Lee Cronin: Making matter come alive

譯者: Yingzhi Vera Gu 審譯者: Yen-chung Nora Huang

What I'm going to try and do in the next 15 minutes or so

我想在接下來的15分鍾左右的時間

is tell you about an idea

和大家談談

of how we're going to make matter come alive.

我們怎樣賦予物質生命

Now this may seem a bit ambitious,

這在目前似乎有點好高騖遠

but when you look at yourself, you look at your hands,

但是如果你看你自己，看你的手

you realize that you're alive.

你會意識到自己是活着的

So this is a start.

所以這是一個開始

Now this quest started four billion years ago on planet Earth.

這種探索始於40億年前的地球

There's been four billion years

在地球上已經有

of organic, biological life.

四十億年的有機的生命體

And as an inorganic chemist,

我是無機化學家

my friends and colleagues make this distinction

我的朋友和同事們

between the organic, living world

在有機、有生命的世界

and the inorganic, dead world.

和無機、無生命的世界之間劃出區分

And what I'm going to try and do is plant some ideas

我想要告訴大家

about how we can transform inorganic, dead matter

我們怎樣可以把無機、無生命的物質

into living matter, into inorganic biology.

轉化為生命體和無機生物

Before we do that,

在開始之前

I want to kind of put biology in its place.

我想先談談生物學

And I'm absolutely enthralled by biology.

我對生物學非常着迷

I love to do synthetic biology.

我喜歡做合成生物學

I love things that are alive.

我喜歡有生命的東西

I love manipulating the infrastructure of biology.

也喜歡操控生物學的基礎結構

But within that infrastructure,

但是在那個結搆內

we have to remember

我們必須記得

that the driving force of biology

生物學的驅動力

is really coming from evolution.

實際上是來自進化

And evolution,

進化理論

although it was established well over 100 years ago by Charles Darwin

雖然早在100年前就由達爾文所創立了

and a vast number of other people,

大多數的人

evolution still is a little bit intangible.

還是覺得進化論有些難以理解

And when I talk about Darwinian evolution,

當我提到達爾文的進化論時

I mean one thing and one thing only,

只是想說明一件事，唯一的一件事

and that is survival of the fittest.

就是適者生存

And so forget about evolution

因此不要用

in a kind of metaphysical way.

形而上學（純哲學）的方法去思考進化論

Think about evolution

讓我們從後代子孫彼此競爭

in terms of offspring competing,

有輸有贏的角度

and some winning.

來思考進化論吧

So bearing that in mind,

請記得

as a chemist, I wanted to ask myself

我作為化學家，想問自己一些

the question frustrated by biology:

讓生物學家痛苦的問題：

What is the minimal unit of matter

什麼是達爾文進化論中進化的

that can undergo Darwinian evolution?

最小物質單位？

And this seems quite a profound question.

這看來是一個很有深度的問題

And as a chemist,

但是作為化學家

we're not used to profound questions every day.

我們不習慣每天問有深度的問題

So when I thought about it,

因此當我思考這個問題的時候

then suddenly I realized

我忽然意識到

that biology gave us the answer.

生物學已經給了我們答案

And in fact, the smallest unit of matter

實際上，物質可以獨立進化

that can evolve independently

的最小的單位

is, in fact, a single cell --

是單細胞－－

a bacteria.

一個細菌

So this raises three really important questions:

因此這導出三個真正重要的問題：

What is life?

什麼是生命？

Is biology special?

生物學有什麼特別的嗎？

Biologists seem to think so.

生物學家似乎認為它是特別的

Is matter evolvable?

物質可以進化嗎？

Now if we answer those questions in reverse order,

現在我們逆序回答這些問題

the third question -- is matter evolvable? --

從第三個問題問起：物質可以進化嗎？

if we can answer that,

如果我們可以回答這個問題

then we're going to know how special biology is,

我們就會知道生物學有多特殊

and maybe, just maybe,

然後，可能，但僅是可能

we'll have some idea of what life really is.

我們會暸解生命究竟是什麼

So here's some inorganic life.

這裡有一些無機生命

This is a dead crystal,

這是死水晶

and I'm going to do something to it,

我想要對它做些事

and it's going to become alive.

