The Colorful, Shapeshifting Wonder of the Amazon's Praying Mantises | Leo Lanna and Lvcas Fiat | TED

譯者: Carmen Pang 審譯者: Shelley Tsang 曾雯海

Leo Lanna: "The Amazon is the center of the world."

（里奧·拉那）“亞馬遜是世界的中心。”

Brazilian journalist Eliane Brum shared this quote,

巴西記者伊蓮娜·布蘭這麼說，

and I deeply believe it.

而我深深相信著。

And now we're taking you there.

現在，我們要帶領你一起踏上

A journey into an alien universe.

前往外星宇宙的旅程。

It is the heart of our planet,

這是我們星球的心臟，

where the core of our biodiversity thrives

是多元生物茁壯生長的地方，

with countless eccentric and mysterious life forms

有著不計其數的古怪且神秘的生命

waiting to be discovered.

等待被發現。

But here's the twist.

但是，

We're actually taking you into the Amazon rainforest at night.

其實我們是要帶你去亞馬遜夜晚的雨林。

Lvcas Fiat: When night’s veil covers earth,

盧卡斯·費亞：當夜幕籠罩地球，

rainforest becomes a new dimension

雨林變成了一個新的空間，

where our spectacular and ephemeral reality arises.

壯觀而又短暫的現實出現了。

It is when darkness falls

當夜晚降臨，

that this imperiled kingdom flourishes with life beyond our imagination.

這個瀕臨的國度會以超越 我們想像的生命豐盈起來。

I am with Leo, alone on a trail at a national reserve.

我和里奧獨自走在國家保護區。

It is pitch dark.

那裡黑暗無光。

In the deep silence,

在極度安靜的環境下，

we can hear a chorus of tree frogs and the footsteps of tapirs.

我們可以聽見樹蛙的叫聲和貘移動的聲音。

The decayed leaves and branches crunch under our feet.

枯葉和枯枝在我們腳下嘎吱作響。

It is hot and humid,

那裡炎熱且潮濕，

and the shimmering stars watch us through the dense canopy.

星星透過茂密的樹冠俯視我們。

When we turn on our flashlights, there is life all around us.

我們打開手電筒， 那些生命將我們包圍。

LL: Every single night, as soon as the rainforest is covered by darkness,

每個夜晚，當雨林被夜幕籠罩，

a new world emerges, bursting with life.

一個充滿生命的新世界誕生。

Fantastic animals that are real,

那些神奇的動物真實的存在，

extremely alive and endangered.

極其活躍、極其瀕危。

Boa snakes and kinkajous, opossums and tarantulas,

蟒蛇、蜜熊、負鼠、狼蛛、

salamanders and moths.

蠑螈和飛蛾。

Animals that one might see once in a lifetime,

那些也許終其一生只能見一次的動物，

as every night, the ancient and endless forest life changes.

每個夜晚，這座古老又無盡的森林不停變換。

I'm a scientist, Lvcas is an artist.

我是一名科學家，而盧卡斯是一位藝術家。

And we've been working together for six years.

我們一起共事了六年。

Our expeditions take us and our partners into the wild.

我們的探險使我們 和我們的另一半走進了荒野。

And within this alien world of tropical rainforests,

這外星世界裡熱帶雨林，

we’re here to show you the creature that we’ve fallen completely in love with:

我們會向你展現那個 我們深深著迷的生物：

the praying mantis.

螳螂。

Silent and scentless.

安靜且無味。

Powerful and patient sage.

充滿力量和耐心的智者。

Our guide on this journey through the darkness.

是我們這段黑暗旅途的指引。

LF: So why the praying mantis?

但，為什麼是螳螂呢？

(Laughs)

（笑聲）

Well, praying mantes dazzle us with their huge eyes,

螳螂用它碩大的眼睛打量我們

their tweezer-like legs,

它們那雙像鑷子的腳，

their hypnotizing swagger.

昂首闊步的姿態。

Many of you might be afraid of insects.

你們絕大多數人也許很害怕昆蟲。

We used to be afraid too.

