绝地武士真的存在吗？（《星球大战》科学）：英语精读讲义

From lightsabers to the Force and mind tricks,

从光剑、原力到心灵控制术，

the Jedi are a force to be reckoned with even against the best of superheroes. 習語

即使对上最强的超级英雄，绝地武士也是不容小觑的强大存在。

But with the new Star Wars:

不过，随着全新的《星球大战：

The Last Jedi trailer and movie coming out soon,

最后的绝地武士》预告片发布，电影也即将上映，

not to mention EA's Battlefront 2 debacle, 短語搭配

更别提EA《星球大战：前线II》的那场风波了，

we started wondering whether or not the Jedi could actually exist hypothetically. 語法

我们不禁开始思考：从理论上说，绝地武士真的有可能存在吗？

Could humans ever have or obtain some of these capabilities?

人类有朝一日能否拥有或获得其中某些能力？

First up are the Jedi's incredible reflexes, 表達脈絡

首先来看看绝地武士惊人的反应速度，

which could be linked to seeing the world in slow motion along with their ability of foresight. 短語搭配

这或许与他们眼中的世界仿佛慢动作，以及预知未来的能力有关。

When you're put in a dangerous or stressful situation,

当你身处危险或压力巨大的情境时，

time often seems to slow down.

往往会觉得时间慢了下来。

And this is because your brain begins taking in much more information than normal. 短語動詞

这是因为大脑开始接收比平时多得多的信息。

But even in these moments,

但即使在这种时候，

your reflexes and time perception hardly compare to some other animals. 短語搭配

你的反应速度和时间感知力仍远不及某些动物。

If you've ever tried to hit a fly,

如果你试过拍苍蝇，

you might realize that what is a really quick swat on your part is easily avoided by the fly.

也许会发现：你以为极快的一拍，却被苍蝇轻松躲开。

And that's because the fly actually perceives it as slower. 短語搭配

这是因为在苍蝇的感知中，你的动作其实更慢。

Scientists use the point 語法

科学家会把闪烁的光

at which a flickering light is seen as one continuous light

被看成一道连续光线的临界点，

as a marker for visual sensitivity.

作为衡量视觉敏感度的标准。

And it turns out flies can see light flickering 表達脈絡

事实证明，苍蝇能看清光线的闪烁，

at a rate nearly seven times faster than we do. 語法

其频率几乎比我们能分辨的快七倍。

For them,

对它们来说，

1 second actually feels longer.

1秒钟实际上感觉更加漫长。

Scientists believe that perception of time co-evolved with how fast an animal moves,

科学家认为，时间感知能力会随着动物的移动速度、

how quick their metabolism is,

新陈代谢速度

and how big their bodies are.

和体型大小共同演化。

After all, 表達脈絡

毕竟，

it doesn't make much sense for your brain to take in so much information

让大脑接收如此大量的信息并没有太大意义，

if your body can't physically react to it in time. 短語搭配

如果你的身体根本来不及做出反应的话。

As a result,

因此，

leatherback turtles only get about a third of the information that human brains do in 1 second.

棱皮龟的大脑在1秒内接收的信息量，只有人脑的约三分之一。

Dogs, on the other hand, 表達脈絡

而狗则不同，

can see about 25% faster than humans,

它们的视觉速度比人类快约25%，

making our TVs look like a set of flickering lights. 語法

所以在它们眼里，我们的电视就像一组不断闪烁的灯光。

But with improvements in vision sensitivity,

不过，只要提升视觉敏感度，

Jedi-like reflexes could become possible.

