地球工程：一個我們或許不得不做的糟糕主意：英語精讀講義

By the end of the 21st century, 片語搭配

到21世紀末，

humanity is becoming desperate.

人類正變得絕望。

Decades of heatwaves and droughts have led to unusually poor harvests, 文法

數十年的熱浪和乾旱導致了異常糟糕的收成，

while the warming oceans yield fewer fish each year.

而變暖的海洋使得每年的漁獲量越來越少。

In the tropical zones,

在熱帶地區，

millions suffer from famines

數百萬人飽受飢荒之苦，

and resource wars have made millions more flee to the north. 文法

資源戰爭又迫使數百萬人逃往北方。

As things quickly get worse,

隨著局勢迅速惡化，

in an act of desperation, 片語搭配

出於絕望，

the world's governments decide to enact an emergency plan. 用詞

世界各國政府決定頒布一項緊急計畫。

It's far from certain that a grim scenario like this will play out, 講解

雖然像這樣嚴峻的場景未必一定會發生，

but the failure of world leaders to effectively address climate change

但世界各國領導人未能有效應對氣候變遷，

makes it far from impossible.

使得這種情況絕非不可能。

So in the near future,

因此在不久的將來，

it might become necessary to try something radical 文法

可能必須嘗試一些激進的手段，

to slow down rapid climate change.

來減緩急劇的氣候變遷。

Geoengineering.

地球工程。

Interventions so massive in scale that they might undo centuries of human behavior, 片語搭配

這種規模極其龐大的干預措施，可能會抵消人類幾個世紀以來的行為影響，

or make everything much worse.

或者讓一切變得更糟。

What is geoengineering?

什麼是地球工程？

Is it really an option?

它真的是一個可行的選擇嗎？

And what if it goes wrong? 文法

如果出了差錯會怎樣？

Geoengineering methods vary from fantastic ones like constructing giant light sails in space

地球工程的方法多種多樣，既有在太空中建造巨型光帆這樣天馬行空的想法，

to seeding clouds with salt 用詞

也有用鹽進行雲層播種的手段，

or wilder ones like fertilizing the oceans with iron

甚至還有用鐵給海洋施肥這樣更瘋狂的方法，

to speed up the growth of trillions of algae cells.

以加速數萬億藻類細胞的生長。

In this video,

在本影片中，

we'll focus on an intervention we could see during our lifetimes,

我們將重點關注一個在我們有生之年可能會見到的干預措施，

stratospheric aerosol injection.

平流層氣溶膠注入。

A clunky term that means spraying stuff very high up in the atmosphere 用詞

這個拗口的術語是指在大氣層高處噴灑物質，

to keep the sun away.

把太陽擋在外面。

Keeping the sun away.

把太陽擋在外面。

CO2 doesn't heat up the planet on its own. 片語搭配

二氧化碳本身並不會使地球升溫。

Almost all of the energy on Earth comes from the sun

地球上幾乎所有的能量都來自太陽，

in the form of electromagnetic radiation. 片語搭配

以電磁輻射的形式存在。

About 71% of this energy is absorbed by the Earth's surface and atmosphere.

這種能量中約71%被地球表面和大氣層吸收。

This absorbed energy is emitted again as infrared radiation.

吸收的能量又以紅外輻射的形式發射出去。

And CO2 is able to trap this infrared radiation

而二氧化碳能夠困住這些紅外輻射，

and keep it in the atmosphere for a while.

將其留在大氣層中一段時間。

You can compare this effect with snuggling under a blanket in the morning. 片語搭配

你可以把這種效果比作早上蜷縮在被窩裡。

Even in a really cold room,

即使在一個非常冷的房間裡，

your body emits infrared radiation

你的身體也會散發紅外輻射，

and the air between your body and the blanket traps it

你身體和毯子之間的空氣會將其困住，

and creates a warm and comfy feeling.

從而產生一種溫暖舒適的感覺。

So one way to cool down the planet 文法

因此，讓地球降溫的一種方法，

would be to prevent energy from getting trapped 文法

就是防止能量被困在

under our planet blanket,

我們的「地球毯子」下面，

which is already happening naturally.