我們也曾經害怕它們。

But as we learned more about these tiny, mighty beings,

但當我們越了解這些微小又強大的生物時，

our fear turned into passion.

我們的恐懼變成了熱情。

The search for the praying mantis became a gateway

尋找螳螂，成了我們通往

into a labyrinth of wonders

一個奇蹟迷宮的入口。

in which every corner had something new to discover

每一個角落都有新的事物等待我們去探索、

and get inspired.

去被啟發。

These are portraits of a variety of praying mantis

這些是不同種類的螳螂的照片，

specifically from the rainforest of Brazil.

特別是來自於巴西雨林的。

Which one do you identify with the most?

你認得出哪一個嗎？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Each of them could easily be a character in a sci-fi novel.

它們每一個都可以是科幻小說的主角。

Faces of the people from an exotic planet.

或是來自異星球的人的臉。

But we share our planet with these creatures.

但此刻，我們正與這些生物共享我們的星球。

There are over 2,500 species of praying mantises;

世界上共有超過兩千五百種類的螳螂；

ten percent of them are in Brazil,

其中百分之十在巴西，

the most biodiverse country in the world.

世界上生物最多元的國家。

And we expect at least 300 more species to be discovered there.

我們猜測最少有三百個種類等待被探索。

LL: Within their micro-world,

在它們的微世界裡，

they are fierce predators,

他們是兇猛的捕食者，

hunting down any creature they can grasp, from mosquitoes to cicadas.

獵食所有他們能夠捕捉的生物， 從蚊子到蟬類。

And even, though rarely, vertebrates,

偶爾的時候，甚至是脊椎動物，

such as frogs and birds.

例如青蛙和鳥類。

They can eat anything, from soft and yummy flies

它們能吃任何東西， 從柔軟美味的蒼蠅

to armor-plated beetles.

到裝甲甲蟲。

They can even eat and process poisonous caterpillars without harming themselves.

它們甚至可以吃下有毒的毛蟲 且不會傷害自己。

And last year,

去年的時候，

we just published the first ever account of a praying mantis feeding on plant sap.

我們發布了螳螂吸食植物汁液的畫面。

A vegetarian mantis?

吃素的螳螂？

Well, when walking this alien world, questions arise more often than answers.

身處於這個外星世界， 問題總是比答案多。

Speaking of poison, they have none in their bodies.

置於毒嘛，螳螂是沒有毒的。

So they rely on the physical strength of their spiky legs, called raptorials,

所以它們依賴那對尖腳，

and their swift moves to catch their prey.

它們可以快速移動，以便捕捉獵物。

Their vision is highly accurate,

它們的視力很精準，

precisely detecting depth through a unique 3D vision system

透過自身的3D視覺系統去探測深度，

in the animal kingdom, which reacts to movement.

在動物王國裡，這是移動的反應。

Their eyes synch or adapt to the light,

他們的眼睛極度適應光，

changing color between day and night.

對應白晝而切換不同的顏色。

But we're still unsure how good their night vision is,

但我們還不確定它們的夜視能力有多好，

despite seeing them actively roam around in darkness.

除了看見他們在夜晚活躍的漫遊之外。

LF: Most of them are masters of camouflage,

它們大部分是偽裝大師，

an ancient art meaningful on the native habitats.

是原生棲息地裡古老又有意義的藝術。

This colorful male vanishes on the grassy fields where he lives.

這只繽紛的雄螳螂在它住的綠草地裡隱身了。

Can you spot a praying mantis on these pictures?

你在這些照片找到螳螂了嗎？

Yes? No?

有？沒有？

Well, actually, these photos are exclusively of praying mantises.

這些是單獨關於螳螂的照片。

The first looks like a dry leaf,

第一個看起來像一片乾枯的葉子，

the second like a stick,

第二個像一根枝條，

and the third like lichen.

第三個像苔蘚。

Their shapes range from fresh green leaves, mosses, branches,

它們的形狀範圍從綠葉、苔蘚、樹枝，

to everything in between.

