A theory of everything | Garrett Lisi

譯者: YaoYang Han 審譯者: K. C. Peng

Whoa, dude.

看看這個嚇人的方程式 酷

(Laughter)

Check out those killer equations. Sweet.

Actually, for the next 18 minutes I'm going to do the best I can

在接下來的18分鐘裡 我會盡自己所能

to describe the beauty of particle physics without equations.

在不用方程式的前提之下 讓大家了解粒子學的美妙

It turns out there's a lot we can learn from coral.

我們發現到 我們能從珊瑚身上學到很多東西

A coral is a very beautiful and unusual animal.

珊瑚是種奇特及美妙的動物

Each coral head consists of thousands of individual polyps.

每一個珊瑚群都由成千上萬的珊瑚組成

These polyps are continually budding and branching

這些珊瑚會不停的生長及分裂

into genetically identical neighbors.

變成基因相同的群體

If we imagine this to be a hyperintelligent coral,

想像如果這些珊瑚擁有很高的智商

我們就能抓出其中的一個珊瑚 並且問他一個簡單的問題

we can single out an individual and ask him a reasonable question.

We can ask how exactly he got to be in this particular location

你為什麼會剛好出現在這

compared to his neighbors --

而不是其他的地方

if it was just chance, or destiny, or what?

是剛好 命運 還是其他的原因

Now, after admonishing us for turning the temperature up too high,

在我們收到全球暖化的警告之後

他回答我們 這問題真是愚蠢極了

he would tell us that our question was completely stupid.

These corals can be kind of mean, you see,

這珊瑚有時候還真不客氣

and I have surfing scars to prove that.

我衝浪時所受的傷就是證明

But this polyp would continue and tell us

這珊瑚繼續回答我們

that his neighbors were quite clearly identical copies of him.

他旁邊的這些珊瑚都是跟他一模一樣的複製品

That he was in all these other locations as well,

他跟其他珊瑚聚在一起成為一個整體

but experiencing them as separate individuals.

只是表現為不同的個體而已

For a coral, branching into different copies

對於珊瑚來說 分裂出不同個體

is the most natural thing in the world.

是再自然不過的事情了

Unlike us, a hyperintelligent coral

和我們不同的是 高智商的珊瑚已具備了

would be uniquely prepared to understand quantum mechanics.

理解量子力學的能力

The mathematics of quantum mechanics

量子力學透過數學方法準確的描述

very accurately describes how our universe works.

宇宙的運行模式

And it tells us our reality is continually branching into different possibilities,

它告訴我們 現實世界和珊瑚一樣

也具有不同可能性的發展

just like a coral.

It's a weird thing for us humans to wrap our minds around,

我們人類很難理解這個問題

since we only ever get to experience one possibility.

因為每個人只能經歷一種人生

This quantum weirdness was first described

這種量子力學的奇特現象

by Erwin Schrödinger and his cat.

最早是由薛丁格和他的貓提出來的

The cat likes this version better.

貓更喜歡這版本

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

In this setup, Schrödinger is in a box with a radioactive sample

在他的實驗裡 薛丁格待在一個具有放射物質的空間中

that, by the laws of quantum mechanics, branches into a state

根據量子力學原理 放射物質有兩種可能情況

in which it is radiated and a state in which it is not.

可能衰變或者不衰變

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

In the branch in which the sample radiates,

如果粒子發生衰變的話

會激發連鎖反應 釋放毒氣 薛丁格必死無疑

it sets off a trigger that releases poison and Schrödinger is dead.

But in the other branch of reality, he remains alive.

但如果薛丁格遇到另一種情況 他就能活下來

These realities are experienced separately by each individual.

每個個體都只能經歷其中的一種情形

As far as either can tell, the other one doesn't exist.

而另一種可能對他來說並不存在

This seems weird to us,

這對我們來說很難理解 因為我們每一個人

because each of us only experiences an individual existence,

都只能了解自己所處的狀態

and we don't get to see other branches.

而感覺不到其他狀態

It's as if each of us, like Schrödinger here,

我們和薛丁格一樣，如同那些

are a kind of coral branching into different possibilities.