绝地武士般的反应速度就可能成为现实。

But it would only matter if you could physically react fast enough. 語法

但前提是你的身体也能反应得足够快。

Otherwise,

否则，

you would just be seeing something come towards you slowly with no means to actually stop it. 短語搭配

你只能眼睁睁看着某个东西缓缓朝你飞来，却根本无法阻止它。

While the Force is a somewhat mystical and elusive concept in the movies,

虽然电影中的原力颇为神秘，难以捉摸，

it touches on some ideas that scientists have long tried to explore. 短語動詞

但它涉及的一些理念，科学家早已探索了很久。

Ancient Greeks actually believed in a fifth element that connected everything in the universe,

古希腊人其实相信有一种连接宇宙万物的第五元素，

and even Isaac Newton proposed a concept of our brains

就连艾萨克·牛顿也提出过一种设想，认为我们的大脑

interacting with something called ether that was all around us, 文化背景

会与周围无处不在的一种名为“以太”的物质相互作用，

which could potentially give us psychic powers.

这可能让我们拥有精神异能。

And while the Force is described in many different ways,

尽管人们对原力有许多不同的描述，

Obi-Wan suggests,

欧比旺曾这样解释：

"It's an energy field created by all living things.

“它是由所有生命创造的能量场。

It surrounds us,

它包围着我们，

penetrates us,

渗透着我们，

it binds the galaxy together." 短語搭配

并将整个银河系连接在一起。”

This sounds, in some ways,

从某些方面来说，这听起来

like the electric fields that exist in and all around us.

很像存在于我们体内及周围的电场。

Human brains,

以人脑

for example,

为例，

emit brain waves,

它会发出脑电波，

a form of electromagnetic radiation that travels at the speed of light.

那是一种以光速传播的电磁辐射。

This is released from the activity of thousands of neurons

这是数千个神经元活动的结果，

simultaneously firing at the same frequency.

这些神经元会以同一频率同时放电。

And many animals are actually optimized to sense this electricity,

而且，许多动物的身体构造其实非常适合感知这种电信号，

like the platypus.

比如鸭嘴兽。

It catches prey in murky waters at night with their eyes,

它会在夜晚浑浊的水中捕猎，而此时它的眼睛、

ears,

耳朵

and nostrils all closed,

和鼻孔全都闭着，

and instead using its bill covered in nearly 40,000 electroreceptors

转而依靠覆盖着近4万个电感受器的喙，

to detect the microvolts of electricity that their prey emits.

探测猎物发出的微伏级电信号。

Even human cells have the ability to detect electric fields,

就连人类细胞也能探测电场，

though not consciously. 語法

只是我们无法有意识地察觉。

But perhaps with some genetic engineering,

不过，也许通过某些基因工程手段，

our acute awareness of this force could become more pronounced. 短語搭配

我们对这种力量的感知会变得格外敏锐。

Speaking of electricity, 表達脈絡

说到电，

many members of the Sith are able to shoot lightning out of their hands.

许多西斯都能从手中释放闪电。

And there are certain species of fishes that do something similar. 用詞

而有些鱼类也能做类似的事。

Consider the electric eel,

以电鳗为例，

capable of producing up to 600 V of electricity. 語法

它能产生高达600伏的电压。

These fish have evolved electric organs

这些鱼类进化出了发电器官，

at least 100 million years ago

这至少可以追溯到1亿年前，

by converting muscle cells to electrocytes. 語法

靠的是将肌肉细胞转化成电细胞。

Instead of simply contracting to release 語法

电细胞并不像普通肌肉细胞那样，仅仅通过收缩

a small amount of voltage like normal muscle cells do,

来释放少量电压，

electrocytes actually push ions across a membrane

而是会主动将离子推过细胞膜，

in order to create a large flow of positive charge,

以形成大量正电荷流，

ultimately creating an electric current,

最终产生电流，

allowing them to release a shock at will from several feet away. 習語

让它们能随时电击几英尺外的目标。

Perhaps through gene modification technologies like CRISPR,

或许借助CRISPR之类的基因改造技术，

a version of these electrocytes could be created in humans,

可以在人类体内创造出某种类似的电细胞，

allowing for electric capabilities.

