you back in time.

但首先，我得帶各位回到過去。

It's the early 1900s

時間是十八世紀初，

and Claire and Vera are roommates in southern Ontario.

克雷兒和薇拉是南安大略的室友。

One evening during the height of the Spanish flu pandemic,

有天晚上， 在西班牙流感大盛行的時候，

the two attend a lecture together.

她們兩人一起去上了堂課。

The end of the evening, they head for home and for bed.

晚上結束後，她們回家準備睡覺。

In the morning, Claire calls up to Vera

早上，克雷兒對薇拉喊，

and says she's going out to breakfast.

說她要出門去吃早餐。

When she returns a short while later,

沒多久，她回來時，

Vera wasn't up.

薇拉仍然沒起床。

She pulls back the covers

她把蓋被掀起，

and makes the gruesome discovery.

發現了可怕的事。

Vera was dead.

薇拉死了。

When it comes to Spanish flu,

談到西班牙流感，

those stories are common,

那樣的故事很常見，

of lightning speed deaths.

死亡發生得非常快速。

Well, I was a professor in my mid-20s

當我二十五歲左右，擔任教授時，

when I first heard those shocking facts

我第一次聽到那些讓人震驚的事實，

and the scientist in me wanted to know why and how.

我心中的那個科學家想要知道 為什麼發生、怎麼發生的。

My curiosity would lead me to a frozen land

我的好奇心引導我到一片冰凍之地，

and to lead an expedition

去領導一項考察，

to uncover the cause of the 1918 Spanish flu.

打算找出 1918 年 西班牙流感的成因。

I wanted to test our current drugs against one of history's deadliest diseases.

我想要測試我們目前的藥品能不能 對抗歷史上最致命的疾病之一。

I hoped we could make a flu vaccine

我希望我們能做出流感疫苗，

that would be effective against the virus

來有效對抗病毒

and mutation of it,

以及病毒的變種。

should it ever return.

以免哪天這種病毒又再出現。

And so I led a team, a research team,

所以，我帶著一個研究團隊，

of 17 men

成員有 17 人，

from Canada, Norway, the United Kingdom

來自加拿大、挪威、英國，

and the United States

以及美國，

to the Svalbard Islands in the Arctic Ocean.

目的地是北冰洋的斯瓦群島。

These islands are between Norway and the North Pole.

這些島嶼位在挪威和北極之間。

We exhumed six bodies

我們挖掘出六具屍體，

who had died of Spanish flu and were buried in the permafrost

都是死於西班牙流感， 被埋在永久凍土層中，

and we hoped the frozen ground would preserve the body and the virus.

我們希望冰凍的地面 能夠保存屍體和病毒。

Now, I know what you are all waiting for,

我知道各位在等著聽什麼，

that big scientific payoff.

科學的大報酬。

But my science story doesn't have that spectacular Hollywood ending.

但我的科學故事並沒有 壯麗的好萊塢結局。

Most don't.

大部分故事都沒有。

Truth is, we didn't find the virus,

事實是，我們沒有找到病毒，

but we did develop new techniques

但我們確實開發了新技術，

to safely exhume bodies

能夠安全地挖掘出

that might contain virus.

可能含有病毒的屍體。

We did develop new techniques

我們確實開發了新技術，

to safely remove tissue

能夠安全地移除

that might contain virus.

可能含有病毒的組織。

And we developed new safety protocols

我們也開發了新的安全協定，

to protect our research team and the nearby community.

來保護我們的研究團隊 和鄰近的社區部落。

We made important contributions to science

我們對科學有重要的貢獻，

even though the contributions we made

就算我們的貢獻

were not the ones originally intended.

並不是原本期望的那樣。

In science, attempts fail,

在科學中，嘗試可能會失敗，

results prove inconclusive

實驗結果可能不一致，

and theories don't pan out.

理論不見得會有結果。

In science,

在科學中，

research builds upon the work and knowledge of others,

研究是以他人的研究 及知識為基礎，層疊上去，

or by seeing further,

或是要站在巨人的肩膀上， 看得更遠，

by standing on the shoulders of giants,

to paraphrase Newton.

這是改述牛頓的說法。

The point is, scientists must be free

重點是，科學家必須要能自由地

to choose what they want to explore,

選擇他們想要探究什麼、

what they are passionate about

他們對什麼有熱忱，

and they must be free to report their findings.

他們必須要能自由地 報告他們的發現。

You heard me say

你們剛聽到我說，

that respect for science started to improve in Canada in 2015.

在加拿大，對科學的尊重， 從 2015 年開始改善。

How did we get here?

我們如何走到這一步的？

What lessons might we have to share?

我們有什麼可以分享的教訓？

Well, it actually goes back to my time as a professor.

這就要回溯到 我還在當教授的時候了。

I watched while agencies, governments and industries around the world

我看到全世界的 機關、政府組織、產業

suppressed information on climate change.

都在壓制關於氣候變遷的資訊。

It infuriated me.

我感到非常生氣。

It kept me up at night.