被分化成不同的狀態的珊瑚

The mathematics of quantum mechanics tells us

量子力學用數學的方法告訴我們

this is how the world works at tiny scales.

這就是微小世界的法則

It can be summed up in a single sentence:

用一句話來下結論

Everything that can happen, does.

所有一切可能發生的事情 都在發生

That's quantum mechanics.

這就是量子力學

But this does not mean everything happens.

但是這並不代表任何事情都會發生

The rest of physics is about describing what can happen and what can't.

物理學的其他方向則能夠描述哪些可以發生

哪些不可以

What physics tells us is that everything comes down to geometry

物理學告訴我們 一切都可用幾何學解釋

and the interactions of elementary particles.

只有在這些相互作用

都剛剛好平衡的時候

And things can happen only if these interactions are perfectly balanced.

事情才有可能發生

Now I'll go ahead and describe how we know about these particles,

現在我將講說明我們對這些粒子的認識

它們是什麼 而它們的平衡機制如何運作

what they are and how this balance works.

In this machine, a beam of protons and antiprotons

在此裝置中 質子和反質子

are accelerated to near the speed of light

都被加速到接近光速的速度

and brought together in a collision, producing a burst of pure energy.

然後相撞 產生出一股巨大的純能量

This energy is immediately converted into a spray of subatomic particles,

這些能量迅速轉化

以亞原子形式噴射出來

with detectors and computers used to figure out their properties.

檢測儀和電腦將對他們的性質加以分析

This enormous machine --

這個位於日內瓦歐核中心的巨型機器名叫

the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Geneva --

大型強子對撞機

has a circumference of 17 miles and, when it's operating,

周長有17英里

運轉時 對撞機消耗的能量相當於

draws five times as much power as the city of Monterey.

蒙特雷全市用電量的5倍

We can't predict specifically

我們無法精確的猜測

what particles will be produced in any individual collision.

哪些粒子會在每次對撞後產生

Quantum mechanics tells us all possibilities are realized.

量子力學告訴我們一切皆有可能

But physics does tell us what particles can be produced.

但物理學告訴我們哪些粒子有可能產生

These particles must have just as much mass and energy

這些產生的粒子的數量和能量

as is carried in by the proton and antiproton.

都必須擁有質子和反質子的相互平衡

Any particles more massive than this energy limit aren't produced,

任何數量超過了這限制的粒子

都不會出現，因此我們不會看到

and remain invisible to us.

This is why this new particle accelerator is so exciting.

這個新型粒子加速器令人無比興奮的原因

It's going to push this energy limit seven times

就在於它達到的能量極限

beyond what's ever been done before,

是以前的7倍多

so we're going to get to see some new particles very soon.

所以我們很快會看到新的粒子

But before talking about what we might see,

在討論未知粒子之前

let me describe the particles we already know of.

讓我先介紹下那些已知的粒子

There's a whole zoo of subatomic particles.

亞原子多得都可以組成一間動物園了

Most of us are familiar with electrons.

大部分人都知道電子

A lot of people in this room make a good living pushing them around.

在場的各位的工作

有不少都和它密切相關

(笑聲)

(Laughter)

But the electron also has a neutral partner called the neutrino,

電子有個不帶電的夥伴叫做中子

with no electric charge and a very tiny mass.

不帶電 且有著極小的質量

In contrast, the up and down quarks have very large masses,

相反 上夸克和下夸克有較大的質量

and combine in threes to make the protons and neutrons inside atoms.

把三個夸克合在一起就得到

原子裏的質子和中子

All of these matter particles come in left- and right-handed varieties,

這些粒子分為兩類 左旋和右旋

它們都有攜帶相反電荷的反粒子

and have antiparticle partners that carry opposite charges.

These familiar particles

also have less familiar second and third generations,

這些熟悉的粒子還有我們不太熟悉的

第二代和第三代 電量和第一代相同

which have the same charges as the first but have much higher masses.

但質量更高

These matter particles all interact with the various force particles.

粒子通過基本力相互作用

The electromagnetic force interacts with electrically charged matter

帶電粒子通過光子傳遞電磁力

via particles called photons.

相互作用

There is also a very weak force

還有一種十分微弱的力很直接的叫做弱力

called, rather unimaginatively, the weak force ...

