Marco Tempest: The electric rise and fall of Nikola Tesla

Translator: Thu-Huong Ha Reviewer: Jenny Zurawell

譯者: Donna S 審譯者: June-Hao Hou

As a magician, I'm always interested in performances that incorporate elements of illusion.

身為魔術師，我一直對運用幻覺的表演感興趣。

And one of the most remarkable was the tanagra theater, which was popular in the

其中最特殊的就是德國塔納格拉劇院，

early part of the 20th century.

它在二十世紀初期很受歡迎。

It used mirrors

它運用鏡子

to create the illusion of tiny people

在一個微型舞台上

performing on a miniature stage. Now, I won't use mirrors,

製造出小人表演的幻覺。我現在不用鏡子，

but this is my digital tribute to the tanagra theater.

但這是我運用數位魔幻對塔納格拉劇院的致敬。

So let the story begin.

那就讓這個故事開始吧。

On a dark and stormy night -- really! --

在一個黑暗暴風雨的夜晚 -- 真的！ --

it was the 10th of July, 1856.

那是1856年的7月10日。

Lightning lit the sky,

閃電照亮了夜空，

and a baby was born.

一個嬰兒誕生了。

His name was Nikola,

他的名字叫尼古拉，

Nikola Tesla.

尼古拉.特斯拉。

Now the baby grew into a very smart guy.

這個嬰兒長大後成為一個非常聰明的人。

Let me show you.

讓我帶你來看 。

Tesla, what is 236 multiplied by 501?

特斯拉，236乘501是多少？

Nikola Tesla: The result is 118,236.

尼古拉.特斯拉：答案是十一萬八千二百三十六

Marco Tempest: Now Tesla's brain worked in the most extraordinary way.

馬可.泰姆派斯特：特斯拉的頭腦用極不尋常的方式運行。

When a word was mentioned,

當聽到一個字句時，

an image of it

他腦海裡會瞬間浮現出那個影像。

instantly appeared in his mind.

他腦海裡會瞬間浮現出那個影像。

Tree. Chair. Girl.

樹。椅子。女孩。

They were hallucinations, which vanished

這都是幻想，在他觸碰它們時

the moment he touched them.

就會消失。

Probably a form of synesthesia.

大概是一種聯想感覺吧。

But it was something

但他把這種能力變成他的優勢。

he later turned to his advantage.

但他把這種能力變成他的優勢。

Where other scientists would play in their laboratory,

當別的科學家待在實驗室裡做實驗，

Tesla created his inventions in his mind.

特斯拉卻在腦海裡創造他的發明。

NT: To my delight, I discovered I could visualize my inventions with the greatest facility.

特斯拉：實在太棒了，我發現我能夠運用這個能力 勾勒出我的發明。

MT: And when they worked in the vivid playground of his imagination,

泰姆派斯特：當他豐富想像力成功的構思後，

he would build them in his workshop.

他接著在自己的工作室裡開始製造。

NT: I needed no models, drawings or experiments.

特斯拉：我不需要模型、設計圖或實驗。

I could picture them as real in my mind,

我可以在腦海裡看到最真實的作品，

and there I run it, test it and improve it.

我在那兒執行、測試然後改進。

Only then do I construct it.

直到可行之後，我才把它真正建造出來。

MT: His great idea

泰姆派斯特：他的發明

was alternating current.

就是交流電。

But how could he convince the public that

但他要怎麼說服民眾

the millions of volts required to make it work were safe?

為了運行所需的幾百萬伏特電壓是安全的呢？

To sell his idea,

為了推銷他的想法,

he became a showman.

他成為一個表演家。

NT: We are at the dawn of a new age,

特斯拉：我們即將迎接一個新時代的黎明，

the age of electricity.

電力的時代。

I have been able, through careful invention, to

透過仔細的研究發明，我可以

transmit, with the mere flick of a switch,

輕鬆的撥動一個開關，便將電力傳導過導電體。

electricity across the ether.

輕鬆的撥動一個開關，便將電力傳導過導電體。

It is the magic of science.

這是科學的魔術。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Tesla has over 700 patents to his name:

特斯拉名下有超過七百個專利：

radio, wireless telegraphy,

無線電，無線電報

remote control, robotics.

遙控，機器人。

He even photographed the bones of the human body.

他甚至有辦法拍出人體骨骼的照片。

But the high point was the realization of a childhood dream:

但他事業的高潮是當他實現兒時夢想：

harnessing the raging powers of Niagara Falls,

運用尼加拉瀑布的巨大力量

and bringing light to the city.

照亮了整個城市。

But Tesla's success didn't last.

但特斯拉的成功並沒有持續太久。

NT: I had bigger ideas.

特斯拉：我有更大的構想。

Illuminating the city was only the beginning.

照亮城市只是開端。

A world telegraphy center -- imagine news,

一個世界電報中心 -- 試著想像新聞、訊息、聲音、影像

messages, sounds, images delivered to

一個世界電報中心 -- 試著想像新聞、訊息、聲音、影像

any point in the world

都能瞬間以無線方式傳達到世界的任何一點。

instantly and wirelessly.

都能瞬間以無線方式傳達到世界的任何一點。

MT: It's a great idea; it was a huge project. Expensive, too.

泰姆派斯特：這真是個很棒的點子； 一個又巨大又昂貴的計劃。

NT: They wouldn't give me the money.

特斯拉：他們不願意投資。

MT: Well, maybe you shouldn't have told them it could be used to contact other planets.

泰姆派斯特：那你當初不應該對他們說這個技術 也可以用來與外星球聯絡。

NT: Yes, that was a big mistake.

特斯拉：對阿，那是個大錯誤。

MT: Tesla's career as an inventor never recovered.

泰姆派斯特：特斯拉的發明家事業從此一蹶不振。

He became a recluse.

他過著遁世隱居的生活。

Dodged by death,

在他過世之前，

he spent much of his time

他大部份時間都住在

in his suite at the Waldorf-Astoria.

瓦朵夫-亞斯托利雅旅館的套房裡。

NT: Everything I did, I did for mankind,

特斯拉：我所做的一切都是為了人類，

for a world where there would be no humiliation of the poor by the violence of the rich,

一個貧窮不會被權貴脅迫羞辱的世界，

where products of intellect, science and art

這個世界中，智慧、科學與藝術的產品

will serve society for the betterment and beautification of life.

是為了服務社會、創造更美好的生活。

MT: Nikola Tesla died on the 7th of January, 1943.

泰姆派斯特：尼古拉.特斯拉死於1943年1月7日。

His final resting place

他最後的安息之處

is a golden globe that contains his ashes

就在貝爾格勒市的尼古拉特斯拉博物館裡， 一只放著他骨灰的金球中。

at the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade.

就在貝爾格勒市的尼古拉特斯拉博物館裡， 一只放著他骨灰的金球中。

His legacy is with us still.

他的傳奇持續到今天。

Tesla became the man who lit the world,

特斯拉是照亮全世界的人物，

but this was only the beginning.

但那只是開始。

Tesla's insight was profound.

特斯拉的洞見極為深遠浩瀚。

NT: Tell me, what will man do when the forests disappear,

特斯拉：告訴我，當森林消失和煤炭礦存已用盡時

and the coal deposits are exhausted?

人類會採取什麼舉動?

MT: Tesla thought he had the answer.

泰姆派斯特：特斯拉認為他已經有了答案。

We are still asking the question.

而我們卻仍舊繼續在探索這個難題。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）