What Do Insects Do When Nature Calls? | Saad Bhamla | TED

譯者: Jennifer chau 審譯者: Shelley Tsang 曾雯海

I love bugs.

我喜欢蟲子。

I think of them as nature’s tiny engineers

我覺得它們就像是大自然的小工程師

because they come up with the most extraordinary and incredible solutions

因爲它們通常會有非凡和不可思議的方法

to life’s problems.

去解決生活問題。

And I just love observing them

我喜歡觀察它們

because they're so full of surprises and curiosities.

因爲它們充滿驚喜和可以學習的地方。

During my career, I studied spiders that use their webs as a slingshot

在我的研究生涯中， 我研究蜘蛛怎麽用它們的網作為彈弓

to capture prey deep in the Amazon rainforest,

在亞馬遜雨林深處裏捕捉獵物。

worms that tangle up with each other

蠕蟲會相互纏繞

and form knots to form these shape-shifting blobs

打結型成這些變形的斑點

to survive in harsh environments such as sewers and caves,

以在下水道和洞穴這些惡劣的環境中生存，

and tiny aquatic beetles that bring their own scuba gear when they dive,

而微小的水生甲蟲潛水時會自帶水肺裝備，

on their butts.

在他們的屁股上。

But today, I'm going to tell you a story

但是，我現在要告訴你一個故事

about one of nature's most extraordinary engineers

關於一個在大自然中最非凡的工程師

that pushes the limits of fluid mechanics and bioengineering

突破了流體力學和生物工程的極限

and, arguably, solves their number one problem --

甚至可以說解決了它們的頭號問題——

how insects pee.

昆蟲怎麽撒尿。

A few years ago, my student, Elio Challita, and I

我和我的學生，埃利奧 查利塔在幾年前

observed this tiny insect having a private moment

觀察這隻小昆蟲的私人時間

in our own backyards in Atlanta,

就在我們亞特蘭大的後院裏，

and we couldn't believe our eyes.

我們根本不敢置信。

This insect was peeing for hours,

這隻昆蟲撒了一個小時的尿，

and it was so quick we could barely see it.

它的動作很快以至於我們很難才看到。

And we were blown away -- we had never seen anything like this.

我們很震撼——我們從未見過這樣的事情。

We had never seen an insect pee.

我們從來沒有看過昆蟲撒尿。

So today, I'm going to tell you how insects pee,

所以今日我打算告訴你們昆蟲是怎樣撒尿，

why they pee so much and in this way,

它們爲什麽經常用這種方式撒尿，

and finally, why you should care about insect pee.

還有最後，爲什麽你應該關心昆蟲撒尿。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So sit back and relax -- you're in for a treat.

所以放鬆坐好——是時候享受了。

(Laughter and applause)

（笑聲和掌聲）

(Laughs) So one of the first things we had to discuss

（笑聲） 第一樣我們要討論的是

is "Wait a second -- insects pee?"

“等一下——昆蟲會撒尿？“

And it turns out that almost all insects pee,

原來大部分的昆蟲都會撒尿，

in one form or another.

以同一種或另一種形式。

It's a closed system -- what goes in must come out.

這是一個閉關系統——進去的東西一定要出來

But the protagonist of today's story, Homalodisca vitripennis,

但是今天故事的主角是金翅蜂

or a glassy-winged sharpshooter --

或者叫作玻璃翅神槍手 ——

isn't it gorgeous?

是不是很漂亮？

You can see where it gets its name from, it's got these transparent wings.

你可以從它透明的翅膀看出它的名字來源。

This insect specializes in feeding on xylem fluid from plants.

這隻特別的昆蟲以植物的木質部液體為食。

It’s a sapsucker.

這是一個吸汁者。

But I think of it as a plant's mosquito.

但是我認爲它是植物的蚊子。

And just after a mosquito sucks your blood,

就像蚊子吸了你的血后，

it leaves behind a parting gift --

它會留下一個臨別禮物

so do these sharpshooters

這些神槍手也同樣地

that spread bacteria into these plants,

將細菌傳播到這些植物中，

and it causes devastating and deadly diseases in plants,

這會在植物中引起破壞性和致命疾病，

killing them.

