史上最严重的核事故：英语精读讲义

Nuclear energy creates an uneasy feeling of danger for many people.

核能让很多人感到不安和危险。

Ancient and dangerous minerals are concentrated to awaken seemingly unnatural powers,

古老而危险的矿物被浓缩，以唤醒看似违背自然的力量，

creating horribly toxic elements that,

创造出具有可怕毒性的元素，

if they escape,

这些元素一旦泄漏，

can and have killed people in horrible ways. 語法

就能够、也确实曾以骇人的方式夺去人们的生命。

How many people has nuclear energy killed and how?

核能到底杀死了多少人？又是如何杀死的？

Nuclear energy has been a thing since 1951. 用詞

核能自1951年起就已经存在。

And since then, 語法

从那时起，

there have been around 30 reported accidents globally.

全球大约报告了30起核事故。

Most of them were pretty minor compared to the two disasters everybody is familiar with, 短語搭配

与大家都熟知的那两场灾难相比，其中大多数事故都微不足道，

Fukushima and Chernobyl.

即福岛和切尔诺贝利。

Chernobyl is undoubtedly the worst nuclear accident in history for a number of reasons.

毫无疑问，出于多种原因，切尔诺贝利是历史上最严重的核事故。

The reactor technology was old and ill prepared for emergencies,

当时的反应堆技术陈旧，应对突发事件的准备不足，

and the government response was slow and more concerned about image than damage control. 語法

而且政府反应迟缓，比起控制损失更在乎形象。

Still, only 31 people died directly in the accident.

尽管如此，直接死于这场事故的只有31人。

But what makes nuclear energy scary is not reactors blowing up, 語法

但核能之所以可怕，并非因为反应堆爆炸，

but the radiation they release.

而是它们释放的辐射。

So the real question is,

因此，真正的问题是，

how many deaths through cancer and other diseases will Chernobyl cause?

切尔诺贝利到底会导致多少人死于癌症和其他疾病？

Here, things get really complicated because you dip right into controversy,

谈到这里，事情就变得非常复杂了，因为这直接触及了争议点，

and just discussing the different estimates and how they were calculated deserves a video of its own. 短語搭配

光是讨论各种不同的估算数据及其计算方式，就足以单独做一期视频了。

The most pessimistic estimate comes from a study commissioned by the European Green Party 用詞

最悲观的估计来自欧洲绿党委托进行的一项研究，

and projects up to 60,000 premature deaths by the year 2065. 用詞

该研究预测，到2065年，将有多达6万人过早死亡。

Most scientific studies come up with numbers much lower than this. 短語動詞

而大多数科学研究得出的数字要比这低得多。

The WHO has estimated that in total,

世界卫生组织（WHO）估计，总的来说，

the long-term death toll will be around 4,000. 用詞

长期死亡人数约为4000人。

While the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation

而联合国原子辐射效应科学委员会

concluded that even this figure could be too high.

得出的结论是，即便是这个数字可能也偏高了。

For more details on this,

欲了解更多详情，

check our research document.

请查看我们的研究文档。

The second big nuclear accident was Fukushima Daiichi in 2011.

第二大核事故是2011年的福岛第一核电站事故。

Fukushima did not only operate with much better technology that was less dangerous in the first place, 短語搭配

福岛核电站不仅采用了好得多、原本危险性较低的技术，

much better security measures were in place, 短語搭配

而且配备了完善得多的安全措施，

and the official response was fast and decisive.

官方的反应也迅速果断。

And so the current death toll is only 573.

因此，目前的死亡人数仅为573人。

The major difference here is that these deaths were not a consequence of radiation.

这里最大的区别在于，这些死亡并非辐射造成的后果。

They were indirect deaths from the stress of the evacuation of the areas around the reactors

它们是反应堆周边地区撤离压力造成的间接死亡，

and occurred almost entirely in older populations.

并且几乎全都发生在老年人群中。

Estimates of the possible long-term deaths from radiation vary widely, 語法

对辐射可能造成的长期死亡人数的估计差异很大，

from none at all to about 1,000.

从完全没有到大约1000人不等。

In terms of the other long-term consequences,

至于其他长期后果，

an increase in thyroid cancer in children has been observed, 用詞

虽然观察到儿童甲状腺癌的发病率有所增加，

but according to the WHO,

但据世界卫生组织称，

this is related to the increased screening rates.

这与筛查率的提高有关。

By 2018, there had been only one confirmed death among workers as a result of radiation-induced lung cancer. 語法

截至2018年，只有一名核电站工作人员被确认死于辐射诱发的肺癌。

Now, let's compare this to renewable energy. 表達脈絡

现在，让我们将其与可再生能源进行比较。

Solar, wind, and geothermal energy basically only cause deaths as a result of construction and maintenance accidents.

太阳能、风能和地热能基本上只在建设和维护事故中造成死亡。

Unfortunately, their current share of global energy is pretty low.