這在自然界中已經在發生。

About 29% of the solar radiation hitting Earth is reflected back to space

大約29%到達地球的太陽輻射被反射回太空，

by bright surfaces like ice, deserts, snow, or clouds.

這些反射面是像冰、沙漠、雪或雲這樣明亮的表面。

More reflection, less energy, less warming.

反射越多，能量越少，變暖就越少。

We can look at nature for inspiration. 片語搭配

我們可以從自然界中尋找靈感。

Specifically,

具體來說，

the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption,

就是1991年皮納圖博火山的噴發，

the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.

這是20世紀第二大的火山噴發。

Aside from massive devastation and almost 900 dead, 表達脈絡

除了造成巨大的破壞和近900人死亡外，

scientists noted its strong impact on the global climate. 片語搭配

科學家們還注意到它對全球氣候產生了強烈影響。

The explosion ejected millions of tons of particles and gas

爆炸將數百萬噸的顆粒和氣體

as high as the stratosphere,

噴射到平流層那麼高的地方，

which hung around there for a while. 片語動詞

並在那裡懸浮了一段時間。

The stuff that's interesting for geoengineering is sulfur dioxide,

對地球工程有吸引力的物質是二氧化硫，

a nasty-smelling and invisible gas.

一種氣味難聞且看不見的氣體。

High in the atmosphere,

在大氣層高處，

it produced a haze of sulfuric acid droplets

它產生了一層硫酸液滴的霧霾，

that mixed with water and created giant veils.

這些液滴與水混合，形成了巨大的帷幕。

These veils reduced the sunlight reaching Earth's surface

這些帷幕使到達地球表面的陽光

by roughly 1%.

減少了大約1%。

Global average temperatures dropped by 0.5 degrees Celsius.

全球平均氣溫下降了0.5攝氏度。

It took three years until this cooling effect had stopped.

直到三年後這種冷卻效果才停止。

Humans could imitate this process

人類可以模仿這個過程，

by injecting sulfur particles directly into the stratosphere.

直接將硫顆粒注入平流層。

According to some scientists, 表達脈絡

一些科學家認為，

this might be surprisingly easy to do,

這做起來可能會出奇地容易，

and we don't even need a lot of new technology for it.

我們甚至不需要太多新技術。

According to one study,

根據一項研究，

it also might be pretty cheap compared with the costs of rapid climate change. 用詞

與急劇氣候變遷所帶來的代價相比，它的成本也可能相當低廉。

A small fleet of specialized aircraft could ascend once a year

一小隊特製飛機可以每年升空一次，

and distribute aerosols along the equator

沿著赤道散佈氣溶膠，

from where they would be spread around the world.

然後它們會從那裡擴散到世界各地。

Projections assume that injecting between 5 and 8 megatons of material per year

預測假設每年注入5到8兆噸的物質，

would reflect enough sunlight to slow down or even stop global warming,

將能反射足夠的陽光以減緩甚至阻止全球暖化，

giving us precious time to transition away from fossil fuels. 講解

為我們擺脫化石燃料爭取寶貴的時間。

Unfortunately,

不幸的是，

there might be a few unhappy side effects. 表達脈絡

可能會有一些令人不快的副作用。

There are a number of potential issues with aerosol injections.

氣溶膠注入存在一系列潛在問題。

Rainfall patterns could change,

降雨模式可能會改變，

which could negatively affect agriculture and cause famine.

這可能對農業產生負面影響並導致飢荒。

Billions of people could be affected in the worst case.

在最壞的情況下，可能會有數十億人受到影響。

Also,

此外，

after the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption,

在1991年皮納圖博火山噴發後，

the acid water veils not only cooled down the surface, 文法

酸性水幕不僅降低了地表溫度，

they also heated up the stratosphere.

還加熱了平流層。

As it turns out, 表達脈絡

事實證明，

acid is bad for the ozone layer,

酸對臭氧層有害，

and the ozone hole over Antarctica was the largest it has ever been.

南極洲上空的臭氧空洞當時達到了有史以來的最大面積。

Injecting sulfur particles over decades could have a similar effect.