讓它活過來

And you can see,

然後你會看到

it's kind of pollinating, germinating, growing.

它會授粉，萌芽，成長

This is an inorganic tube.

這是一個無機管

And all these crystals here under the microscope

所有在這個顯微鏡下的水晶

were dead a few minutes ago, and they look alive.

都是在幾分鍾前死去的，它們看起來就像還是活的

Of course, they're not alive.

當然，它們已經死了

It's a chemistry experiment where I've made a crystal garden.

這是我做的一個化學試驗，在其中我做了一個水晶園

But when I saw this, I was really fascinated,

當我看到這個，我被深深吸引

because it seemed lifelike.

因為它看起來栩栩如生

And as I pause for a few seconds, have a look at the screen.

我現在停幾秒鍾，我們來看看螢幕

You can see there's architecture growing, filling the void.

妳可以看到建築物在生長，填補了空虛

And this is dead.

而這是死的

So I was positive that,

所以我很肯定

if somehow we can make things mimic life,

我們可以做出模仿生命的物質

let's go one step further.

讓我們再進一步

Let's see if we can actually make life.

看看我們是否可以製造生命

But there's a problem,

但是有一個問題

because up until maybe a decade ago,

因為大約在十年前

we were told that life was impossible

我們只知道生命是不可能製造的

and that we were the most incredible miracle in the universe.

我們是宇宙中最不可思議的奇蹟

In fact, we were the only people

實際上，我們是宇宙中

in the universe.

唯一的人類

Now, that's a bit boring.

現在看來，這麼說有點無聊

So as a chemist,

作為化學家

I wanted to say, "Hang on. What is going on here?

我想說：「等等，怎麼回事？

Is life that improbable?"

難道生命的出現真的那麼不可思議嗎？」

And this is really the question.

這才是真正的問題

I think that perhaps the emergence of the first cells

我想第一個細胞的出現

was as probable as the emergence of the stars.

可能和第一個星球的出現一樣不可思議吧

And in fact, let's take that one step further.

實際上，如果我們再進一步看

Let's say

比如說

that if the physics of fusion

如果宇宙是由

is encoded into the universe,

聚變物理（融合物理）構成的

maybe the physics of life is as well.

可能生命物理學也是一樣

And so the problem with chemists --

那麼化學家的問題也是一樣的

and this is a massive advantage as well --

但是這也是我們巨大的優勢所在－－

is we like to focus on our elements.

也就是我們專注於元素

In biology, carbon takes center stage.

在生物學中，碳非常重要

And in a universe where carbon exists

一個有碳存在的宇宙中

and organic biology,

就有有機生物學

then we have all this wonderful diversity of life.

我們就有了這樣豐富多采的生物多樣性

In fact, we have such amazing lifeforms that we can manipulate.

實際上，我們可以製造這樣奇妙的生命形式

We're awfully careful in the lab

在實驗室裏，我們非常小心地

to try and avoid various biohazards.

嘗試和避免各種生物危害

Well what about matter?

那麼物質呢？

If we can make matter alive, would we have a matterhazard?

如果我們可以使物質變活，那麼我們會不會製造物質危害呢？

So think, this is a serious question.

想想看，這是一個很嚴肅的問題

If your pen could replicate,

如果你的鋼筆可以複製的話

that would be a bit of a problem.

恐怕會是個問題吧

So we have to think differently

所以我們必須從不同角度思考

if we're going to make stuff come alive.

如果我們想要讓物質有生命

And we also have to be aware of the issues.

我們必須意識到這些問題

But before we can make life,

但是在我們可以製造生命之前

let's think for a second

讓我們思考幾秒鍾

what life really is characterized by.

生命是以什麼為特徴呢？

And forgive the complicated diagram.

請原諒這複雜的圖表

This is just a collection of pathways in the cell.

其實這就是細胞裡的一組通路組合

And the cell is obviously for us

細胞對我們來說

a fascinating thing.

顯然是引人入勝的

Synthetic biologists are manipulating it.

合成生物學可以操控細胞

Chemists are trying to study the molecules to look at disease.

