什么是暗物质和暗能量？：英语精读讲义

Matter, as we know it,

物质，正如我们所知，

atoms, stars and galaxies,

原子、恒星和星系，

planets and trees,

行星和树木，

rocks and us.

岩石和我们。

This matter accounts for less than 5% of the known universe. 短語動詞

这些物质占已知宇宙的不到5%。

About 25% is dark matter and 70% is dark energy,

大约25%是暗物质，70%是暗能量，

both of which are invisible. 語法

两者都是不可见的。

This is kind of strange

这有点奇怪，

because it suggests that everything we experience

因为这意味着我们经历的一切

is really only a tiny fraction of reality. 短語搭配

实际上只是现实的一小部分。

But it gets worse. 表達脈絡

但情况比这更糟。

We really have no clue what dark matter and energy are, 短語搭配

我们真的不知道暗物质和暗能量是什么，

or how they work.

或者是如何运作的。

We are pretty sure they exist, though. 語氣意圖

尽管如此，我们非常确定它们的存在。

So, what do we know? 表達脈絡

那么，我们到底知道些什么？

Dark matter is the stuff that makes it possible 語法

暗物质是使得

for galaxies to exist.

星系能够存在的东西。

When we calculated why the universe is structured the way it is, 語法

当我们计算宇宙为何呈现目前的结构时，

it quickly became clear that there's just not enough normal matter. 短語搭配

很快就清楚地发现正常物质根本不够。

The gravity of the visible matter

可见物质的引力

is not strong enough to form galaxies and complex structures. 語法

不足以形成星系和复杂的结构。

The stars would more likely be scattered all over the place 講解

恒星更有可能会散布在各处，

and not form galaxies.

而不会形成星系。

So, we know there is something else inside and around them.

所以我们知道，在它们内部和周围还有其他东西。

Something that doesn't emit or reflect light. 表達脈絡

不发光也不反射光的东西。

Something dark.

某种暗的东西。

But besides being able to calculate the existence of dark matter, 語法

但除了能够计算出暗物质的存在，

we can see it, kind of. 語氣意圖

某种程度上，我们还能“看到”它。

Places with a high concentration of dark matter 短語搭配

暗物质高度集中的地方，

bend light passing near by.

会使经过附近的光发生弯曲。

So, we know there's something there that interacts with gravity.

所以我们知道，那里存在着与引力相互作用的东西。

Right now, we have more ideas about what dark energy is not 語法

目前，关于暗能量“不是”什么，我们的想法

than what it is.

甚至多于它“是”什么。

We know dark matter is not just clouds

我们知道暗物质不只是

of normal matter without stars,

没有恒星的正常物质云，

because it would emit particles we could detect.

因为那样它会发出我们可以探测到的粒子。

Dark matter is not antimatter,

暗物质不是反物质，

because antimatter produces unique gamma rays when it reacts with normal matter.

因为反物质在与正常物质反应时会产生独特的伽马射线。

Dark matter is also not made up of black holes, 短語動詞

暗物质也不是由黑洞组成的，

very compact objects that violently affect their surroundings,

（黑洞是极其致密、会剧烈影响周围环境的物体），

while dark matter seems to be scattered all over the place. 語法

而暗物质似乎散布在各处。

Basically, we only know three things for sure. 表達脈絡

基本上，我们只有三件事是确定的。

One, something is out there. 短語搭配

一，外面有某种东西。

Two, it interacts with gravity.

二，它与引力相互作用。

Three, there is a lot of it.

三，它的数量很多。

Dark matter is probably made up of a complicated exotic particle

暗物质可能是由一种复杂的奇异粒子组成的，

that doesn't interact with light and matter in a way we expect. 語法

它不以我们预期的方式与光和物质发生相互作用。

But right now, we just don't know.

但现在，我们就是不知道。

Dark energy is even more strange and mysterious.

暗能量甚至更加奇怪和神秘。

We can't detect it, 表達脈絡

我们无法探测到它，

we can't measure it,

无法测量它，

and we can't taste it.

也无法尝到它。

But we do see its effects very clearly. 語法

但我们非常清楚地看到了它的影响。

In 1929,

在1929年，

Edwin Hubble examined how the wavelength of light emitted by distant galaxies 文化背景

埃德温·哈勃研究了遥远星系发出的光波长，

shifts towards the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum as it travels through space.

在穿过太空时如何向电磁波谱的红端移动。

He found that fainter, more distant galaxies

他发现更暗淡、更遥远的星系

showed a large degree of redshift.

表现出很大程度的红移。

Closer galaxies, not so much. 語氣意圖

较近的星系则没那么多。

Hubble determined that this was because the universe itself is expanding.

哈勃断定，这是因为宇宙本身正在膨胀。

The redshift occurs because the wavelengths of light

发生红移是因为光波长

are stretched as the universe expands. 語法

随着宇宙的膨胀被拉长了。

More recent discoveries have shown that 短語搭配

近期的发现表明

the expansion of the universe is accelerating.