我晚上睡不著覺。

How could politicians twist scientific fact for partisan gain?

政治人物怎麼能夠為了 黨派利益而扭曲科學事實？

So I did what anyone appalled by politics would do:

所以我做了任何對政治 感到膽寒的人都會做的事：

I ran for office, and I won.

我去競選，且贏了。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

I thought I would use my new platform

我心想，我要用我的新平台，

to talk about the importance of science.

來談論科學的重要性。

It quickly became a fight for the freedom of science.

它很快就變成了 為科學自由打的一場仗。

After all, I was a scientist, I came from the world under attack,

畢竟，我是個科學家， 我來自受到攻擊的世界，

and I had personally felt the outrage.

且我個人感到很憤怒。

I could be a voice for those who were being silenced.

我能夠為那些 被禁止發聲的人發聲。

But I quickly learned that scientists were nervous,

但我很快就發現，科學家很緊張，

even afraid to talk to me.

他們甚至不敢跟我交談。

One government scientist, a friend of mine,

有一位政府科學家， 也是我的朋友，

we'll call him McPherson,

我們就稱他為麥克弗森，

was concerned about the impact

他很擔心政府政策

government policies were having on his research

對他的研究會造成什麼影響，

and the state of science deteriorating in Canada.

以及對加拿大的科學 惡化狀況會有什麼影響。

He was so concerned, he wrote to me

他非常擔心，所以寫信給我，

from his wife's email account

還用他太太的信箱寄信，

because he was afraid a phone call could be traced.

因為他擔心電話會被追蹤。

He wanted me to phone his wife's cell phone

他要我打到他太太的手機，

so that call couldn't be traced.

這樣電話才不會被追蹤。

I only wish I were kidding.

我真希望我是在開玩笑。

It quickly brought what was happening in Canada into sharp focus for me.

很快地，在加拿大 發生的事成了我的焦點。

How could my friend of 20 years be that afraid to talk to me?

我二十年的老友怎麼可能 會害怕跟我說話？

So I did what I could at the time.

所以，我做了我當時能做的。

I listened and I shared what I learned

我傾聽，並把我所知道的事

with my friend in Parliament,

和我在國會的朋友分享，

a man who was interested in all things environment, science,

這位朋友很關心所有 關於環境、科學、

technology, innovation.

科技、創新的事。

And then the 2015 election rolled around

接著，2015 年選舉又來了，

and our party won.

我們的黨贏了。

And we formed government.

我們組成了政府。

And that friend of mine

我的那位朋友

is now the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau.

現在是加拿大的總理， 賈斯汀杜魯道。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And he asked if I would serve as his Minister of Science.

他問我是否願意擔任 他的科學部長。

Together, with the rest of the government,

我們和整個政府一起努力，

we are working hard to restore science to its rightful place.

想要恢復科學應有的地位。

I will never forget that day in December 2015

我永遠無法忘記 2015 年 12 月的那一天，

when I proudly stood in Parliament

當時我很驕傲地站在國會裡，

and proclaimed,

做出聲明：

"The war on science is now over."

「科學的戰爭現在結束了。」

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And I have worked hard to back up those words with actions.

我們很努力用實際行動 來支持那項聲明。

We've had many successes.

我們獲得許多成功。

There's still more work to do,

還有很多需要去做的，

because we're building this culture shift.

因為我們在做的是文化轉移。

But we want our government scientists to talk to the media, talk to the public.

但我們希望我們的政府科學家 能和媒體交流和大眾交流。

It'll take time, but we are committed.

這需要時間，但我們很投入。

After all, Canada is seen as a beacon for science internationally.

畢竟，在國際社會中， 加拿大被視為科學的燈塔。

And we want to send a message

我們想要傳遞一個訊息，

that you do not mess with something so fundamental,

你不能去惹像科學這麼根本、

so precious, as science.

這麼珍貴的東西。

So, for Dr. Bothwell, for Claire and Vera,

所以，為了博斯威爾博士， 為了克雷兒和薇拉，

for McPherson and all those other voices,

為了麥克弗森，以及其他聲音，

if you see that science is being stifled, suppressed or attacked,

如果你們發現科學 被扼阻、壓迫或攻擊，

speak up.

請大聲說出來。

If you see that scientists are being silenced, speak up.

如果你們發現科學家 被禁止發聲，請大聲說出來。

We must hold our leaders to account.

我們必須要讓我們的 領導人負起責任。

Whether that is by exercising our right to vote,

不論是以行使投票權的方式，

whether it is by penning an op-ed in a newspaper

或是在報紙上的專欄寫文章，

or by starting a conversation on social media,

或是在社交媒體上 開啟一段對談，都可以，

it is our collective voice that will ensure the freedom of science.

若要確保科學的自由， 需要我們集體的聲音才能辦到。

And after all, science is for everyone,

畢竟，科學是屬於每個人的，

and it will lead to a better, brighter, bolder future for us all.

它會為我們所有人帶來一個 更美好、明亮、無畏的未來。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）