遗憾的是，它们目前在全球能源中所占的份额相当低。

The major player in renewable energy is hydropower, 習語

可再生能源中的主力军是水力发电，

which mostly means building dams and letting water flow through turbines from a higher elevation to a lower elevation.

这主要意味着建造水坝，并让水从高处流经涡轮机流向低处。

In total, hydro has been the most fatal in terms of accidents,

总的来说，在事故死亡人数方面，水电是最致命的，

with hundreds of thousands of deaths in the last half century.

在过去半个世纪中造成了数十万人的死亡。

One accident clearly stands out, 短語動詞

有一起事故格外引人注目，

the 1975 Banqiao Hydroelectric Dam failure in China,

那就是1975年中国板桥水库溃坝事件，

which has striking similarities to Chernobyl. 短語搭配

它与切尔诺贝利有着惊人的相似之处。

Old technology, poor design, and poor management by authoritarian governments concerned about appearances.

技术陈旧、设计拙劣，加上顾及形象的集权政府管理不善。

In a nutshell, 表達脈絡

简而言之，

a massive typhoon triggered intense flooding that destroyed the dam and subsequently a number of smaller dams in a chain reaction, 習語

一场猛烈的台风引发了特大洪水，摧毁了这座大坝，随后引发连锁反应，冲毁了多座较小的水坝，

unleashing a flood of over 15 billion cubic meters of water in total.

总共释放了超过150亿立方米的洪水。

Kilometer-wide waves as high as buildings devastated thousands of square kilometers of countryside and countless communities. 語法

几公里宽、高达建筑物的巨浪摧毁了数千平方公里的乡村和无数社区。

All in all,

总而言之，

the death toll from just this one accident and its direct consequences is estimated to lie between 85,000 to 240,000.

仅这一起事故及其直接后果造成的死亡人数估计就在8.5万到24万之间。

But all of these deaths caused by nuclear and renewable energy are actually negligible in comparison to the real killer energy source, 短語搭配

但是，与真正的致命能源相比，所有这些由核能和可再生能源造成的死亡其实微不足道，

fossil fuel,

那就是化石燃料，

the most widely used source of energy and electricity.

世界上使用最广泛的能源和电力来源。

When we burn fossil fuels to heat up water and make turbines spin,

当我们燃烧化石燃料来加热水使涡轮机旋转时，

or to cause mini explosions to move cars with internal combustion engines,

或者引起微小爆炸以驱动内燃机汽车时，

gases like ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide are released into the atmosphere.

臭氧、二氧化硫、一氧化碳和二氧化氮等气体会排放到大气中。

Breathing in these gases disrupts lung function, 語法

吸入这些气体会破坏肺功能，

which aggravates chronic conditions like asthma and bronchitis, 短語搭配

从而加重哮喘和支气管炎等慢性疾病，

and causes a wide range of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

并引发各种呼吸系统和心血管疾病。

But even more dangerous is the fine particle pollution burning fossil fuels causes. 語法

但更危险的是燃烧化石燃料造成的微粒污染。

A mixture of solid and liquid droplets of poisonous substances as small as 2.5 microns in diameter.

它是直径小至2.5微米的固体和液体有毒物质液滴的混合物。

They easily find their way deep into your lungs and increase the risk of deadly diseases like lung cancer, 講解

它们很容易深入你的肺部，增加罹患致命疾病的风险，如肺癌、

stroke, and heart disease.

中风和心脏病。

Fossil fuel-related air pollution is the number one cause of environmental-related deaths in the world.

与化石燃料相关的空气污染是全球环境相关死亡的头号原因。

According to the WHO,

据世界卫生组织称，

it accounts for 29% of all cases of lung cancer, 短語搭配

它导致了29%的肺癌病例，

17% of deaths from acute lower respiratory infection,

17%的急性下呼吸道感染死亡病例，

24% from stroke, 25% from ischemic heart disease,

24%的中风死亡，25%的缺血性心脏病死亡，

and 43% from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

以及43%的慢性阻塞性肺病死亡。

All in all,

总而言之，

outside air pollution adds up to the deaths of 4 million people each year. 短語動詞

室外空气污染每年总共导致400万人死亡。

What makes air pollution especially problematic and sinister is the fact that the damage it causes happens very gradually,

空气污染之所以极其棘手和险恶，是因为它造成的损害是非常渐进的，

which makes it hard for our brains that didn't evolve with subtle dangers in mind to realize the scope of the problem. 講解

我们的大脑在进化过程中并未考虑到那些不易察觉的危险，这就让我们很难意识到问题的严重性。

Collectively, air pollution from fossil fuels is estimated to have killed around 100 million people in the past 50 years. 語法

据估计，在过去50年里，化石燃料造成的空气污染总共夺去了约1亿人的生命。

But wait, is that really fair? 表達脈絡

等等，这真的公平吗？

Fossil fuels also provide over 80% of global energy,

化石燃料也提供了全球80%以上的能源，

so it makes sense that they cause the most deaths. 語法

所以它们导致最多死亡人数也是合乎逻辑的。

So let's compare deaths per energy unit.