到所有與其相似的東西。

We are blown away by how evolution led these incredible predators to blend

我們驚訝於進化將這些難以置信的捕食者

into the natural environment.

與大自然融和在一起。

And if they feel threatened, they can play dead.

如果它們的生命受到威脅， 它們會裝死。

Or display colors like a peacock

或者像只孔雀一樣， 展示不同的顏色，

all within an extremely light body.

用自己小小的身軀。

Large males like this,

大的雄性螳螂長這樣，

eight centimeters long, can weigh just one gram.

八厘米長，重量卻只有一公克。

Others are even smaller.

其他的甚至更小。

The more permanent changes they go through are just as awesome.

越經歷越永久的變化，它們看起來越幫。

Like other insects, they grow through molts,

它們和大部分昆蟲一樣會拖過脫殼去成長，

changing their skin.

還有換皮。

And when adults, developing wings, depending on their species.

成年的昆蟲則取決於種類去發育翅膀。

LL: Since the very beginning of "Projecto Mantis" six years ago,

自六年前“螳螂計劃”開始以來，

we've taken care of every mantis we've collected for research.

我們把所有蒐集來做研究的 螳螂都照顧得很好。

They live in our homes with us.

它們和我們住在一起。

Our family and friends think of them as pets.

我們的家人和朋友把它們當作寵物。

This unusual, no-kill protocol, allows us to understand about their life cycles,

這非一般的不殺協議使我們更了解它們的生命週期、

behavior, and, perhaps more importantly,

習性，以及最重要的

to connect them to people around us.

是用於連接身邊的人和我們。

Back home, there are over 40 mantises waiting for us,

我們有超過四十隻螳螂在家裡等著我們，

and some will live for over two years.

有一些會活超過兩年。

This year we just discovered a new species.

今年我們發現了一個新品種。

This tiny green mantis has a translucent body

這只綠色小螳螂有半透明的身體，

and intrigues us

並激起了我們的興趣，

because it was found only through our non-lethal lights trap

因為它是透過我們不致命的蛾燈捕捉，

which attract winged males.

而蛾燈只會吸引有翅膀的雄性。

We believe it lives high up in the canopy,

我們相信它應該是生活在很高的樹冠之上，

out of our sight.

非我們視線可及之處。

And despite the advances of technology

科技的先進

allowing humanity to explore the deep sea,

允許人類去探索深海，

outer space, the metaverse now,

外太空，多元宇宙，

we still lack efficient tools to research and survey

但我們還是缺少有效的工具去探索

the highest parts of Amazonia,

亞馬遜流域的最高處，

which is exactly where scientists expect to find the greatest biodiversity

那是科學家覺得生物最多元化的地方，

in the rainforests.

在雨林裡。

On our last expedition,

在我們最後一次的探險中，

we tried night drone flights, without success.

我們使用夜視空拍機，但失敗了。

The creative uses of technology are part of our contemporary science,

當代科學也包括了創意的去運用各種科技，

and we keep chasing ideas

我們不斷的絞盡腦汁

that could lead us to explore the unreachable treetops

去探索那些抵達不了的樹頂

and understand more and more about mantises in the wild.

並對野外的螳螂有了源源不絕的認識。

LF: The closer you look,

當你越靠近，

the more beautiful complexity you will find,

你越會發現這種複雜的美，

like this amazing row of praying mantis wings.

就像是這一排漂亮的螳螂翅膀。

And there’s the Brazilian dragon mantis;

這是巴西的龍螳螂；

the flower bud mantis; the unicorn.

這是花蕾螳螂；這是獨角獸螳螂。

But of course, rainforest isn't just a fantasy wonderland.

當然，雨林不只是一個奇幻的地方。

"What if you are afraid of the dark?"

“如果你害怕黑暗的話該怎麼辦呢？”

you might be wondering.

你可能會這樣想。

Well, the answer is the same among explorers.

這個答案和探險家想的是一樣的。

Out there,

在那裡，

surrounded by all kinds of creatures,

有著千奇百怪的生物，

the only thing we fear

我們唯一害怕的東西

is mankind.

