你能把自己的意识转移到另一具身体里吗？：英语精读讲义

In the movie Selfless,

在电影《Selfless》中，

which hits theaters July 10th, 短語搭配

这部影片将于7月10日上映。

Sir Ben Kingsley transfers his consciousness to Ryan Reynolds' body

本·金斯利爵士把自己的意识转移到了瑞安·雷诺兹的身体里，

in an effort to stay alive forever 短語搭配

试图借此永远活下去，

and effectively become immortal

并真正获得永生。

in a process called shedding, 文化背景

这个过程被称为“蜕换”，

which sounds pretty awesome.

听起来简直太酷了。

I mean,

我是说，

who wouldn't want more time to accomplish their dreams and goals 表達脈絡

谁不想有更多时间去实现自己的梦想和目标，

in a younger body of your choice. 短語搭配

还能拥有一具自己挑选的年轻身体呢？

Try being a professional athlete

你可以试着成为职业运动员，

or solve the world's greatest problems.

或者解决世界上最棘手的问题。

But is shedding actually plausible? 表達脈絡

但“蜕换”真的可行吗？

Could you really be immortal in this way?

你真的能通过这种方式获得永生吗？

First, 表達脈絡

首先，

we need to understand how memories are stored.

我们要了解记忆是如何储存的。

Your brain is a 3-lb lump of fatty tissue 語法

你的大脑是一团重约3磅的脂肪组织，

that contains about 86 billion brain cells called neurons. 語法

里面约有860亿个被称为神经元的脑细胞。

By passing electricity or chemicals between them, 語法

通过在彼此之间传递电信号或化学物质，

neurons can send signals to each other.

神经元能够相互发送信号。

Most neuroscientists believe memory is stored as a network of neurons

大多数神经科学家认为，记忆储存在神经元构成的网络中，

that form links with each other and all fire at the same time. 用詞

这些神经元彼此连接，并会同时放电。

Each time a memory is recalled, 語法

每当一段记忆被唤起时，

the same network of neurons fires together.

同一个神经元网络就会一起放电。

In fact,

事实上，

scientists have shown that if you stimulate certain parts of the brain with electricity,

科学家已经证明，如果用电流刺激大脑的特定区域，

you can cause an individual to recall certain memories, 語法

就能让人回想起某些记忆，

for example, the smell of burnt toast.

比如烤焦吐司的气味。

So, to download a memory, 習語

所以，要下载一段记忆，

we could simply track which neurons are activated when you're thinking about it. 語法

我们只需追踪你想到它时哪些神经元被激活。

And as we explained in a previous video,

正如我们在之前的视频中解释过的，

scientists have already done this

科学家已经做到了这一点：

by using computers to match these patterns of firing neurons with real images or scenes,

利用计算机，将这些神经元的放电模式与真实图像或场景相匹配。

we can already read people's minds to a limited degree. 講解

我们已经可以在一定程度上读懂人们的想法。

Many scientists believe it should one day be possible 語法

许多科学家相信，总有一天，

to create a kind of map of all the neurons in the brain

我们将有可能绘制出大脑中所有神经元的图谱，

and the connections between them.

以及它们彼此之间的连接。

This map would be called a connectome. 用詞

这张图谱将被称为“连接组”。

Both the United States and the European Union

美国和欧盟

have launched major research programs with this goal specifically in mind, 短語搭配

都已专门为实现这一目标启动了大型研究项目，

much like the organizations in Selfless.

与《Selfless》中的组织颇为相似。

This task will likely take decades, 語法

这项任务很可能需要数十年，

but once it's done, 語法

但一旦完成，

scientists should be able to build a computer model of the connectome, 語法

科学家应该就能构建出连接组的计算机模型，

a kind of virtual brain

也就是一种虚拟大脑，

that would be able to send signals between neurons through artificial synapses.

它能通过人工突触在神经元之间传递信号。

So,

那么，

if downloading memories is possible,

如果下载记忆是可能的，

what about uploading? 表達脈絡

上传记忆又如何呢？

That, too, is becoming a reality 短語搭配

这也正逐渐成为现实，

thanks to a technique called optogenetics. 講解

多亏了一项名为“光遗传学”的技术。

This involves injecting specific neurons 講解

这种方法需要向特定神经元内注入

with DNA from algae

来自藻类的DNA，

that causes them to produce a light-sensitive protein

使这些神经元产生一种光敏蛋白，

on their cell surface.

并让它出现在细胞表面。

When light is shone into the brain, 語法

当光线照进大脑时，

it stimulates the protein

它会刺激这种蛋白质，

and activates only those neurons that express it.

并且只激活表达这种蛋白质的神经元。

In this way, 表達脈絡

通过这种方式，

scientists can artificially activate groups of neurons

科学家可以人为激活成组的神经元，

associated with particular memories. 短語搭配

这些神经元与特定记忆相关。

All this may sound pretty scary

这一切听起来可能相当吓人，

and make you think that a scenario like that found in Selfless 語法

也会让你觉得，《Selfless》中的那种情形

can't be far off, 習語

已经离我们不远了，

but there are a few reasons to relax.

不过，有几个理由可以让我们放宽心。

Our brains are unbelievably complex,

我们的大脑复杂得令人难以置信，

perhaps too complex to copy. 語法

也许复杂到根本无法复制。

The number of synapse connections

大脑中的突触连接数量

is a thousand times bigger 語法

要多出足足一千倍——

than the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.

与银河系中的恒星数量相比。

On top of that, 表達脈絡

除此之外，

your brain is constantly remodeling itself, 用詞

你的大脑还在不断重塑自身，

creating new connections 語法

建立新的连接，

and letting old ones expire.

并让旧连接逐渐消失。

It's a reflection of who you are 習語

它反映了你是谁，

at this specific moment in time,

就在此时此刻，

and it took your entire lifetime to create. 語法

而它的形成耗费了你的一生。

A copy of your mind would just be an imitation,

你的心智副本只会是一个仿制品，

and the second it started integrating new thoughts, 語法

而它一开始融入新的想法，

memories, and experiences,

记忆和经历，

it would become someone else,

就会变成另一个人。

which, in a way, 語氣意圖

从某种意义上说，

helps us appreciate how unique we truly are.

这让我们更能体会到自己有多么独一无二。

But with increasingly sophisticated technology, 用詞

不过，随着技术日益先进，

who knows what the future may hold? 習語

谁知道未来会是什么样呢？

Perhaps a world like Selfless isn't too far away.

也许《Selfless》中的世界并没有那么遥远。

Be sure to check out Selfless,

别忘了去看《Selfless》，

which is in theaters July 10th.

影片将于7月10日上映。

We'll be there

我们也会去看，

and are excited to hear what you all think.

而且很期待听听大家的想法。