化學家正嘗試着透過研究分子來治療疾病

And you have all these pathways going on at the same time.

現在你有所有的這些同時發生的通路

You have regulation;

你有規則

information is transcribed;

訊息已經抄錄了

catalysts are made; stuff is happening.

水晶已經做好，一切就緒

But what does a cell do?

細胞會怎樣呢？

Well it divides, it competes,

細胞會分裂、競爭

it survives.

然後存活

And I think that is where we have to start

我想這就是我們必須開始的地方

in terms of thinking about

以建立我們

building from our ideas in life.

思想中的生命

But what else is life characterized by?

那麼，還有什麼是生命的特徴呢？

Well, I like think of it

我喜歡把生命想成

as a flame in a bottle.

是瓶子裏的一把火

And so what we have here

我們這裡有

is a description of single cells

一個對於單細胞

replicating, metabolizing,

複製、新陳代謝、

burning through chemistries.

以及在化學過程中燃燒的描述

And so we have to understand

所以我們必須理解

that if we're going to make artificial life or understand the origin of life,

如果我們想人工製造生命或者理解生命的來源

we need to power it somehow.

我們需要給予其一定力量

So before we can really start to make life,

因此在真的開始製造生命之前

we have to really think about where it came from.

我們必須想一想它是從哪裡來的

And Darwin himself mused in a letter to a colleague

達爾文在給一位同事的信中說到

that he thought that life probably emerged

他覺得生命可能是起源於

in some warm little pond somewhere --

某地一個溫暖的小湖泊中－－

maybe not in Scotland, maybe in Africa,

可能不在蘇格蘭，可能是在非洲

maybe somewhere else.

也可能在其它地方

But the real honest answer is, we just don't know,

但是真實的答案是：我們不知道

because there is a problem with the origin.

原因是生命起源有些問題

Imagine way back, four and a half billion years ago,

想像我們回到四十五億年前

there is a vast chemical soup of stuff.

有一大碗的化學湯

And from this stuff we came.

而我們就從這湯而來

So when you think about the improbable nature

所以當你想到我將在接下來的幾分鐘內

of what I'm going to tell you in the next few minutes,

告訴你關於不可思議的大自然時

just remember,

切記

we came from stuff on planet Earth.

我們來自於地球上的某樣東西

And we went through a variety of worlds.

我們都經歷了各種不同的世界

The RNA people would talk about the RNA world.

RNA（核糖核酸）專家們會談到RNA世界

We somehow got to proteins and DNA.

而我們則會提到蛋白質和DNA（脫氧核糖核酸）

We then got to the last ancestor.

然後再回到最早的祖先

Evolution kicked in -- and that's the cool bit.

進化開始發生－－這是最棒的部分

And here we are.

就是這個

But there's a roadblock that you can't get past.

但是有一個無法踰越的路障

You can decode the genome, you can look back,

你可以解碼基因組合，你可以回顧歷史

you can link us all together by a mitochondrial DNA,

你可以靠一個線粒體DNA把我們聯繫在一起

but we can't get further than the last ancestor,

但是我們不可能比上一輩祖先走得更遠

the last visible cell

最後的可見的細胞

that we could sequence or think back in history.

我們可以將之排列，或者從歷史的角度回顧

So we don't know how we got here.

所以我們不知道我們是怎樣來到世界上的

So there are two options:

這裡有兩個選擇：

intelligent design, direct and indirect --

智慧的設計，直接或非直接的－－

so God,

神

or my friend.

或是我的朋友

Now talking about E.T. putting us there, or some other life,

有人說是外星人（E.T.）或者其它的生命體把我們放到這裡的

just pushes the problem further on.

這就把問題更加複雜化了

I'm not a politician, I'm a scientist.

我不是政治家，我是科學家

The other thing we need to think about

另外一件值得思考的事

is the emergence of chemical complexity.

就是化學複雜性的出現

This seems most likely.

看來這是最有可能的

So we have some kind of primordial soup.

我們有一些原始湯

And this one happens to be

而這正好

a good source of all 20 amino acids.

是所有的20種氨基酸的一個良好來源

And somehow

而且，不知怎麼地

these amino acids are combined,

這些氨基酸混在一起

and life begins.