是人類。

And when we are back home,

當我們回到家中，

we fear that the next time we visit the rainforest again,

我們害怕下一次探訪雨林的時候，

it will be further destroyed.

它會被摧毀。

LL: Rainforests are delicate and endangered ecosystems

雨林是美麗而在瀕臨的生態系統，

critical to the stability of our planet.

並對我們的星球造成威脅。

Most of its life remains unknown.

大部分生物是未知的。

And just during this single talk,

就在我們說話的當下，

we've lost about 15 hectares of rainforest in the Amazon of Brazil

我們已經失去了十五公頃的巴西亞馬遜雨林，

to deforestation.

因為森林砍伐的緣故。

That's bigger than 20 football fields.

那是超過二十個足球場大小的概念。

Every 10 minutes,

每十分鐘，

countless praying mantises gone.

無數的螳螂正在消失。

No matter how magical darkness is,

無論黑夜有多神奇，

when it covers the Amazon tonight,

今夜，當它覆蓋亞馬遜時，

these areas will be empty.

那些地方還是會消失。

A silent mourning that few will hear.

只有極少數人聽得到那無聲的哀悼。

We are documenting species that may not exist in future generations.

我們把這些也許不會存在於 下一代的生物記錄起來。

We’re just beginning to learn about them,

我們才剛剛開始了解它們，

and we are sharing our discoveries

而我們正把我們所探索到的分享出去，

so that we can increase their chances of survival.

以此能夠提高它們存活的機率。

Last October,

十月份的時候，

we led our National Geographic-funded expedition

我們帶領國家地理資助的探險隊

"Amazon from dusk to dawn,"

“亞馬遜的黃昏至黎明”，

with a team of amazing scientists and storytellers

和一群很棒的科學家和故事家

eager to find new ways of exploring the night.

渴望著找尋探索夜晚的方式。

And here,

然後，

for the first time,

那是第一次，

you're going to see what happens when we expose praying mantises

你會看見螳螂在

to pure ultraviolet light.

紫外線燈光下的樣子。

LF: They all shine it back to us,

它們將光灑向我們，

in colors we could have never even dreamed of.

是我們從未想像過的顏色。

A brilliant blue is some species,

亮麗的藍色、

a soft and warming orange in others,

柔軟且溫暖的橘色、

and then all at once, on this beautiful hooded mantis.

然後在這個螳螂身上一次性展示出來。

These colors are real,

這些顏色是真實的，

technology allowed us to see them with our naked eyes.

科技讓我們可以用肉眼看到它們。

A visible and magical fluorescence.

肉眼可見、神奇的熒光色。

Even the dead leaf mantis was certainly sparkling like liquid fire.

甚至是枯葉般的螳螂 也像燃燒的液體一樣發光。

And to our delight,

為了我們的喜悅，

the whole jungle reverberated in unimaginable colors.

整座叢林以 不可思議的顏色回應著。

What are they trying to communicate?

它們彼此之間在溝通些什麼呢？

Which other secrets are we missing?

我們錯過了什麼秘密嗎？

And yet again,

然後就是，

rainforest at night shows us how little we understand about its beauty.

夜晚的雨林向我們證明了， 我們對它的美的認知是如此微不足道。

With hundreds of hours of nocturnal dives,

在夜間探索的上百個小時裡，

our expeditions are filled with wonders in the rainforest zootopia.

我們在雨林的探險處處充滿這驚奇。

We are hoping these discoveries will kick off this new era

我們期望這些發現將會開啟新的世紀，

where science, arts, technology will bloom again

促使科學、藝術、科技大放異彩，

in favor of nature.

並有利於大自然。

The age of exploration on planet Earth is far from over.

地球的探索時代還有很長的一段路要走。

And in the nights of the rainforest, it is just beginning.

然而在夜晚的雨林，一切才剛開始。

(Both) Thank you.

（兩個人）謝謝。

(Applause and cheers)

（鼓掌與歡呼）