Adam Spencer: Why I fell in love with monster prime numbers

譯者: Julia Xu 審譯者: Sophia Liu

Ah yes, those university days,

是啊，大學時代

a heady mix of Ph.D-level pure mathematics

充斥著博士級的純數學理論

and world debating championships,

和世界級的辯論冠軍，

or, as I like to say, "Hello, ladies. Oh yeah."

換一種說法就是：" 你好，女士們，太棒了。"

Didn't get much sexier than the Spence

沒人能比得上大學校園里的斯賓塞

at university, let me tell you.

我跟你們說。

It is such a thrill for a humble breakfast radio announcer

對一個來自澳洲雪梨 渺小的早間電臺播報員而言

from Sydney, Australia, to be here on the TED stage

能在世界的另一端 這個 TED 的講台上

literally on the other side of the world.

讓我非常激動。

And I wanted to let you know, a lot of the things you've heard

我想告訴大家 你們聽過的那些關於澳洲人的傳言

about Australians are true.

很多都是真的。

From the youngest of ages, we display

從很小的時候 我們就表現出

a prodigious sporting talent.

驚人的體育天分。

On the field of battle, we are brave and noble warriors.

戰場上，我們是勇敢高貴的戰士。

What you've heard is true.

Australians, we don't mind a bit of a drink,

你們聽說的那些是真的。

我們澳洲人，喝一杯並不算甚麼，

sometimes to excess, leading to embarrassing social situations. (Laughter)

有時候喝過頭了 引發某些難堪的場面（笑聲）

This is my father's work Christmas party, December 1973.

這是在 1973 年 12 月，我父親的聖誕員工晚會上。

I'm almost five years old. Fair to say,

那時我將近五歲了。 說句公道話，

I'm enjoying the day a lot more than Santa was.

我的那一天過得比聖誕老人還快活。

But I stand before you today

可是我今天站在大家面前

not as a breakfast radio host,

不是來主持早間廣播的，

not as a comedian, but as someone who was, is,

不是來表演喜劇的 我的角色過去式是，現在是，

and always will be a mathematician.

也一直都會是一名數學家。

And anyone who's been bitten by the numbers bug

任何和數字打交道的人

knows that it bites early and it bites deep.

都知道數字能在童年對人產生很深的影響。

I cast my mind back when I was in second grade

回想我二年級時

at a beautiful little government-run school

在一個美麗的公立學校就讀

called Boronia Park in the suburbs of Sydney,

它叫波羅尼亞公園學校 在雪梨郊區地段

and as we came up towards lunchtime, our teacher,

接近午餐時間時 我們的老師

Ms. Russell, said to the class,

拉塞爾女士向整個班級說道：

"Hey, year two. What do you want to do after lunch?

"嘿，二年級學生們。你們午飯後想幹什麼?

I've got no plans."

我還沒有計劃。"

It was an exercise in democratic schooling,

這是民主教育的一次實踐，

and I am all for democratic schooling, but we were only seven.

我完全支持 不過我們當時只有七歲。

So some of the suggestions we made as to what

所以我們提出的一些完後活動的想法

we might want to do after lunch were a little bit impractical,

有點不切實際，

and after a while, someone made a particularly silly suggestion

沒過多久 有人提出了個特別愚蠢的想法

and Ms. Russell patted them down with that gentle aphorism,

而拉塞爾女士用她特有的方式 輕拍示意他們坐下，評價道

"That wouldn't work.

"那行不通的。

That'd be like trying to put a square peg through a round hole."

那就像試圖把一個方釘放入一個圓孔內。"

Now I wasn't trying to be smart.

我不是想要顯示自己聰明。

I wasn't trying to be funny.

也不想要搞笑。

I just politely raised my hand,

我只是禮貌地舉起手，

and when Ms. Russell acknowledged me, I said,

當拉塞爾女士應聲我時，

in front of my year two classmates, and I quote,

當著所有二年級同學的面，我的原話是：

"But Miss,

"但小姐，

surely if the diagonal of the square

當然如果方形對角線

is less than the diameter of the circle,

小於圓形直徑

well, the square peg will pass quite easily through the round hole."

那，方釘很容易就能穿過圓孔。"

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"It'd be like putting a piece of toast through a basketball hoop, wouldn't it?"

“就好像讓一片吐司通過籃球架，不是嗎?"