然後害死它們。

This is a huge problem in agriculture, including here in California,

這是一個很嚴重的農業問題， 包括在加利福尼亞州這裏，

where it caused millions of dollars in damage to vineyards.

這導致葡萄園造成了數百萬美元的損失。

And you can appreciate what they lack in size,

你可以體會到它們在規模上的不足，

they make up in numbers.

它們在數量上有所彌補。

This is what millions of insects feeding and peeing looks like.

這就是數百萬隻昆蟲同時進食和撒尿的樣子。

If only this woman knew where that water was coming from.

如果這個女人知道這些水是從哪裏來的話。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Now, don't worry, this insect's pee is just water.

現在，不用擔心，這隻昆蟲的尿只是水

And so for the first time, I'm going to show you this behavior,

所以現在我要第一次用我們的高速相機放慢速度，

slowed down with our high-speed cameras,

給你看這個行爲是怎麽樣的，

and this is what we discovered.

這就是我們發現的東西。

We realized that this insect forms a droplet of pee,

我們發現這隻昆蟲會形成一滴尿液，

and then it flings them at extreme accelerations,

然後它以極快的加速度拋出它們，

of 40 g-forces.

40 克力。

That's 40 times faster than the sprint of a cheetah.

這比獵豹的衝刺速度快 40 倍。

These insects are really packing a punch from their butts.

這些昆蟲真的是從它們的屁股上打了一拳

And we wanted to under-- (Laughs)

我們想——（笑聲）

We wanted to take a closer look at this flicker,

我們想靠近一點觀察這個閃爍，

so we put this insect and took a look under a microscope at its business end,

所以我們把這隻昆蟲放到顯微鏡下觀察直到完結

and this beautiful structure has a scientific name:

這個漂亮的結構有一個學名：

it's called a butt flicker.

這叫做屁股閃爍。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And this is what we discovered.

這就是我們發現的東西。

We realized that this insect had evolved springs and latches,

我們瞭解到這隻昆蟲已經進化出彈簧和閂鎖，

just like a catapult, so that it could efficiently hurl its droplets of pee,

就像一個彈射器， 讓它可以有效地拋出它的尿液滴，

repeatedly, at these high accelerations.

不斷重復在這些高加速度。

Now, we wanted to measure the speed at which this flicker was moving,

現在，我們想要計算這個閃爍的移動速度，

and the droplets,

和尿液滴的，

so we measured the speed of both the droplets and the flicker.

所以我們計算了尿液滴和閃爍的速度。

And this is where we made a puzzling observation.

這裏是我們的一個令人費解的觀察。

The speed of the droplets in the air was faster than the flicker.

尿液滴的速度比閃爍的速度更快。

So if you take a ratio of that, we were expecting it to be 100 percent,

所以如果要取一個比例，我們期望它是 100%的，

but turns out that the speed of the droplets

但是結果尿液滴的速度

are about 150 to 200 [percent] faster than the flicker itself.

比閃爍本身快大約 150 到 200 [%]。

This is why this is counterintuitive:

這就是為什麼這是違反直覺的：

imagine a Yankees baseball player throwing a ball at 100 miles an hour.

想像一個洋基隊的棒球運動員 以每小時 100 英里的速度投球。

At some point during that throw,

在投球的某一個點上，

their hands and fingers are moving at 100 miles an hour.

他們的手和手指 以每小時 100 英里的速度移動。

Say an amateur ballplayer throws a ball at 50 miles an hour,

或者說一個業餘棒球手 以每小時 50 英里的速度投球，

and if you measure the speed of the ball

如果你計算球的速度的話，

and it's 100 miles an hour in midair,

那就是半空中每小時 100 英里，

we’d be surprised -- where would that extra speed come from, right?

我們十分驚訝—— 到底這些額外的速度從哪裏來的，對吧？

This is exactly what these insects are doing.