生命便開始了

But life begins, what does that mean?

但是"生命開始"意味著什麼呢？

What is life? What is this stuff of life?

什麼是生命？這個是生命的什麼東西呢？

So in the 1950s,

所以在1950年

Miller-Urey did their fantastic chemical Frankenstein experiment,

米勒和尤列做了一個很棒的弗蘭肯斯坦化學試驗

where they did the equivalent in the chemical world.

他們的試驗是模仿化學世界

They took the basic ingredients, put them in a single jar

他們把基本的原料放到一個罐子裡

and ignited them

然後將其點燃

and put a lot of voltage through.

接著讓很多電壓通過

And they had a look at what was in the soup,

然後再看看湯裡有什麼東西

and they found amino acids,

他們發現了氨基酸

but nothing came out, there was no cell.

但是什麼都沒有產生、沒有細胞

So the whole area's been stuck for a while,

所以整個試驗就此暫停了一段時間

and it got reignited in the '80s

直到80年代才重新開始

when analytical technologies and computer technologies were coming on.

因為當時分析技術和電腦科技開始興盛

In my own laboratory,

在我自己的實驗室裡

the way we're trying to create inorganic life

我們創造無機生命的方式

is by using many different reaction formats.

是使用許多不同的反應格式

So what we're trying to do is do reactions --

所以我們想要尋求的是反應－－

not in one flask, but in tens of flasks,

不是一個燒瓶，而是在幾十個燒瓶裡

and connect them together,

把它們連結在一起

as you can see with this flow system, all these pipes.

你可以看到這個流動系統，和所有的管子

We can do it microfluidically, we can do it lithographically,

我們可用微流體方法操作，可用光刻誘導的方式進行

we can do it in a 3D printer,

也可在3D列表機上進行

we can do it in droplets for colleagues.

我們可以讓同事在滴液中操作

And the key thing is to have lots of complex chemistry

關鍵在於有許多複雜的化學反應

just bubbling away.

開始發生

But that's probably going to end in failure,

但這可能以失敗告終

so we need to be a bit more focused.

因此我們必需更加努力些

And the answer, of course, lies with mice.

而答案，當然就在實驗鼠身上

This is how I remember what I need as a chemist.

這讓我想起我作為化學家所需要的東西

I say, "Well I want molecules."

我說：「好，我要分子。」

But I need a metabolism, I need some energy.

可實際上我需要的是新陳代謝，需要一些能量

I need some information, and I need a container.

我需要一些訊息，還需要一個容器

Because if I want evolution,

因為我想要進化

I need containers to compete.

我需要容器來幫助它們競爭

So if you have a container,

所以如果你有容器

it's like getting in your car.

就好像你進入你的車，說：

"This is my car,

「這是我的車，

and I'm going to drive around and show off my car."

我要到處開，炫耀一下我的車。」

And I imagine you have a similar thing

我想在生命形成的

in cellular biology

細胞生物學上

with the emergence of life.

也是一樣的情況

So these things together give us evolution, perhaps.

也許這些事情加在一起給我們進化

And the way to test it in the laboratory

而在實驗室裏進行試驗

is to make it minimal.

就是使其最小化

So what we're going to try and do

因此，我們打算嘗試做的是

is come up with an inorganic Lego kit of molecules.

得出一種無機分子的樂高積木組件

And so forgive the molecules on the screen,

抱歉，螢幕上的分子看起來很複雜

but these are a very simple kit.

但這是一些非常簡單的積木

There's only maybe three or four different types of building blocks present.

目前大概只有三、四種不同類型的積木

And we can aggregate them together

我們可以將它們組合在一起

and make literally thousands and thousands

製造出成千上萬種

of really big nano-molecular molecules

巨大的奈米分子

the same size of DNA and proteins,

大小相當於DNA及蛋白質

but there's no carbon in sight.

但其中不含碳

Carbon is banned.

碳是被禁止的

And so with this Lego kit,

所以使用這些樂高積木

we have the diversity required

即使沒有DNA

for complex information storage

我們也可以擁有

without DNA.

儲存複雜訊息所需的多樣性

But we need to make some containers.

