史上最嚴重的核災：英語精讀講義

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

核能讓很多人感到不安與危險。

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

古老而危險的礦物被濃縮，以喚醒看似違背自然的力量，

creating horribly toxic elements that,

創造出具有可怕毒性的元素，

if they escape,

這些元素一旦外洩，

can and have killed people in horrible ways. 文法

就能夠、也確實曾以駭人的方式奪去人們的生命。

How many people has nuclear energy killed and how?

核能到底殺死了多少人？又是如何殺死的？

Nuclear energy has been a thing since 1951. 用詞

核能自1951年起就已經存在。

And since then, 文法

從那時起，

there have been around 30 reported accidents globally.

全球大約報告了30起核災事故。

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

與大家都熟知的那兩場災難相比，其中大多數事故都微不足道，

Fukushima and Chernobyl.

即福島和車諾比。

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

毫無疑問，基於多種原因，車諾比是歷史上最嚴重的核災事故。

The reactor technology was old and ill prepared for emergencies,

當時的反應爐技術老舊，應對緊急情況的準備不足，

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

而且政府反應遲緩，比起控制損害更在乎形象。

Still, only 31 people died directly in the accident.

儘管如此，直接死於這場事故的只有31人。

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

但核能之所以可怕，並非因為反應爐爆炸，

but the radiation they release.

而是它們釋放的輻射。

So the real question is,

因此，真正的問題是，

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

車諾比到底會導致多少人死於癌症和其他疾病？

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

談到這裡，事情就變得非常複雜了，因為這直接觸及了爭議點，

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

光是討論各種不同的估算數據及其計算方式，就足以單獨做一集影片了。

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

最悲觀的估計來自歐洲綠黨委託進行的一項研究，

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

該研究預測，到2065年，將有多達6萬人過早死亡。

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

而大多數科學研究得出的數字要比這低得多。

The WHO has estimated that in total,

世界衛生組織（WHO）估計，總的來說，

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

長期死亡人數約為4000人。

While the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation

而聯合國原子輻射效應科學委員會

concluded that even this figure could be too high.

得出的結論是，即便是這個數字可能也偏高了。

For more details on this,

欲了解更多細節，

check our research document.

請查看我們的研究文件。

The second big nuclear accident was Fukushima Daiichi in 2011.

第二大核災事故是2011年的福島第一核電廠事故。

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

福島核電廠不僅採用了更好、原本危險性較低的技術，

much better security measures were in place, 片語搭配

而且配備了完善得多的安全措施，

and the official response was fast and decisive.

官方的反應也迅速果斷。

And so the current death toll is only 573.

因此，目前的死亡人數僅為573人。

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

這裡最大的差異在於，這些死亡並非輻射造成的後果。

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

它們是反應爐周邊地區撤離壓力造成的間接死亡，

and occurred almost entirely in older populations.

並且幾乎全都發生在老年人口中。

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

對輻射可能造成的長期死亡人數的估計差異很大，

from none at all to about 1,000.

從完全沒有到大約1000人不等。

In terms of the other long-term consequences,

至於其他長期後果，

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

雖然觀察到兒童甲狀腺癌的發生率有所增加，

but according to the WHO,

但據世界衛生組織稱，

this is related to the increased screening rates.

這與篩檢率的提高有關。

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

截至2018年，只有一名核電廠工作人員被確認死於輻射誘發的肺癌。

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

現在，讓我們將其與再生能源進行比較。

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

太陽能、風能和地熱能基本上只在建設和維護事故中造成死亡。

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

遺憾的是，它們目前在全球能源中所占的比例相當低。

The major player in renewable energy is hydropower, 慣用語

再生能源中的主力是水力發電，

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

這主要意味著建造水壩，並讓水從高處流經渦輪機流向低處。

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

總的來說，在事故死亡人數方面，水力發電是最致命的，

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

在過去半個世紀中造成了數十萬人的死亡。

One accident clearly stands out, 片語動詞

有一起事故格外引人注目，

the 1975 Banqiao Hydroelectric Dam failure in China,

那就是1975年中國板橋水庫潰壩事件，

which has striking similarities to Chernobyl. 片語搭配

它與車諾比有著驚人的相似之處。

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

技術老舊、設計不良，加上顧及形象的威權政府管理不善。

In a nutshell, 表達脈絡

簡而言之，

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

一場猛烈的颱風引發了特大洪水，摧毀了這座水壩，隨後引發連鎖反應，沖毀了多座較小的水壩，

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

總共釋放了超過150億立方公尺的洪水。

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

幾公里寬、高達建築物的巨浪摧毀了數千平方公里的鄉村和無數社區。

All in all,

總而言之，

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

僅這一起事故及其直接後果造成的死亡人數估計就在8.5萬到24萬之間。

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

但是，與真正的致命能源相比，所有這些由核能和再生能源造成的死亡其實微不足道，

fossil fuel,

那就是化石燃料，

the most widely used source of energy and electricity.