让人类也获得放电能力。

Now,

接下来，

theoretical physicist Michio Kaku thinks that

理论物理学家加来道雄认为，

we do have the materials and technology now to make a lightsaber, 語法

我们如今已经拥有制造光剑所需的材料和技术，

just those technologies need to be upgraded.

只是这些技术仍需进一步升级。

Lightsabers are weapons of powerful compact energy

光剑是由强大而集中的能量构成的武器，

that can cut through anything with a few exceptions,

除了少数例外，它几乎能切开任何东西，

like another lightsaber.

比如另一把光剑。

Dr. Kaku's design consists of a blade made from superhot plasma, 短語搭配

加来博士设计的剑刃由超高温等离子体构成，

one of the four fundamental states of matter,

等离子体是物质的四种基本形态之一，

where air is sucked into the base of the blade and is superheated to create a 6,648°C

空气会被吸入剑刃底部，并被加热到6648℃，形成

plasma. An electromagnetic coil would be used to control the plasma,

等离子体。电磁线圈将用来控制等离子体，

while a telescopic ceramic rod,

同时还会配备一根可伸缩的陶瓷棒，

which shoots out of the handle and can resist the plasma's temperature, 短語動詞

它会从剑柄中伸出，并能承受等离子体的高温，

holds the blade altogether. 用詞

用来维持整个剑刃的结构。

Where does the energy come from?

那么，能量从哪里来？

In the handle of the lightsaber 語法

在光剑的剑柄中，

are trillions of nano batteries that power the plasma generator.

装有数万亿个纳米电池，为等离子体发生器供能。

And Dr. Kaku thinks that this technology could be ready in the next 50 years.

加来博士认为，这项技术可能会在未来50年内成熟。

Star Wars films state that those with a high midi-chlorian count

《星球大战》电影称，迷地原虫数量较高的人

are actually much more in tune with the Force. 習語

其实与原力的联系要紧密得多。

Midi-chlorians are a microscopic life form that resides within all living cells.

迷地原虫是一种存在于所有活细胞中的微观生命形式。

They live inside me.

它们就生活在我的身体里。

George Lucas has suggested that this was based on the idea of mitochondria, 短語搭配

乔治·卢卡斯曾表示，这一设定源自线粒体的概念，

an organelle found in all eukaryotic organisms that helps supply energy,

线粒体是所有真核生物中都存在的细胞器，负责协助能量供应、

cellular differentiation,

细胞分化、

cell growth,

细胞生长

and many other tasks.

以及许多其他任务。

And while most of your cells have their own DNA in the cell nucleus,

尽管你大多数细胞的DNA都储存在细胞核中，

mitochondria actually have their own genome and DNA,

但线粒体实际上拥有自己的基因组和DNA，

which is more similar to a bacteria. 語法

而且这些DNA更像细菌的DNA。

Lucas used this as a metaphor for how without symbiosis, 語法

卢卡斯借此比喻：如果没有共生，

whether it's cells or entire organisms working together, 語法

没有细胞或完整生物体之间的相互协作，

life couldn't exist.

生命便无法存在。

Now,

那么，

if being more in tune with life simply meant having more mitochondria,

如果更能与生命共鸣，只是意味着拥有更多线粒体，

it could be as simple as doing more exercise. 語法

那或许多运动就能做到。

A study that had seniors complete a 12-week exercise program 語法

一项让老年人完成12周锻炼计划的研究

found that skeletal muscle mitochondrial DNA increased 53% after training.

发现，训练后，他们骨骼肌中的线粒体DNA增加了53%。

Of course,

当然，

we have no real reason to believe this would do much else, 短語搭配

我们没有任何实际理由相信这还会带来其他效果，

unless George Lucas knows something about the mitochondria that scientists don't.

除非乔治·卢卡斯知道某些连科学家都不了解的线粒体秘密。

George?

乔治？

Many Jedi are able to employ a type of telekinesis through the Force.