那么，让我们来比较一下每单位能源的死亡率吧。

Deaths per energy unit produced. 用詞

每生产单位能源所导致的死亡人数。

A few studies have compared the death rates from different energy sources per 1 terawatt hour.

一些研究比较了不同能源每产生1太瓦时的死亡率。

That's about the annual energy consumption of 27,000 EU citizens,

这大约相当于2.7万名欧盟公民每年的能源消耗量，

or 12,600 US citizens.

或者是1.26万名美国公民。

To produce that much energy for one year,

为了生产一年的这么多能源，

coal causes 25 deaths,

煤炭导致25人死亡，

oil causes 18,

石油导致18人，

and natural gas three.

天然气导致3人。

Renewable energy causes one death every few decades.

可再生能源每几十年才导致一人死亡。

And nuclear,

而核能，

in the worst case,

在最坏的情况下，

nuclear energy would cause one death every 14 years.

核能每14年才会导致一人死亡。

One study even found that nuclear energy actually saved 2 million lives between 1971 and 2009

一项研究甚至发现，在1971年至2009年间，核能实际上拯救了200万人的生命，

by displacing fossil fuels from the global energy mix.

因为它在全球能源结构中取代了化石燃料。

The numbers are clear.

这些数字很明确。

Even when using wildly pessimistic numbers, 語法

即使采用极其悲观的数据，

nuclear energy is among the safest forms of energy generation, 語法

核能也是最安全的发电方式之一，

and at a time when we're struggling to slow down rapid climate change,

在我们努力减缓气候急剧变化之际，

it's a really valuable low-carbon option.

它是一个极其宝贵的低碳选择。

However, all these facts still leave one major argument that is fielded against nuclear power. 用詞

然而，所有这些事实仍留下了一个反对核电的主要论点。

Opponents of nuclear energy argue that nuclear waste and its lack of long-term storage solutions is an unacceptable problem and risk, 表達脈絡

反核人士认为，核废料及其缺乏长期储存解决方案的问题是一个不可接受的难题和风险，

while proponents of nuclear energy say that until renewable energies are able to cover the complete energy demands of mankind,

而支持核能的人士则表示，在可再生能源能够完全满足人类能源需求之前，

it's arguably safer to store nuclear waste for the time being than to inhale poisonous gases and promote rapid climate change. 講解

暂时储存核废料可以说是比吸入有毒气体并加速气候变化更安全的选择。

But a detailed discussion about nuclear waste would go too far here. 語氣意圖

但关于核废料的详细讨论在这里说得太远了。

More about it in our sources.

更多信息请参阅我们的资料来源。

Let us know if you'd like a whole video about it.

如果你希望我们做一期专门讨论这个问题的视频，请告诉我们。

So looking at the comparative death rates, 語法

因此，通过查看死亡率的比较，

it's a bit concerning that some countries are replacing nuclear energy with fossil fuels,

一些国家正在用化石燃料取代核能，这确实令人担忧。

mostly coal.

主要是煤炭。

Especially Germany and Japan have been the most active in dismantling their nuclear fleet.

特别是德国和日本在拆除其核电设施方面表现得最为积极。

In a ploy to appease the public, 用詞

为了安抚公众，

the German government shut down 11 of its 17 nuclear facilities and plans to close the remaining reactors in 2022. 短語動詞

德国政府关闭了其17个核设施中的11个，并计划在2022年关闭剩余的反应堆。

The immediate gap in energy production was filled by temporarily increasing coal production, 語法

能源生产中的直接缺口通过暂时增加煤炭产量来填补，

the energy source with the largest health impacts and the worst consequences for climate change.

而煤炭是对健康影响最大、对气候变化后果最严重的能源。

A 2019 analysis concluded that as a consequence,

一项2019年的分析得出的结论是，作为后果，

the nuclear phase-out has led to 1,100 avoidable deaths per year in Germany due to the increased air pollution in the years after 2010. 講解

逐步淘汰核能导致了德国由于2010年之后空气污染加剧而每年出现1100例本可避免的死亡。

So in conclusion,

因此，总之，

nuclear energy feels way more dangerous than it actually is. 語法

核能给人的危险感远远超过了它的实际危险程度。

No matter how you look at it, 語法

无论你怎么看，

the one thing we should strive to get rid of as quickly as possible 短語搭配

我们应该努力尽快摆脱的一件事

are fossil fuels to prevent the deaths they cause each year

就是化石燃料，以防止它们每年造成的死亡

and to slow down climate change.

并减缓气候变化。

Regardless of how much you personally care about climate change issues, 語法

无论你个人有多关心气候变化问题，

or which energy source you favor,

或者你偏好哪种能源，

saving millions of lives should be something we can all agree on. 語氣意圖

拯救数百万人的生命应该是我们都能达成共识的事情。