And there was that same awkward silence

當時也是這樣一陣尷尬的沉默

from most of my classmates,

大多數同學一聲不吭，

until sitting next to me, one of my friends,

直到我的一個朋友，他坐我旁邊

one of the cool kids in class, Steven, leaned across

史蒂文，班上那種很酷的小朋友 靠過來

and punched me really hard in the head.

在我腦袋上狠狠打了一拳。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Now what Steven was saying was, "Look, Adam,

史蒂文說："你瞧，亞當，

you are at a critical juncture in your life here, my friend.

你現在身處人生的關鍵節點，我的朋友

You can keep sitting here with us.

你可以繼續和我們坐在一起。

Any more of that sort of talk, you've got to go and sit

你再那樣說一句，你就要過去

over there with them."

和他們一起坐。

I thought about it for a nanosecond.

在一納秒中，我思考了一下，

I took one look at the road map of life,

審視了一下我的人生軌跡，

and I ran off down the street marked "Geek"

拖著我胖嘟嘟又帶哮喘的小身板

as fast as my chubby, asthmatic little legs would carry me.

立馬跑到了對面“書呆子”的行列。

I fell in love with mathematics from the earliest of ages.

我在很小的時候就愛上了數學。

I explained it to all my friends. Maths is beautiful.

我向我所有的朋友解釋數學。 數學是美妙的。

It's natural. It's everywhere.

它很自然，普遍存在。

Numbers are the musical notes

數字就如同音樂音符

with which the symphony of the universe is written.

構成了宇宙的交響樂章。

The great Descartes said something quite similar.

偉大的笛卡爾說類似的話。

The universe "is written in the mathematical language."

他說宇宙 “是由數學語言編寫的。”

And today, I want to show you one of those musical notes,

今天，我想要向大家展示一種音符，

a number so beautiful, so massive,

這個數字如此美妙、宏大，

I think it will blow your mind.

會讓你心醉神迷。

Today we're going to talk about prime numbers.

今天我們要談的質數。

Most of you I'm sure remember that six is not prime

我想在座的大多數一定記得六不是質數

because it's 2 x 3.

因為它2 x 3等於6。

Seven is prime because it's 1 x 7,

七是質數因為它是1 x 7等於7，

but we can't break it down into any smaller chunks,

但我們不能把它分成其他部份了，

or as we call them, factors.

或者也就是所謂的因子。

Now a few things you might like to know about prime numbers.

有幾個關於質數的有趣信息。

One is not prime.

1不是質數。

The proof of that is a great party trick

關於這一點的證明其實是個很棒的派對節目

that admittedly only works at certain parties.

當然只能在某一特定派對中適用。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Another thing about primes, there is no final biggest prime number.

另一個關於質數的問題， 是極限最大質數不存在。

They keep going on forever.

質數會不斷無限增大。

We know there are an infinite number of primes

我們知道有無窮多個素質數

due to the brilliant mathematician Euclid.

多虧了傑出的數學家歐幾裡德。

Over thousands of years ago, he proved that for us.

在幾千年前，他就證明了這一點。

But the third thing about prime numbers,

但有關質數的第三點是，

mathematicians have always wondered,

也數學家們一直在思考的，

well at any given moment in time,

時時刻刻都是，

what is the biggest prime that we know about?

我們知道的最大質數是什麼？

Today we're going to hunt for that massive prime.

今天我們要尋找那龐大的質數。

Don't freak out.

不要驚慌。

All you need to know, of all the mathematics

你所需要知道的，

you've ever learned, unlearned, crammed, forgotten,

那些你學過的、 沒學會的、 死記硬背的，遺忘了的，

never understood in the first place,

在一開始就沒明白過的數學知識，

all you need to know is this:

你只需知道一點：

When I say 2 ^ 5,

當我說2的5次方時，

I'm talking about five little number twos next to each other

我說的是5個2緊密排列

all multiplied together,

所有相乘，

2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2.

2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2

So 2 ^ 5 is 2 x 2 = 4,

所以2的五次方是 2 x 2 = 4

8, 16, 32.

8、 16、 32

If you've got that, you're with me for the entire journey. Okay?

如果你明白這一點 那接下來的你都能聽得懂。好嗎？

So 2 ^ 5,

所以 2的5次方

those five little twos multiplied together.

5個2相乘

(2 ^ 5) - 1 = 31.

(2 ^5）-1 = 31

31 is a prime number, and that five in the power

31 是一個質數量， 而5次方

is also a prime number.