许多绝地武士都能通过原力施展某种念动力。

And while there's been a lot of interest in the idea of moving objects with your mind, 短語搭配

虽然人们一直对用意念移动物体很感兴趣，

scientific research has not produced reliable, 用詞

但科学研究至今未能提供可靠、

repeatable demonstrations of telekinesis.

可重复验证的念动力演示。

So you can't levitate an object with your mind,

所以，你无法单凭意念让物体悬浮，

but we have been able to manipulate the Force with technology.

不过，借助技术，我们已经能够操控“原力”了。

Though it goes against intuition, 短語搭配

虽然有悖直觉，

non-magnetic substances can be levitated within a magnetic field.

非磁性物质也能在磁场中悬浮。

Physicists have been able to levitate animals

物理学家已经能够让动物悬浮起来，

like this frog using a high magnetic field.

比如用强磁场让这只青蛙悬浮。

As living things consist of diamagnetic molecules like water,

由于生物体由水等抗磁性分子、

proteins,

蛋白质

and bones,

和骨骼组成，

and the tiny forces these molecules give off allow them to levitate. 短語動詞

这些分子产生的微小作用力能让生物体悬浮起来。

Finally,

最后，

the Jedi are able to use Jedi mind tricks to implant suggestions, 短語搭配

绝地武士还能用绝地心灵控制术向他人植入暗示，

which is perhaps most closely linked to hypnosis in our world.

这与现实世界中的催眠或许最为相似。

The ability to respond to suggestions.

也就是对暗示做出反应的能力。

Though it typically takes time to induce a person into a hypnotic state,

不过，通常需要一段时间才能让人进入催眠状态，

and hypnotizability itself is a spectrum where not everyone responds. 習語

而且可催眠性本身也有高低之分，并非人人都会产生反应。

But as we move into the future

但随着我们迈向未来，

and start potentially putting technologies into our brain,

并可能开始把各种技术植入大脑，

another route may actually be possible.

另一条路径或许真的可行。

This mouse has fiber optic cables wired into its right motor cortex, 短語動詞

这只小鼠的右侧运动皮层植入了光纤线缆，

which controls movement to the left.

该区域负责控制身体向左运动。

As soon as the light is shot into its altered neurons,

光线一照进经过改造的神经元，

it cannot help but run to the left. 語法

它就会不由自主地向左跑。

Its thoughts and actions have been hacked. 習語

它的思维和行动都被“黑”了。

As humans continue to enhance their bodies and brains through technology,

随着人类继续用科技强化身体和大脑，

brain hacking akin to Jedi mind tricks may become a major concern. 用詞

类似绝地心灵控制术的大脑入侵，可能会成为一大隐患。

Connect to the reward centers of the 語法

只要接入大脑的奖赏中枢，

brain, and now you can control how someone feels.

你就能控制一个人的感受。

Hey everyone,

大家好，

just wanted to say thank you so much for watching. 語氣意圖

就是想对大家说，真的非常感谢你们的观看。

We don't communicate that often with you guys on this channel,

我们在这个频道上不太常和大家交流，

but we just wanted to say thank you so much

但还是想向大家真心道一声感谢，

for watching our videos for almost 6 years.

谢谢你们近6年来一直观看我们的视频。

We really appreciate it,

我们真的非常感激，

and we are just so happy that you guys are interested still in learning with us.

也特别开心，直到现在大家仍然有兴趣和我们一起学习。

If you want to check out our Star Wars acapella, 短語動詞

如果想看看我们的《星球大战》阿卡贝拉视频，

we'll put a link to that as well.

我们也会附上链接。

And also click the bell.

另外，也请点击小铃铛。

We've been told people don't get notified if they haven't clicked the bell,

听说如果没点小铃铛，大家就收不到更新通知，

and it really helps our channel.

而这对我们的频道真的很有帮助。

Otherwise,

总之，

subscribe,

别忘了订阅，

and we'll see you soon for more videos.

我们很快会带来更多视频，到时见。

See you.

再见。

Thank you so much.

非常感谢。