這個力只和

(Laughter)

that interacts only with left-handed matter.

左旋的物質相作用

The strong force acts between quarks

夸克以色荷為載體

which carry a different kind of charge, called color charge,

通過強力相互作用

and come in three different varieties: red, green and blue.

色荷分三種 紅 綠 藍

You can blame Murray Gell-Mann for these names -- they're his fault.

這都是默里‧蓋爾曼的錯

名字是他是取的

Finally, there's the force of gravity,

最後 就是重力 是有質量的物體

which interacts with matter via its mass and spin.

作用於物體 的傳遞

The most important thing to understand here

最重要的是

is that there's a different kind of charge associated with each of these forces.

每一種力都對應有

不同的載荷

These four different forces interact with matter

四種力通過各自粒子所攜帶的載荷

according to the corresponding charges that each particle has.

和物質發生作用

A particle that hasn't been seen yet, but we're pretty sure exists,

有一種我們沒見過但確信存在的粒子

稱為希格斯粒子 它使所有粒子有了質量

is the Higgs particle, which gives masses to all these other particles.

The main purpose of the Large Hadron Collider

大型強子對撞機的主要目的

是發現希格斯粒子 我們確信可以做到

is to see this Higgs particle, and we're almost certain it will.

But the greatest mystery is what else we might see.

但最大的奧秘在於我們還能看到什麼

And I'm going to show you one beautiful possibility

我會在演講最後向你們展示

towards the end of this talk.

這美好的可能性

Now, if we count up all these different particles

現在 如果我們用不同的自旋和載荷

using their various spins and charges,

計算所有可能的粒子 共有226種

there are 226.

That's a lot of particles to keep track of.

數目大得驚人

And it seems strange

大自然擁有這麼多的基本粒子

that nature would have so many elementary particles.

是多奇妙的一件事阿

But if we plot them out according to their charges,

但如果我們按他們各自的載荷把他們畫出來

some beautiful patterns emerge.

會出現一些美麗的圖案

The most familiar charge is electric charge.

我們最熟悉的載荷是電荷

Electrons have an electric charge,

電子擁有一個負電荷

a negative one,

而夸克擁有1/3的電荷

and quarks have electric charges in thirds.

由2個上夸克和1個下夸克

So when two up quarks and a down quark are combined to make a proton,

生成的質子有一個正電荷

it has a total electric charge of plus one.

These particles also have antiparticles, which have opposite charges.

粒子還有極性相反的反粒子

Now, it turns out the electric charge

我們發現電荷實際上

is actually a combination of two other charges:

是另兩種載荷的結合

hypercharge and weak charge.

超荷和弱荷

If we spread out the hypercharge and weak charge

如果我們把超荷和弱荷分開

在這個二度載荷空間上畫出粒子的載荷

and plot the charges of particles in this two-dimensional charge space,

the electric charge is where these particles sit

電荷就在這些粒子的

along the vertical direction.

垂直方向上

The electromagnetic and weak forces interact with matter

電磁力和弱力通過超荷和弱荷

according to their hypercharge and weak charge,

與物質相互作用

which make this pattern.

而形成這一型式

This is called the unified electroweak model,

我們稱之為電弱統一模型

於1967年提出

and it was put together back in 1967.

The reason most of us are only familiar with electric charge

因為希格斯粒子的緣故 我們只對電荷有瞭解

and not both of these is because of the Higgs particle.

卻不知道超荷和弱荷

The Higgs, over here on the left, has a large mass

左邊的希格斯粒子質量很大

and breaks the symmetry of this electroweak pattern.

破壞了電弱型式的對稱性

It makes the weak force very weak by giving the weak particles a large mass.

通過給弱子較大的質量

使弱力更加弱

Since this massive Higgs sits along the horizontal direction in this diagram,

由於大量的希格斯粒子在水準方向分佈

產生電磁力的光子仍然沒有質量

the photons of electromagnetism remain massless

and interact with electric charge along the vertical direction

而且在載荷空間中和電荷

in this charge space.

相互作用

So the electromagnetic and weak forces

所以電磁力和弱力在這個二度空間中

are described by this pattern of particle charges

通過粒子載荷的型式表示出來

in two-dimensional space.