可是我們需要製造一些容器

And just a few months ago in my lab,

幾個月前在我得實驗室裡

we were able to take these very same molecules and make cells with them.

我們能夠用這些非常相似的分子製造細胞

And you can see on the screen a cell being made.

你可以在螢幕上看見，一個細胞正被製造

And we're now going to put some chemistry inside and do some chemistry in this cell.

我們現在打算在這個細胞裡加上一些化學物質，使其進行化學反應

And all I wanted to show you

我想讓你們知道

is we can set up molecules

我們可以把分子建立在

in membranes, in real cells,

細胞膜和真實細胞上

and then it sets up a kind of molecular Darwinism,

然後建立一種達爾文主義分子

a molecular survival of the fittest.

一種適者生存的分子

And this movie here

這部影片

shows this competition between molecules.

顯示出分子間的競爭

Molecules are competing for stuff.

分子彼此競爭這些物質

They're all made of the same stuff,

它們都是由相同的物質所組成

but they want their shape to win.

希望自己的形狀取勝

They want their shape to persist.

它們也希望自己的形狀留存下來

And that is the key.

這就是其中關鍵

If we can somehow encourage these molecules

如果我們可以鼓勵這些分子

to talk to each other and make the right shapes and compete,

彼此交流並且做成正確的形狀和競爭

they will start to form cells

它們就會開始形成細胞

that will replicate and compete.

這些細胞會複製和競爭

If we manage to do that,

如果我們能成功做這些

forget the molecular detail.

就要忘記分子的細節

Let's zoom out to what that could mean.

讓我們回頭來看這可能意味著什麼

So we have this special theory of evolution

我們擁有這個只適用於有機生物及人類的

that applies only to organic biology, to us.

特殊進化論

If we could get evolution into the material world,

如果我們想要在物質世界中進化

then I propose we should have a general theory of evolution.

我建議我們需要一個一般進化論

And that's really worth thinking about.

這是很值得深思熟慮的

Does evolution control

進化是否得以控制

the sophistication of matter in the universe?

宇宙中的複雜物質呢？

Is there some driving force through evolution

是否在進化中有一些驅動力

that allows matter to compete?

促使物質相互競爭呢？

So that means we could then start

這說明我們可以開始

to develop different platforms

開發不同的平台

for exploring this evolution.

來探索這一演變

So you imagine,

請想像一下

if we're able to create a self-sustaining artificial life form,

如果我們能創造一個自立的人造生命形式

not only will this tell us about the origin of life --

我們就不僅能瞭解生命的起源--

that it's possible that the universe doesn't need carbon to be alive;

很可能在宇宙中，不需要碳元素也能形成生命

it can use anything --

生命可以由任何元素形成

we can then take [it] one step further and develop new technologies,

之後，我們可以更進一步，開發一些新技術

because we can then use software control

因為我們可以使用軟體控制

for evolution to code in.

將演化過程的編碼嵌入

So imagine we make a little cell.

因此，想像我們製造一個小細胞

We want to put it out in the environment,

我們希望將它放入環境中

and we want it to be powered by the Sun.

希望它藉由太陽獲取能量

What we do is we evolve it in a box with a light on.

我們所做的是，將它置於一個光照的箱中

And we don't use design anymore. We find what works.

再也不需做任何設計。我們發現這樣很有效

We should take our inspiration from biology.

我們應該從生物學中得到啟示

Biology doesn't care about the design

生物學不在乎設計

unless it works.

除非它能產生作用

So this will reorganize

因此，這將重新建構

the way we design things.

我們設計生命的方式

But not only just that,

不僅如此

we will start to think about

還要開始思考

how we can start to develop a symbiotic relationship with biology.

該如何開始發展生物學之間的共生關係

Wouldn't it be great

如果將這些人造生物細胞

if you could take these artificial biological cells

和生物細胞融合

and fuse them with biological ones

來處理我們無法解決的問題

to correct problems that we couldn't really deal with?

那不是很棒嗎？

The real issue in cellular biology

細胞生物學真正的問題

is we are never going to understand everything,

在於我們永遠無法理解一切

because it's a multidimensional problem put there by evolution.