也是一個質數。

And the vast bulk of massive primes we've ever found

我們所發現的那些龐大的質數

are of that form:

都是同樣形式的：

two to a prime number, take away one.

2 的質數次方，再減去1

I won't go into great detail as to why,

我不會解釋其中緣由，

because most of your eyes will bleed out of your head if I do,

否則大家腦袋都得想壞了，

but suffice to say, a number of that form

但我只想說，這種形式的數字

is fairly easy to test for primacy.

要想證明其領先性並不難。

A random odd number is a lot harder to test.

一個隨機的奇數反倒更難驗證。

But as soon as we go hunting for massive primes,

但是，只要我們去搜尋龐大的質數，

we realize it's not enough

我們會意識到

just to put in any prime number in the power.

僅僅把質數放在次方上是不夠的。

(2 ^ 11) - 1 = 2,047,

(2 ^11)-1 = 2,047

and you don't need me to tell you that's 23 x 89.

不用我告訴你 23 x 89等於2047。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But (2 ^ 13) - 1, (2 ^ 17) - 1

但是 (2 ^13)-1，(2 ^17）-1

(2 ^ 19) - 1, are all prime numbers.

(2 ^19）-1，都是質數

After that point, they thin out a lot.

在這個臨界點後， 質數越來越少。

And one of the things about the search for massive primes

我喜歡去搜尋龐大質數的原因之一

that I love so much is some of the great mathematical minds

是許多偉大的數學天才

of all time have gone on this search.

花費其畢生精力在此之上。

This is the great Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler.

這是偉大的瑞士數學家歐拉萊昂歐拉。

In the 1700s, other mathematicians said

18 世紀時，其他數學家們認為

he is simply the master of us all.

他的智慧高於所有人。

He was so respected, they put him on European currency

他如此受尊重， 人們把他的頭像印在歐洲貨幣上

back when that was a compliment.

那時這可算是一種讚譽。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Euler discovered at the time the world's biggest prime:

歐拉當時發現了世界上最大的質數：

(2 ^ 31) - 1.

(2 ^31)-1

It's over two billion.

數值大於20億。

He proved it was prime with nothing more

他證明了它是世界上最大的質數

than a quill, ink, paper and his mind.

沒有比其更大的了。

You think that's big.

你以為那算大麼。

We know that (2 ^ 127) - 1

我們知道，（2 ^127）-1

is a prime number.

是一個質數。

It's an absolute brute.

那是絕對的當頭一擊。

Look at it here: 39 digits long,

看看這裡： 39 位數位長，

proven to be prime in 1876

1876 年時有偉大的數學家盧卡斯

by a mathematician called Lucas.

驗證為質數。

Word up, L-Dog.

完全同意，盧兄

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But one of the great things about the search for massive primes,

但尋找龐大質數的偉大之處在於，

it's not just finding the primes.

它不僅是為了尋找，

Sometimes proving another number not to be prime is just as exciting.

有時候證明一個質數並非最大確實激動人心。

Lucas again, in 1876, showed us (2 ^ 67) - 1,

盧卡斯在 1876 年 又向我們展示了 (2 ^67)-1

21 digits long, was not prime.

21 位數位長，不是質數。

But he didn't know what the factors were.

但他不知道其中因子有哪些。

We knew it was like six, but we didn't know

我們知道這就好像是6一樣 但我們不知道

what are the 2 x 3 that multiply together

是哪些2和3相乘

to give us that massive number.

得出了這個龐大的數字。

We didn't know for almost 40 years

將近 40 年我們都不知道

until Frank Nelson Cole came along.

直到弗蘭克 · 納爾遜 · 科爾的出現。

And at a gathering of prestigious American mathematicians,

在一次美國著名數學家的集會上

he walked to the board, took up a piece of chalk,

他走到黑板前，拿起一隻粉筆，

and started writing out the powers of two:

開始書寫2的次方：

two, four, eight, 16 --

2、 4、 8、 16 — —

come on, join in with me, you know how it goes --

來吧，和我一起來，你知道怎麼接下去 — —

32, 64, 128, 256,

32、 64、 128、 256

512, 1,024, 2,048.

512、 1,024、 2,048

I'm in geek heaven. We'll stop it there for a second.

我這是在書呆子天堂。 我們先停一小會兒。

Frank Nelson Cole did not stop there.

弗蘭克 · 納爾遜 · 科爾並未就此停止。

He went on and on

他不斷地繼續

and calculated 67 powers of two.