這就是這些昆蟲在做的事情。

So to solve this puzzle, we went back and looked at our videos.

爲了找出答案，我們重新看我們的視頻。

And we’ll play this a couple of times --

我們重復播放了幾次——

see if you can figure this out.

看看你能不能發現。

Did you catch it?

你看到了嗎？

Let me grab a frame.

讓我划出一個框架。

We realized that unlike a baseball that’s rigid ...

我們發現堅硬的和棒球不同

due to surface tension, these tiny droplets are squishy,

由於表面張力，這些微小的水滴是粘糊糊的，

and we had an “aha” moment.

而我們也有一個”啊“的時間。

We were wondering if this insect is storing energy

我們想如果這隻昆蟲有足夠的能量

due to the surface tension just before launch.

由於發射前的表面張力

And to test this, we did, naturally, what any of us would do --

爲了測試這個，我們也的確測試了，自然地， 我們每個人都會做——

we converted our kitchen tables into a lab to test this.

我們將廚房的桌子改成了實驗室來測試這一點。

So now, we're going to place droplets on a speaker,

所以現在，我們打算將水滴放在揚聲器上，

to squish them at high speeds,

以高速壓扁它們，

and this is what we discovered.

這就是我們發現的東西。

We realized that water that flows in our faucets like a liquid,

我們瞭解到水會像液體一樣流入我們的水龍頭，

at these tiny scales, due to surface tension,

在這些微小的尺度上，由於表面張力，

with the right timing, can get a kick, store energy,

加上正確的時間，就可以踢一腳，儲存能量，

and if you time it just right,

如果你的時間計算得剛剛好，

you can launch these off at extremely high speeds,

你就可以以極高的速度發射它們，

just like a child on a trampoline.

就像一個在蹦床上的孩子一樣。

And to test this idea of timing, we even built a catapult.

我們爲了測試這個時間點， 甚至建造了一個彈射器。

Our should I say a "cata-pee"?

或者我應該說是”“小便“？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And it reinforced this idea: too slow, the droplets don’t go off,

這強化了這個想法： 太慢，尿滴就不會彈射，

and then if you move at the right speed, you've flung this.

而如果你動作的速度正確的話， 你就可以彈射尿滴

So I've told you today

所以我今天告訴你

how these insects use this catapulting structure

這些昆蟲是怎麽利用這個彈射結構

to store energy and surface tension

去儲存能量和表面張力

and throw these droplets at record-breaking speeds

還有以破紀錄的速度彈射那些尿滴

to be, really, number one ...

成爲，真正的第一名

at number one.

在所有第一名中

(Laughs) But why have these insects evolved this remarkable ability?

（笑聲）但是這些昆蟲 是怎麽進化出這些出色的能力的？

And there are two reasons for this.

這裏有兩個原因。

Number one is they are on a zero-calorie diet.

第一是它們的零卡路里飲食。

These tiny bugs are feeding from the xylem fluid

這些小昆蟲的食物是木質部液體

that comes up through the roots, through the soil,

通過根部，通過土壤，

and goes to the rest of the plant.

最後去植物的其他部分

It's very, very poor in nutrients --

這是很，很營養不良——

it's just water and some minerals.

這些只是水和一些礦物質。

This is unlike the phloem fluid, which is rich in sugar,

和含有豐富的糖分韌皮部液體不同

coming through photosynthesis at the leaves

通過葉子的光合作用

and going through the rest of the plant.

和通過植物的其餘部分。

This is akin to a human

這類似於人類

purely sustaining themselves on a diet of diet lemonade.

純粹靠減肥檸檬水維持自己的飲食。

Very low energy source --

非常低的能源——

you'd have to constantly drink, but you'd have to constantly pee as well.

你必須不斷地喝水，但你也必須不斷地小便。

This still doesn't explain why these insects pee in droplets,

這不能解釋爲什麽昆蟲以尿滴的方式撒尿，

and not in jets, like you and I would,

而不是輸尿管射流，就像我們一樣，

if you were to take a bio break.