We can include the strong force by spreading out its two charge directions

我們可以把強力沿兩個載荷的方向表示出來

然後將載荷用夸克形式

and plotting the charges of the force particles in quarks

沿這兩個方向畫出來

along these directions.

The charges of all known particles

所有已知粒子的載荷可以

can be plotted in a four-dimensional charge space,

在四度空間中畫出來 然後投影到

and projected down to two dimensions like this so we can see them.

二度空間 以便我們能觀察到

Whenever particles interact, nature keeps things in a perfect balance

無論粒子如何作用 自然會在這四個載荷方向上

along all four of these charge directions.

保持完美的平衡

If a particle and an antiparticle collide,

一個粒子如果和它的反粒子相撞 會產生能量

it creates a burst of energy and a total charge of zero

四個電荷方向的載荷疊加變為零

in all four charge directions.

At this point, anything can be created

這樣 只要保持能量相同和載荷總量為零

as long as it has the same energy and maintains a total charge of zero.

可以產生任何物質

For example, this weak force particle and its antiparticle

比如說 這個弱子和它的反粒子

can be created in a collision.

可以在碰撞中產生

In further interactions, the charges must always balance.

在之後的相互作用中 載荷必須保持平衡

One of the weak particles could decay into an electron and an antineutrino,

一個弱子可以衰退成一個電子

和一個反中微子

and these three still add to zero total charge.

而這三個的總載荷仍然是零

Nature always keeps a perfect balance.

大自然總是會保持完美的平衡

So these patterns of charges are not just pretty.

所以這些電荷的型式不僅漂亮

還告訴我們 什麼樣的相互作用是符合規則的

They tell us what interactions are allowed to happen.

And we can rotate this charge space in four dimensions

如果在四度空間中旋轉載荷空間

to get a better look at the strong interaction,

可以從更好的角度觀察強相互作用

也就是這個美麗的對稱六角形結構

which has this nice hexagonal symmetry.

In a strong interaction, a strong force particle,

在強相互作用中 強子 比如說這個

such as this one,

interacts with a colored quark, such as this green one,

會和有色夸克相互作用 比如這個綠夸克

這樣的作用會讓夸克帶上不同的色荷 比如這個紅夸克

to give a quark with a different color charge -- this red one.

And strong interactions are happening millions of times

強相互作用每秒鐘會在我們身體的

每個原子裏發生上百萬次

each second in every atom of our bodies,

holding the atomic nuclei together.

使原子核保持一體

But these four charges corresponding to three forces

但是和三種力相對應的這四種載荷

are not the end of the story.

還不是終點

We can also include two more charges corresponding to the gravitational force.

我們還可以根據重力

導入兩個載荷

導入後 每個粒子會有

When we include these,

each matter particle has two different spin charges,

自旋向上和自旋向下兩種自旋載荷

spin-up and spin-down.

So they all split and give a nice pattern in six-dimensional charge space.

若把它們全部分開 會在六度載荷空間中

形成漂亮的圖案

We can rotate this pattern in six dimensions

在六度空間中將這個圖案進行旋轉

我們會發現它十分漂亮

and see that it's quite pretty.

Right now, this pattern matches our best current knowledge

這個圖案把我們已知的

of how nature is built at the tiny scales of these elementary particles.

自然界在微觀小世界中的粒子組成

完全呈現出來了

This is what we know for certain.

這是我們能確定的

Some of these particles are at the very limit

其中的一些粒子

在實驗中很難看到

of what we've been able to reach with experiments.

From this pattern

從這個規則中 我們瞭解了微小世界的粒子組成

we already know the particle physics of these tiny scales --

宇宙在這種微小世界中的運行模式

the way the universe works at these tiny scales is very beautiful.

是異常美麗的

But now I'm going to discuss some new and old ideas

接下去 我想講一下關於未知領域的

about things we don't know yet.

一些新的老觀念

We want to expand this pattern using mathematics alone,

我們把這個型式規則 用數學方法進一步擴展

看看能不能俯瞰全貌

and see if we can get our hands on the whole enchilada.