因為這是一個由進化產生的多層面問題

Evolution cannot be cut apart.

進化是無法分割的

You need to somehow find the fitness function.

你必需以某種方式找到適合的功能

And the profound realization for me

對我來說，最深刻的啟發是

is that, if this works,

如果這個想法行得通

the concept of the selfish gene gets kicked up a level,

自私基因的概念會在某個階段介入

and we really start talking about selfish matter.

我們就可以真正開始討論關於自私物質的概念

And what does that mean in a universe

在這個目前人類身為最高等生命形式的宇宙中

where we are right now the highest form of stuff?

這意味著什麼？

You're sitting on chairs.

你們正坐在椅子上

They're inanimate, they're not alive.

它們並非生物，它們沒有生命

But you are made of stuff, and you are using stuff,

但你由物質形成，你使用物質

and you enslave stuff.

也掌控物質

So using evolution

因此，使用生物學

in biology,

和無機生物

and in inorganic biology,

的進化概念

for me is quite appealing, quite exciting.

對我來說相當有吸引力，相當振奮人心

And we're really becoming very close

我們真的很快就將瞭解

to understanding the key steps

賦予物質生命

that makes dead stuff come alive.

的關鍵步驟

And again, when you're thinking about how improbable this is,

同樣的，當你考慮到這個可能性是多麼微乎其微時

remember, five billion years ago,

別忘了，五十億年前

we were not here, and there was no life.

人類並不存在，生命亦不存在

So what will that tell us

那麼，對於生命的起源和意義

about the origin of life and the meaning of life?

這又能告訴我們什麼呢？

But perhaps, for me as a chemist,

也許，對身為化學家的我來說

I want to keep away from general terms;

我不想籠統地思考這個問題

I want to think about specifics.

我希望能思考得更具體一點

So what does it mean about defining life?

那麼，這對定義生命來說意味著什麼？

We really struggle to do this.

我們確實還在努力解決這個問題

And I think, if we can make inorganic biology,

但是，我想，如果我們可以製造出無機生物

and we can make matter become evolvable,

可以使物質開始進化

that will in fact define life.

這實際上就是定義生命了

I propose to you

我想告訴你們

that matter that can evolve is alive,

可以進化的物質就是活的

and this gives us the idea of making evolvable matter.

這使我們有了製造可演化物質的想法

Thank you very much.

謝謝

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Chris Anderson: Just a quick question on timeline.

Chris Anderson: 時間有限，問個簡短的問題

You believe you're going to be successful in this project?

你相信這個計劃能成功嗎？

When?

什麼時候能成功呢？

Lee Cronin: So many people think

Lee Cronin: 許多人認為

that life took millions of years to kick in.

生命得歷經數百萬年才能形成

We're proposing to do it in just a few hours,

而我們認為只要能建立

once we've set up

正確的化學結構

the right chemistry.

那麼，生命可在短短幾個小時內完成

CA: And when do you think that will happen?

CA: 你覺得什麽時候會實現呢？

LC: Hopefully within the next two years.

LC: 希望在未來兩年中完成

CA: That would be a big story.

CA: 這將是件了不得的大事

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

In your own mind, what do you believe the chances are

你認為

that walking around on some other planet

其他星球上可能

is non-carbon-based life,

有非以碳為基礎的生命存在

walking or oozing or something?

或正在形成的機率有多少？

LC: I think it's 100 percent.

LC: 我認為有100％的機率

Because the thing is, we are so chauvinistic to biology,

因為事實上我們對生物抱著相當沙文主義的想法

if you take away carbon, there's other things that can happen.

如果將碳除去，依然會有其他生命形成

So the other thing

因此，另一方面

that if we were able to create life that's not based on carbon,

如果我們能創造出非以碳為基礎的生命

maybe we can tell NASA what really to look for.

也許我們可以告訴NASA真正該尋找的是什麼

Don't go and look for carbon, go and look for evolvable stuff.

別尋找碳元素，去尋找可演化的物質吧！

CA: Lee Cronin, good luck. (LC: Thank you very much.)

CA: Lee Cronin，祝你好運。（LC：非常感謝）

(Applause)

（掌聲）