計算出了2的67次方

He took away one and wrote that number on the board.

他去掉了一位並在黑板上書寫了這個數字

A frisson of excitement went around the room.

房間內瞬時充滿了興奮的騷動。

It got even more exciting when he then wrote down

當他以標準格式寫下這個兩個龐大的質數時

these two large prime numbers in your standard multiplication format --

房間內的人們更為興奮

and for the rest of the hour of his talk

而在接下來的演講中

Frank Nelson Cole busted that out.

弗蘭克 · 納爾遜 · 科爾徹底地突破了。

He had found the prime factors

他找到了那個質數因子

of (2 ^ 67) - 1.

(2 ^67)-1

The room went berserk --

房間裡變得狂暴起來 — —

(Laughter) --

（笑聲）-

as Frank Nelson Cole sat down,

當弗蘭克 · 納爾遜 · 科爾坐下，

having delivered the only talk in the history of mathematics

發表了數學史上

with no words.

唯一一次無聲的演講。

He admitted afterwards it wasn't that hard to do.

他後來承認其實並不難。

It took focus. It took dedication.

只需要集中精神，不斷付出。

It took him, by his estimate,

他估計，這花了他，

"three years of Sundays."

"三年的星期天那麼長"。

But then in the field of mathematics,

但然後在數學界，

as in so many of the fields that we've heard from in this TED,

以及TED涵蓋的各個領域，

the age of the computer goes along and things explode.

電腦技術普及，信息爆炸。

These are the largest prime numbers we knew

這些事幾十年來我們所發現的最大質數

decade by decade, each one dwarfing the one before

每一個都把前任比的體無完膚

as computers took over and our power to calculate

這得益於電腦科技的發展

just grew and grew.

我們的計算能力不斷增強。

This is the largest prime number we knew in 1996,

這是1996 年時我們所知的最大質數，

a very emotional year for me.

那對我而言是情緒波動的一年。

It was the year I left university.

那是我離開大學的一年。

I was torn between mathematics and media.

我面對著數學與媒體兩種選擇。

It was a tough decision. I loved university.

它是個艱難的決定。 我愛大學生活。

My arts degree was the best nine and a half years of my life.

我取得文學學位的求學路 是我人生中最好的九年半

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But I came to a realization about my own ability.

但我對我自己的能力有了新的認識。

Put simply, in a room full of randomly selected people,

簡而言之，在一屋子的隨機挑選的人中，

I'm a maths genius.

我算是一個數學天才。

In a roomful of maths Ph.Ds,

在滿屋子的數學博士裡，

I'm as dumb as a box of hammers.

我笨得想一盒子錘子。

My skill is not in the mathematics.

我的技能並不在於數學。

It is in telling the story of the mathematics.

而是講述數學的故事上。

And during that time, since I've left university,

那段時間，自從我離開了大學後，

these numbers have got bigger and bigger,

這些數位變得越來越大。

each one dwarfing the last,

一個超過一個，

until along came this man, Dr. Curtis Cooper,

直到這個人出現，柯帝士 · 庫珀博士，

who a few years ago held the record for the largest ever prime,

他幾年其保持了史上最大質數的紀錄，

only to see it snatched away by a rival university.

後來卻被一個對手大學搶走了。

And then Curtis Cooper got it back.

然後柯帝士 · 庫珀又搶回了紀錄。

Not years ago, not months ago, days ago.

不是幾年前，不是幾個月前 而是幾天天前

In an amazing moment of serendipity,

我突發靈感，

I had to send TED a new slide

必須給TED發一張幻燈片

to show you what this guy had done.

向大家展示這個傢伙的成就。

I still remember -- (Applause) --

我還記得 — — （掌聲）-

I still remember when it happened.

我還記得當時的場景。

I was doing my breakfast radio show.

我正在做早間廣播節目。

I looked down on Twitter. There was a tweet:

我低頭看了眼 Twitter 有一個推特資訊

"Adam, have you seen the new largest prime number?"

"亞當，你見過最新的最大質數?"

I shivered --

我顫抖起來 — —

(Laughter) --

（笑聲）-

contacted the women who produced my radio show out in the other room,

聯繫了在隔壁房間的 我的廣播節製作人

and said "Girls, hold the front page.

說道"姑娘們，留白頭條專欄。

We're not talking politics today.

我們今天不討論政治。

We're not talking sport today.

我們今天不討論體育。

They found another megaprime."