We want to find all the particles and forces

我們希望找到構成宇宙的

that make a complete picture of our universe.

所有種類的粒子和力量

And we want to use this picture to predict new particles

然後在獲得更高能量進行實驗之前

that we'll see when experiments reach higher energies.

用這幅規則預測新的粒子

So there's an old idea in particle physics

量子物理學的舊觀念認為

that this known pattern of charges,

這個不對稱的載荷圖案

which is not very symmetric,

could emerge from a more perfect pattern that gets broken --

源自於一個更完美的圖案

similar to how the Higgs particle breaks the electroweak pattern

跟希格斯粒子使電弱圖案分裂

to give electromagnetism.

產生電磁力是一個道理

In order to do this, we need to introduce new forces

因此 我們要導入含有

with new charge directions.

新的載荷方向的新的力量

When we introduce a new direction,

在導入新方向的時候 我們要猜測

we get to guess what charges the particles have along this direction,

在這個方向上粒子帶有什麼樣的載荷

and then we can rotate it in with the others.

然後我們就能讓它和其他粒子一起旋轉

If we guess wisely, we can construct the standard charges

如果猜對的話 我們就可以在六度載荷空間中

in six charge dimensions as a broken symmetry

構造標準載荷集 作為更完美的

of this more perfect pattern in seven charge dimensions.

七度載荷空間圖案的非對稱子集

This particular choice corresponds to a grand unified theory

這種粒子選擇方法由帕蒂和薩拉姆在1973年提出

introduced by Pati and Salam in 1973.

它是大統一理論的一種探索

When we look at this new unified pattern,

在我們看到這個新的合成圖案時

we can see a couple of gaps where particles seem to be missing.

發現有些空間應該有粒子 卻空出來了

This is the way theories of unification work.

這是統一理論的研究方式

A physicist looks for larger, more symmetric patterns

物理學家將已有的結構作為子集

that include the established pattern as a subset.

探索更大 更對稱的結構

The larger pattern allows us to predict the existence of particles

這個更大的結構可以讓我們預測那些

實際存在 卻沒有被觀察到的粒子

that have never been seen.

This unification model predicts the existence

這個統一模型推測出了這兩種新子

of these two new force particles,

對應的粒子 它們應該和弱力很相似

which should act a lot like the weak force, only weaker.

但是效果更弱

Now, we can rotate this set of charges in seven dimensions

現在可以在七度空間中旋轉這個載荷集

同時考慮一下關於粒子的奇怪現象:

and consider an odd fact about the matter particles:

在六度載荷空間中

the second and third generations of matter

物質的第二代和第三代 擁有和第一代物質

have exactly the same charges in six-dimensional charge space

as the first generation.

擁有和第一代物質相同的載荷

These particles are not uniquely identified by their six charges.

這些粒子通過對應的六個載荷無法一一識別

They sit on top of one another in the standard charge space.

在標準載荷空間上 他們會彼此疊加

However, if we work in eight-dimensional charge space,

然而 在八度載荷空間中

then we can assign unique new charges to each particle.

我們可以賦予每一個粒子唯一的新載荷

Then we can spin these in eight dimensions

然後在八度空間中旋轉

and see what the whole pattern looks like.

看看整體的圖案是什麼樣的

Here we can see the second and third generations of matter now,

這裏 我們可以看到物質的第二代和第三代

通過一種叫“三重性”對稱和第一代相關聯

related to the first generation by a symmetry called "triality."

This particular pattern of charges in eight dimensions

在八度中的這個特殊的載荷圖案是

is actually part of the most beautiful geometric structure in mathematics.

數學中最為漂亮的幾何結構之一

It's a pattern of the largest exceptional Lie group, E8.

這是最大的例外型李群E8的圖案

This Lie group is a smooth, curved shape with 248 dimensions.

李群是光滑曲線形的248維空間

Each point in this pattern corresponds to a symmetry

圖案的每一點都能在這個極其複雜而又美麗的£

of this very complex and beautiful shape.

圖案中找到對稱點

One small part of this E8 shape can be used to describe

E8中的一小部分可以用來描述

the curved space-time of Einstein's general relativity,

愛因斯坦廣義相對論中用來解釋重力的

explaining gravity.