世界上使用最廣泛的能源和電力來源。

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

當我們燃燒化石燃料來加熱水使渦輪機旋轉時，

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

或者引起微小爆炸以驅動內燃機汽車時，

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氣體會被排放到大氣中。

Breathing in these gases disrupts lung function, 文法

吸入這些氣體會破壞肺功能，

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

從而加重氣喘和支氣管炎等慢性疾病，

and causes a wide range of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

並引發各種呼吸系統和心血管疾病。

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

但更危險的是燃燒化石燃料造成的懸浮微粒污染。

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

它是直徑小至2.5微米的固體和液體有毒物質液滴的混合物。

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

它們很容易深入你的肺部，增加罹患致命疾病的風險，如肺癌、

stroke, and heart disease.

中風和心臟病。

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

與化石燃料相關的空氣污染是全球環境相關死亡的頭號原因。

According to the WHO,

據世界衛生組織稱，

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

它導致了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%的中風死亡，25%的缺血性心臟病死亡，

and 43% from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

以及43%的慢性阻塞性肺病死亡。

All in all,

總而言之，

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

室外空氣污染每年總共導致400萬人死亡。

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

空氣污染之所以極其棘手和險惡，是因為它造成的損害是非常漸進的，

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

我們的大腦在演化過程中並未考慮到那些不易察覺的危險，這就讓我們很難意識到問題的嚴重性。

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

據估計，在過去50年裡，化石燃料造成的空氣污染總共奪去了約1億人的生命。

But wait, is that really fair? 表達脈絡

等等，這真的公平嗎？

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. 文法

所以它們導致最多死亡人數也是合乎邏輯的。

So let's compare deaths per energy unit.

那麼，讓我們來比較一下每單位能源的死亡率吧。

Deaths per energy unit produced. 用詞

每生產單位能源所導致的死亡人數。

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

一些研究比較了不同能源每產生1太瓦時的死亡率。

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

這大約相當於2.7萬名歐盟公民每年的能源消耗量，

or 12,600 US citizens.

或者是1.26萬名美國公民。

To produce that much energy for one year,

為了生產一年的這麼多能源，

coal causes 25 deaths,

煤炭導致25人死亡，

oil causes 18,

石油導致18人，

and natural gas three.

天然氣導致3人。

Renewable energy causes one death every few decades.

再生能源每幾十年才導致一人死亡。

And nuclear,

而核能，

in the worst case,

在最壞的情況下，

nuclear energy would cause one death every 14 years.

核能每14年才會導致一人死亡。

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

一項研究甚至發現，在1971年至2009年間，核能實際上拯救了200萬人的生命，

by displacing fossil fuels from the global energy mix.

因為它在全球能源結構中取代了化石燃料。

The numbers are clear.

這些數字很明確。

Even when using wildly pessimistic numbers, 文法

即使採用極其悲觀的數據，

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

核能也是最安全的發電方式之一，

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

在我們努力減緩氣候急劇變化之際，

it's a really valuable low-carbon option.

它是一個極其寶貴的低碳選擇。

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

然而，所有這些事實仍留下了一個反對核電的主要論點。

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

反核人士認為，核廢料及其缺乏長期儲存解決方案的問題是一個不可接受的難題和風險，

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

而支持核能的人士則表示，在再生能源能夠完全滿足人類能源需求之前，

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

暫時儲存核廢料可以說是比吸入有毒氣體並加速氣候變化更安全的選擇。

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

但關於核廢料的詳細討論在這裡說得太遠了。

More about it in our sources.

更多資訊請參閱我們的資料來源。

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

如果你希望我們做一集專門討論這個問題的影片，請告訴我們。

So looking at the comparative death rates, 文法

因此，透過查看死亡率的比較，

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

一些國家正在用化石燃料取代核能，這確實令人擔憂。

mostly coal.

主要是煤炭。

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

特別是德國和日本在拆除其核電設施方面表現得最為積極。

In a ploy to appease the public, 用詞

為了安撫公眾，

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

德國政府關閉了其17個核設施中的11個，並計畫在2022年關閉剩餘的反應爐。

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

能源生產中的直接缺口透過暫時增加煤炭產量來填補，

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

而煤炭是對健康影響最大、對氣候變化後果最嚴重的能源。

A 2019 analysis concluded that as a consequence,

一項2019年的分析得出的結論是，作為後果，

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

廢核導致了德國由於2010年之後空氣污染加劇而每年出現1100例本可避免的死亡。

So in conclusion,

因此，總之，

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

核能給人的危險感遠遠超過了它的實際危險程度。

No matter how you look at it, 文法

無論你怎麼看，

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

我們應該努力盡快擺脫的一件事

are fossil fuels to prevent the deaths they cause each year

就是化石燃料，以防止它們每年造成的死亡

and to slow down climate change.

並減緩氣候變化。

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

無論你個人有多關心氣候變化議題，

or which energy source you favor,

或者你偏好哪種能源，

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

拯救數百萬人的生命應該是我們都能達成共識的事情。