他們發現另一個超級質數。”

The girls just shook their heads,

那些姑娘們只是搖頭，

put them in their hands, and let me go my own way.

用手捂著頭 任由我行事

It's because of Curtis Cooper that we know,

正是歸功於柯帝士 · 庫珀，

currently the largest prime number we know,

我們知道了先今最大的質數，

is 2 ^ 57,885,161.

是 2 ^57等於 885,161

Don't forget to subtract the one.

別忘了要減去1。

This number is almost 17 and a half million digits long.

這一數位是將近 17，500，000位數長。

If you typed it out on a computer and saved it as a text file,

如果你把它輸入電腦存檔，

that's 22 meg.

文檔有 22 梅格大。

For the slightly less geeky of you,

對於在座比較不那麼書呆子的各位，

think about the Harry Potter novels, okay?

試想一下哈利 · 波特小說好嗎？

This is the first Harry Potter novel.

這是哈利 · 波特系列的第一部。

This is all seven Harry Potter novels,

這是所有七部哈利 · 波特系列，

because she did tend to faff on a bit near the end.

因為作者寫到最後是有點冗長了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Written out as a book, this number would run

把所有數位寫成一本書

the length of the Harry Potter novels and half again.

它將有哈利 · 波特系列的1.5倍長

Here's a slide of the first 1,000 digits of this prime.

這是這個質數前1000位的幻燈展示

If, when TED had begun, at 11 o'clock on Tuesday,

如果TED 大會開始於星期二上午11，

we'd walked out and simply hit one slide every second,

我們每秒切換一張幻燈片，

it would have taken five hours to show you that number.

要5個小時才能完成所有數位顯示。

I was keen to do it, could not convince Bono.

我是很想這麼做 但波諾不同意

That's the way it goes.

這也是沒法子的事。

This number is 17 and a half thousand slides long,

這個數字有17,000張幻燈長度，

and we know it is prime as confidently

我們堅信那是一個質數

as we know the number seven is prime.

就好比我們確信7是質數一樣。

That fills me with almost sexual excitement.

這讓我幾乎有點性興奮了。

And who am I kidding when I say almost?

說“幾乎”這是要糊弄誰呢？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I know what you're thinking:

我知道你們在想什麼：

Adam, we're happy that you're happy,

亞當，我們很高興能看到你快樂

but why should we care?

但我們為什麼要在乎？

Let me give you just three reasons why this is so beautiful.

讓我給你列舉三個理由說明其每秒之處。

First of all, as I explained, to ask a computer

首先，正如之前解釋的，要問一台電腦

"Is that number prime?" to type it in its abbreviated form,

”那個數字是質數嗎?"，鍵入其縮寫形式

and then only about six lines of code is the test for primacy,

然後僅約六行代碼是用來測試領先性的，

is a remarkably simple question to ask.

這是一個十分簡單的問題。

It's got a remarkably clear yes/no answer,

答案很簡單，是或者不是，

and just requires phenomenal grunt.

只需大聲說出來就行。

Large prime numbers are a great way of testing

大的質數是很好的

the speed and accuracy of computer chips.

測試電腦晶片速度和準確度的方法。

But secondly, as Curtis Cooper was looking for that monster prime,

但第二，如柯帝士 · 庫珀 一直在尋找的那個終極質數一樣，

he wasn't the only guy searching.

他不是唯一一個在搜尋的人。

My laptop at home was looking through

我家裡的筆記本電腦自己也在搜尋

four potential candidate primes myself

四個潛在的候選質數

as part of a networked computer hunt around the world

全世界各地都有愛好人士

for these large numbers.

通過電腦有組織地進行搜尋。

The discovery of that prime is similar to the work

發現這個質數類似於

people are doing in unraveling RNA sequences,

人們解析RNA圖譜

in searching through data from SETI and other astronomical projects.

從外太空文明搜尋計畫 和其他天文項目中搜尋數據

We live in an age where some of the great breakthroughs

我們生活的時代，那些偉大的發現

are not going to happen in the labs or the halls of academia

並不在實驗室或是學院大廳裡發生

but on laptops, desktops,

但在筆記本上、 在台式機上，

in the palms of people's hands

在人們的掌心上

who are simply helping out for the search.

只是幫忙搜尋而已。

But for me it's amazing because it's a metaphor

但對我而言這棒極了，

for the time in which we live,

因為這是對我們生活時代的比喻，

when human minds and machines can conquer together.