如果你要上洗手間。

Let's take a look at cicadas.

我們來看看蟬。

These are the cousins of these sharpshooters.

這些是這些神槍手的表親。

They're also xylem fluid feeders ...

它們也是以木質部液體爲食...

and they pee in jets.

但是他們以噴射式撒尿

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I love this video.

我喜歡這個視頻。

This shows cicadas doing two of their favorite things

這展示了蟬在做它們最喜歡做的兩件事

when they come out of hibernation --

當它們從冬眠中甦醒 ——

singing at the top of their lungs and peeing in the wind.

用他們肺的頂部唱歌並在風中撒尿。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And the second reason why these insects pee in droplets is size --

這些昆蟲以液滴形式撒尿的 第二個原因是尺寸——

these things are tiny, they're smaller than my pinky.

這些太小了，它們甚至比我的小指還小。

In fact, the surface tension that enables them to store energy

實際上，這些表面張力 可以讓它們進化出儲存能量

in these droplets to launch

在這些液滴發射

is actually an impediment,

是一個障礙，

because gravity doesn't matter,

因爲重力無關緊要，

and surface tension sticks these droplets to their bodies.

而表面張力將這些尿滴粘在它們的身上。

So they actually have to flick these droplets away --

所以它們實際上需要輕彈掉這些尿滴——

it's actually very difficult for these tiny bugs to pee.

這對這些小昆蟲而言撒尿十分困難。

And that's why I just love studying bugs.

這就是爲什麽我喜歡研究昆蟲。

This tiny engineer has figured out how to survive on barely just water

這隻小工程師發現了如何僅靠水生存

through the xylem fluid.

通過木質部流體。

And it’s figured out to do so, it has to drink a lot,

并且它也發現了爲了這樣做，它要喝很多水，

and pee a lot.

和撒很多尿。

In that sense, it's not so different from other engineers I know

從此可見，它和我認識的其他工程師一樣

on a Friday night at a bar.

在周五晚上的酒吧裏。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But to do so,

但爲了這樣做，

it’s figured out it had to evolve this catapulting structure

它發現它要進化這個彈射結構

and fling these droplets at high speeds.

和高速拋出這些液滴。

And that’s why I always tell my students when we explore new bugs,

這就是爲什麽我經常告訴我的學生， 當我們發現新昆蟲的時候，

"It's not a bug, it's a feature."

”這不是一隻昆蟲，這是一個特徵。”

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

OK, so why should you care about insect pee,

好，所以爲什麽你應該要關心昆蟲撒尿，

and what’s the practical application of this work?

還有這項工作的實際應用？

Maybe, maybe one day,

可能，可能有一天，

these ideas, these principles could help us design

這些想法，這些原則可以幫我們設計

more efficient water-ejector systems

更有效率的水噴射器系統

for our smartphones, our watches and hearing aids.

給我們的智能手機，我們的手錶和助聽器。

But I have to be honest,

但是說實話，

that's not really why I've obsessed over insect pee

這不是我沉迷研究昆蟲撒尿的原因

for the last four years.

在之前的四年。

I do this because when I share my work with kids,

我這樣做是爲了 當我和小朋友們分享我的工作的時候，

it ignites their curiosity.

這可以點燃他們的好奇心。

When I talk about insect pee, it makes their eyes light up.

當我談到昆蟲的尿液時， 他們的眼睛都亮了起來。

They laugh, they run around in their backyards,

他們大笑，在他們的後院裏到處跑，

looking at bugs and asking questions.

觀察昆蟲和問問題。

It reminds them and us that we can discover marvelous in the mundane,

這提醒了他們和我們， 我們可以在平凡中發現精彩，

even in our own backyards.

甚至是在我們的後院裏。

We just have to look closely.

我們只需要靠近一點。

Thank you so much.

多謝。

(Cheers and applause)

（歡呼和掌聲）

I've got to go pee.

我要去撒尿了。