扭曲時空

Together with quantum mechanics,

這個幾何形狀和量子力學

the geometry of this shape could describe everything

宇宙怎麼用

about how the universe works at the tiniest scales.

最小的尺度運作

The pattern of this shape living in eight-dimensional charge space

描述萬物之理 而在八度載荷空間中的這個圖案

顯得異常美麗

is exquisitely beautiful,

and it summarizes thousands of possible interactions

它還囊括了上千種這些基本粒子之間

between these elementary particles,

可能的相互作用 每一種作用

each of which is just a facet of this complicated shape.

只是這個複雜形狀的一個平面

As we spin it, we can see many of the other intricate patterns

轉動它時 可以看到包含其中的很多

contained in this one.

錯綜複雜的圖案

And with a particular rotation,

通過某種旋轉 我們可以在八度空間

we can look down through this pattern in eight dimensions along a symmetry axis

沿一個對稱軸方向觀察這個圖案

and see all the particles at once.

並且一次看盡所有粒子

It's a very beautiful object,

這是個很美的結構 和其他統一理論一樣

and as with any unification,

we can see some holes where new particles are required by this pattern.

我們可以看到在這個圖案中有一些空格需要

新的粒子來填補

There are 20 gaps where new particles should be,

在這有20個空格需要新粒子來填補

two of which have been filled by the Pati-Salam particles.

其中兩個已有帕蒂和薩拉姆粒子填補

From their location in this pattern, we know that these new particles

從圖案的位置我們知道這些新粒子和

should be scalar fields like the Higgs particle,

希格斯粒子一樣存在於純量場中

but have color charge and interact with the strong force.

但是它們擁有色荷 且和強力相互作用

Filling in these new particles completes this pattern,

填入這些新粒子使圖案完整

讓我們得到完整的E8

giving us the full E8.

This E8 pattern has very deep mathematical roots.

這個E8圖案有著深厚的數學根基

It's considered by many to be the most beautiful structure in mathematics.

在數學界中它被很多人認為是

最美麗的結構

It's a fantastic prospect that this object of great mathematical beauty

有人預言 這個擁有無比數學美的結構有人預言 這個擁有無比數學美的結構

能夠以我們可以想像到的最小尺寸

could describe the truth of particle interactions

描述粒子相互作用的真相

at the smallest scales imaginable.

而這個數學描述自然的理論

And this idea that nature is described by mathematics is not at all new.

並不是新的

In 1623, Galileo wrote this:

1623年 伽利略說

"Nature's grand book, which stands continually open to our gaze,

大自然這本一直展示在我們面前的書

is written in the language of mathematics.

是用數學的語言寫的

Its characters are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures,

它由三角形 圓形和其他幾何形狀組成

without which it is humanly impossible to understand a single word of it;

沒有了這些東西 在人力所及的範圍裏我們

根本不能瞭解

without these, one is wandering around in a dark labyrinth."

沒有了這些 我們會迷失在黑暗的迷宮中

I believe this to be true,

我相信這是真的

and I've tried to follow Galileo's guidance

我曾試過按照伽利略的指導只用三角形

in describing the mathematics of particle physics

圓形和其他的幾何形狀去描述

using only triangles, circles and other geometrical figures.

量子物理的數學性

Of course, when other physicists and I actually work on this stuff,

當我和其他物理學家在研究這些東西時

數學就像一個黑暗的迷宮

the mathematics can resemble a dark labyrinth.

But it's reassuring that at the heart of this mathematics

但是我們確信 數學的核心是

is pure, beautiful geometry.

純粹美麗的幾何學

Joined with quantum mechanics,

與量子力學一起 形成的數學

this mathematics describes our universe as a growing E8 coral,

把我們的宇宙描述為一個在成長的E8珊瑚

同時粒子在每個可能的位置相互作用

with particles interacting at every location in all possible ways

according to a beautiful pattern.

展現出美麗的圖案

And as more of the pattern comes into view using new machines

借助大型強子對撞機之類的新型機器

like the Large Hadron Collider,

圖案得到進一步豐富 我們可能看到

we may be able to see whether nature uses this E8 pattern or a different one.