當人腦和機器可以合作征服世界。

We've heard a lot about robots in this TED.

我們在TED聽到過很多關於機器人的演講。

We've heard a lot about what they can and can't do.

我們聽說了很多可以什麼和不能做什麼。

It is true, you can now download onto your smartphone

真的，你現在可以下載一款應用到你的手機

an app that would beat most grandmasters at chess.

可以打敗大多數的象棋大師。

You think that's cool.

你覺得這很酷。

Here's a machine doing something cool.

這裡有一個很酷的機器。

This is the CubeStormer II.

它叫魔方暴風者二代。

It can take a randomly shuffled Rubik's Cube.

它可以將打亂的魔方規整。

Using the power of the smartphone,

僅憑智能手機的力量，

it can examine the cube and solve the cube

它可以檢查魔方並規整

in five seconds.

只需5秒鐘的時間。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

That scares some people. That excites me.

這樣會嚇到一些人 但這使我興奮

How lucky are we to live in this age

我們生活在這個時代是有多么幸運

when mind and machine can work together?

人腦和機器可以一起合作

I was asked in an interview last year in my capacity

我在去年在澳洲的 一次採訪中以小名人的身份

as a lower-case "c" celebrity in Australia,

接受了一次訪問

"What was your highlight of 2012?"

"你的2012年的亮點什麼?"

People were expecting me to talk about

人們都以為我要談一談

my beloved Sydney Swans football team.

我心愛的雪梨天鵝橄欖球隊

In our beautiful, indigenous sport of Australian football,

在我們美麗、 本土的澳式足球聯賽裡，

they won the equivalent of the Super Bowl.

他們贏得了冠軍，意義相當於超級盃。

I was there. It was the most emotional, exciting day.

我也在場 它是最情緒化的、 令人興奮的一天

It wasn't my highlight of 2012.

但這不是我2012年的亮點。

People thought it might have been an interview I'd done on my show.

人們認為可能是我在節目裡做了某次採訪。

It might have been a politician. It might have been a breakthrough.

可能是某位政客 或是某一項突破

It might have been a book I read, the arts. No, no, no.

可能是我讀的一本書 不，不，不

It might have been something my two gorgeous daughters had done.

可能是我那兩個可愛的女兒做了什麽事。

No, it wasn't. The highlight of 2012, so clearly,

不，不是 我2012 年的亮點，很明顯

was the discovery of the Higgs boson.

是希格斯玻色子的發現。

Give it up for the fundamental particle

為這一造就了所有基本粒子的

that bequeaths all other fundamental particles their mass.

希格斯玻色子鼓掌吧。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And what was so gorgeous about this discovery was

這一項發現的美妙之處在於

50 years ago Peter Higgs and his team

50 年前彼得 · 希格斯和他的團隊

considered one of the deepest of all questions:

思考了最深奧的問題之一？

How is it that the things that make us up have no mass?

爲什麽造就我們的元素沒有質量呢？

I've clearly got mass. Where does it come from?

我顯然是有質量的 那這是從哪裡來的呢？

And he postulated a suggestion

他提出了一個假想

that there's this infinite, incredibly small field

有這樣一個無限，非常小的欄位

stretching throughout the universe,

貫穿整個宇宙

and as other particles go through those particles

當其他粒子穿過它們時

and interact, that's where they get their mass.

與之交互，也就形成了質量

The rest of the scientific community said,

科學界的其他人認為，

"Great idea, Higgsy.

"好主意，Higgsy“

We've got no idea if we could ever prove it.

我們完全不知道怎麼去證明它。

It's beyond our reach."

它在我們的能力範圍之外。”

And within just 50 years,

而僅僅過了 50 年，

in his lifetime, with him sitting in the audience,

他的有生之年，他作為旁觀，

we had designed the greatest machine ever

人們設計出了有史以來最大的機器

to prove this incredible idea

證明這個令人難以置信的想法

that originated just in a human mind.

最初僅存在於人們的腦海中。

That's what is so exciting for me about this prime number.

這就是我對於質數如此興奮的原因。

We thought it might be there,

我們以為它可能存在，

and we went and found it.

於是我們去尋找並發現它。

That is the essence of being human.

這是作為人的本質。

That is what we are all about.

這是我們存在的意義。

Or as my friend Descartes might put it,

或像我的朋友笛卡爾所說的，

we think,

我思，

therefore we are.

故我在。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）