宇宙的膨胀正在加速。

Before that, it was thought that the pull of gravity would cause the expansion to either slow down 語法

在此之前，人们认为引力的拉力会导致膨胀变慢，

or even retract and collapse in on itself at some point. 短語動詞

甚至在某个时刻收缩并自我坍缩。

Space doesn't change its properties as it expands.

空间在膨胀时并没有改变其性质。

There's just more of it.

它只是变得更多了。

New space is constantly created everywhere.

新的空间在各个地方不断产生。

Galaxies are tight-bound clusters of stuff held together by gravity, 短語動詞

星系是由引力紧密结合在一起的物质团，

so we don't experience this expansion in our daily lives.

所以我们在日常生活中感觉不到这种膨胀。

But we see it everywhere around us.

但我们在周围随处可见其迹象。

Wherever there is empty space in the universe, 語法

宇宙中任何有空旷空间的地方，

more is forming every second.

每一秒都在形成更多的空间。

So, dark energy seems to be some kind of energy 語氣意圖

所以，暗能量似乎是某种

intrinsic to empty space. 短語搭配

空旷空间固有的能量。

Energy that is stronger than anything else we know

这种能量比我们已知的任何东西都要强，

and that keeps getting stronger as time passes by. 語法

并且随着时间的推移越来越强。

Empty space has more energy

空旷空间的能量

than everything else in the universe combined.

比宇宙中所有其他东西的总和还要多。

We have multiple ideas about what dark energy might be.

我们对暗能量可能是什么有多种想法。

One idea is that dark energy is not a thing, 語法

一种想法是，暗能量不是一个实体，

but just a property of space.

而只是空间的一种属性。

Empty space is not nothing. 語法

空旷空间并非虚无。

It has its own energy.

它拥有自己的能量。

It can generate more space and is quite active.

它可以产生更多的空间，且非常活跃。

So, as the universe expands,

因此，随着宇宙的膨胀，

it could be that 語法

可能是

just more and more space appears to fill the gaps, 語法

出现了越来越多的空间来填补空隙，

and this leads to a faster expanding universe. 短語搭配

这导致宇宙膨胀得更快。

This idea is close to an idea

这种想法很接近

that Einstein had back in 1917

爱因斯坦在1917年提出的

of a concept of a cosmological constant, 文化背景

宇宙常数的概念，

a force that counteracted the force of gravity.

即一种抵消引力的力。

The only problem is that 表達脈絡

唯一的问题是，

when we tried to calculate the amount of this energy,

当我们试图计算这种能量的数量时，

the result was so wrong and weird that it only added to the confusion. 語法

结果极其离谱且怪异，只会增加困惑。

Another idea is that empty space is actually full of temporary virtual particles

另一种想法是，空旷的空间其实充满了短暂的虚粒子，

that spontaneously and continually form from nothing 表達脈絡

它们自发且不断地从虚无中形成，

and then disappear into nothing again.

然后又消失在虚无中。

The energy from those particles could be dark energy.

那些粒子的能量可能就是暗能量。

Or maybe dark energy

或者，暗能量

is an unknown kind of dynamic energy fluid or field,

是一种未知的动态能量流体或场，

which permeates the entire universe,

弥漫在整个宇宙中，

but somehow has the opposite effect on the universe 短語搭配

但不知何故，它对宇宙的影响

than normal energy and matter.

与正常能量和物质的作用正好相反。

But if it exists,

但如果它存在，

we don't know how and where, 語法

我们不知道它在哪里、运作方式，

or how we could detect it.

或我们如何探测它。

So, there are still a lot of questions to answer.

所以，仍有很多问题亟待解答。

Our theories about dark matter and dark energy are still just that, 語氣意圖

我们关于暗物质和暗能量的理论仍然只是，

theories.

理论而已。

On the one hand, this is kind of frustrating. 表達脈絡

一方面，这让人有些沮丧。

On the other hand, this is frontier science,

但另一方面，这是前沿科学，

making it very exciting. 語法

让人非常激动。

It shows us that no matter how much we feel we're on top of things, 講解

它向我们表明，不管我们觉得自己多么能掌控一切，

we're still very much apes with smartphones 習語

我们很大程度上仍是拿着智能手机的猿猴，

on a tiny fragile island in space,

待在太空中一座脆弱的小岛上，

looking into the sky, 語法

仰望星空，

wondering how our universe works.

思考着我们的宇宙是如何运转的。

There is so much left to learn, 語法

还有这么多东西要去学习，

and that is awesome.

这简直太棒了。

This video is supported by the Australian Academy of Science,

本视频由澳大利亚科学院支持赞助，

which promotes and supports excellence in science.

该机构致力于促进和支持卓越科学。

Learn more about this topic and others like it at nova.org.au.

在nova.org.au了解有关此主题及类似主题的更多信息。

It was a blast to work with them, 習語

和他们合作非常愉快，

so go check out their site.

去看看他们的网站吧。

Our videos are also made possible by your support on patreon.com.

我们的视频制作也离不开你们在patreon.com上的支持。

If you want to support us and become part of the Kurzgesagt bird army,

如果你想支持我们并成为Kurzgesagt鸟军团的一员，

check out our Patreon page.

请访问我们的Patreon页面。