到底E8圖案還是另一種圖案反映了自然的本質

This process of discovery is a wonderful adventure to be involved in.

這個探索過程是一個奇妙的探險

If the LHC finds particles that fit this E8 pattern,

如果對撞機發現了符合E8圖案的粒子

that will be very, very cool.

那就太酷了

If the LHC finds new particles, but they don't fit this pattern --

如果對撞機發現了新粒子 但不符合這個圖案

well, that will be very interesting, but bad for this E8 theory.

那會非常有趣 雖然對E8理論不利

And, of course, bad for me personally.

而且 在一定程度上 對我不利

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Now, how bad would that be?

那到底有多不利呢？

Well, pretty bad.

恩 那是十分的不利啊

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

But predicting how nature works is a very risky game.

但推測大自然的運作總是很冒險的

This theory and others like it are long shots.

這個理論和其他這類型的理論都是在下大注

One does a lot of hard work knowing that most of these ideas

即使花很多精力取得很多成果

probably won't end up being true about nature.

也不一定能得出自然的真理

That's what doing theoretical physics is like:

理論物理就是這樣

there are a lot of wipeouts.

失敗是很常見的

In this regard, new physics theories are a lot like start-up companies.

這樣看來 新物理理論就像新開的公司一樣

As with any large investment,

巨大投資後 對那些失敗的嘗試

it can be emotionally difficult to abandon a line of research

情感上總會難以割捨

when it isn't working out.

But in science, if something isn't working,

但在科學界 如果沒有用

you have to toss it out and try something else.

就要丟掉它 再試試別的

Now, the only way to maintain sanity

而在這些不確定中

and achieve happiness in the midst of this uncertainty

唯一能夠保持理智並獲得幸福的方法是

is to keep balance and perspective in life.

在生活中保持平衡和明察事理

I've tried the best I can to live a balanced life.

我已經盡可能保持生活的平衡了

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

I try to balance my life equally between physics, love and surfing --

我試著在物理 愛情和衝浪中尋找平衡

my own three charge directions.

就是我三個載荷的方向

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

This way, even if the physics I work on comes to nothing,

這樣 就算我的物理研究沒有任何成果

我依然擁有美好的生活

I still know I've lived a good life.

And I try to live in beautiful places.

我試著在風景優美的地方居住

For most of the past ten years I've lived on the island of Maui,

過去十年 我大部分時間都住在毛伊島

a very beautiful place.

一個超級漂亮的地方

Now, it's one of the greatest mysteries in the universe to my parents

現在 我父母最大的疑惑是

how I managed to survive all that time

我是怎樣在沒有一個全職工作的情況下

without engaging in anything resembling full-time employment.

活下來的

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

I'm going to let you in on that secret.

我要告訴你們這個秘密

This was a view from my home office on Maui.

這是我在毛伊島上的家庭辦公室的照片

And this is another,

這些也是

and another.

And you may have noticed that these beautiful views are similar,

你們可能注意到這些照片

似曾相似 但背景稍有不同

but in slightly different places.

That's because this used to be my home and office on Maui.

因為這曾經是我在毛伊島的家和辦公室

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

I've chosen a very unusual life.

我選擇了一種特別的生活

But not worrying about rent

不擔心房租 讓我把時間花在

allowed me to spend my time doing what I love.

喜歡做的事情上

Living a nomadic existence has been hard at times,

流浪的生活方式有時會很艱難

but it's allowed me to live in beautiful places

也正因此 我才能可生活在美麗的地方

維持我所喜歡的平衡的生活

and keep a balance in my life that I've been happy with.

It allows me to spend a lot of my time hanging out with hyperintelligent coral.

我可以花大量的時間在

超級聰明的珊瑚上

But I also greatly enjoy the company of hyperintelligent people.

同時我也很樂意和超級聰明的人打交道

So I'm very happy to have been invited here to TED.

所以我很高興能被邀請到這兒演講

Thank you very much.

謝謝大家

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Chris Anderson: Stay here one second.

(Applause)

I probably understood two percent of that,

我想我只懂了百分之二的部分

but I still absolutely loved it.

但是我絕對喜歡它 所以我想獻一下醜

So I'm going to sound dumb.

Your theory of everything --

你的萬物理論

Garrett Lisi: I'm used to coral.

我喜歡稱之為珊瑚理論

CA: That's right.

好吧 它讓人們興奮的原因是

The reason it's got a few people at least excited

如果你是對的，那就把

is because, if you're right, it brings gravity and quantum theory together.

重力和量子理論結合了起來

So are you saying that we should think of the universe, at its heart --

所以你是不是說我們應該瞭解

在宇宙中那些最微小的事物

that the smallest things that there are,

are somehow an E8 object of possibility?

有可能就是E8模型

I mean, is there a scale to it, at the smallest scale, or ...?

我是說 你心裏是不是有一個最小的尺寸

還是

GL: Well, right now the pattern I showed you

嗯，剛剛給你們看得圖案規則

that corresponds to what we know about elementary particle physics --

就是我們所知的基本粒子物理

that already corresponds to a very beautiful shape.

而且它已經是一個很漂亮的圖案了

And that's the one that I said we knew for certain.

那個就是我所說的我們很確信的地方

And that shape has remarkable similarities --

而這個形狀和E8有著明顯的相似處

and the way it fits into this E8 pattern, which could be the rest of the picture.

在剩下的圖片中幾乎和E8合為一體

And these patterns of points that I've shown for you

我給你們看得這些點狀圖案

actually represent symmetries of this high-dimensional object

實際上代表著更高維物體的對稱性

that would be warping and moving and dancing

這些圖案在我們生活的時空中

over the space-time that we experience.

蜷曲，移動和舞蹈

And that would be what explains all these elementary particles that we see.

這就解釋了所有的

我們所看見的基本粒子

CA: But a string theorist, as I understand it,

我們所看見的基本粒子

explains electrons in terms of much smaller strings vibrating --

弦理論家會在更小的弦震動裏

解釋電子

I know, you don't like string theory -- vibrating inside it.

我知道你不喜歡弦理論

但我們該怎樣理解在E8模型中的電子

How should we think of an electron in relation to E8?

GL: Well, it would be one of the symmetries of this E8 shape.

不 它將會是這個E8型狀對稱性的一部分

So what's happening is, as the shape is moving over space-time, it's twisting.

所以實際上 當這個形狀在時空中游走

它會扭曲 而它扭曲的方向就是

And the direction it's twisting as it moves is what particle we see.

我們所看到的粒子 所以就是

So it would be --

E8形狀的大小

CA: The size of the E8 shape, how does that relate to the electron?

是怎麼樣和電子相聯繫的呢

我自己有些想像不出來

I feel like I need that for my picture. Is it bigger? Is it smaller?

它會大些還是小些

嗯　就我們所知電子是點粒子

GL: As far as we know, electrons are point particles,

所以這個會讓我們看到最小的尺寸

so this would be going down to the smallest possible scales.

So the way these things are explained in quantum field theory is,

所以在量子場論中，這些東西的解釋方式是

所有的可能性都在同時展開發展

all possibilities are expanding and developing at once.

And this is why I use the analogy to coral.

這也是我為什麼拿珊瑚作類比

And --

因為這樣，E8的進入方式是

in this way, the way that E8 comes in

is it will be as a shape that's attached at each point in the space-time.

一個可以連接時空中每一點的形狀

And, as I said, the way the shape twists --

還有　想我所說的　形狀在經過這個曲線的表面時

the directional along which way the shape is twisting

它的扭曲的方式

as it moves over this curved surface --

和其的扭曲方向是

基本粒子它們自己

is what the elementary particles are, themselves.

So through quantum field theory,

在量子場理論中 粒子與粒子間

they manifest themselves as points and interact that way.

和點與點間一樣，相互作用

I don't know if I'll be able to make this any clearer.

我不知道我能不能解釋得更加清楚了

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

CA: It doesn't really matter.

沒關係

It's evoking a kind of sense of wonder,

它已經激起了我們的興趣

and I certainly want to understand more of this.

我確定我想瞭解的更多

But thank you so much for coming. That was absolutely fascinating.

太感謝你的光臨了。你的演說太吸引人了

(掌聲)

(Applause)