幾十年內持續注入硫顆粒可能會產生類似的影響。

Scientists have already suggested using a combination of different minerals

科學家們已經建議使用不同礦物質的組合，

that might have much less harmful effects on the ozone layer,

這可能對臭氧層的危害要小得多，

but more research and experiments need to be done to make sure this could work.

但還需要進行更多的研究和實驗來確保這能行得通。

But even if we don't damage the ozone layer, 文法

不過，即使我們沒有破壞臭氧層，

there are other risks.

也存在其他風險。

Politicians and industry might use the cooling effect as an excuse to delay the switch to a carbon-neutral economy. 片語搭配

政客和工業界可能會把這種冷卻效應當作藉口，推遲向碳中和經濟的轉型。

Even if geoengineering slows down global warming,

即使地球工程減緩了全球暖化，

humanity is still adding extra CO2 to the atmosphere.

人類仍然在向大氣中添加額外的二氧化碳。

More CO2 in the air means that the oceans absorb more CO2, 文法

空氣中更多的二氧化碳意味著海洋會吸收更多的二氧化碳，

which makes them more acidic.

這使得海洋變得更酸。

This is already beginning to be deadly to huge ecosystems like coral reefs,

這已經開始對珊瑚礁等龐大生態系統具有致命性，

and the longer this continues, 文法

這種情況持續的時間越長，

the more severe the effects will be.

後果就會越嚴重。

But it gets worse. 表達脈絡

但情況還會更糟。

Once we start pumping particles into the atmosphere on a massive scale,

一旦我們開始大規模向大氣中泵入顆粒，

we might be forced to do so for a long time

我們可能被迫在很長一段時間內持續這樣做，

or we could risk a termination shock. 用詞

否則我們就可能面臨「終止衝擊」的風險。

What that means is that if humanity continues to enrich the atmosphere with CO2, 表達脈絡

這意味著，如果人類繼續用二氧化碳豐富大氣，

but at the same time prevents the planet from heating up by blocking solar radiation,

但同時又透過阻擋太陽輻射來防止地球變暖，

we're sitting on a time bomb. 慣用語

我們就像是坐在一顆定時炸彈上。

Once we stop geoengineering,

一旦我們停止地球工程，

the natural cycle will take over again and Earth would heat up. 片語動詞

自然循環將再次接管，地球就會升溫。

But after a few decades of keeping the planet artificially cold while still releasing massive amounts of CO2,

但是在人為保持地球寒冷幾十年並同時排放大量二氧化碳之後，

it would heat up much, much quicker. 表達脈絡

它升溫的速度會快得多、快得多。

An increase in temperature that would take 50 years today could happen in just 10 years. 文法

本來需要50年才會發生的溫度上升，可能會在短短10年內發生。

Such a temperature shock in such a short time

在如此短的時間內出現如此劇烈的溫度衝擊，

would disrupt every major system on Earth

將嚴重破壞地球上每一個主要系統，

so much that it would be impossible to adapt in time. 文法

以至於根本無法及時適應。

The worst-case scenario could be dramatic famines and the rapid destruction of ecosystems.

最壞的情況可能是戲劇性的飢荒和生態系統的迅速毀滅。

Humanity might survive,

人類或許能存活下來，

but the survivors would inhabit an unfamiliar and hostile world.

但倖存者將居住在一個陌生而充滿敵意的世界裡。

The best-case scenario is that once the world

最好的情況是，一旦全世界

has finally fully understood the existential danger

終於完全認清了生存所面臨的危險

of rapid climate change,

即急劇的氣候變遷的危險，

geoengineering can buy us a crucial decade or two. 慣用語

地球工程能為我們爭取到至關重要的一二十年時間。

Time to transition our economies and maybe even pull CO2 out of the atmosphere,

這段時間可用於實現經濟轉型，甚至可能將二氧化碳從大氣中抽離出來，

maybe with technologies that we'll discuss in a future video.

也許可以利用我們將在未來影片中討論的技術。

Conclusion.

結論。

Geoengineering is a scary concept.

地球工程是一個可怕的概念。

It's not a solution to climate change,

它不是氣候變遷的解決方案，

and it might even be a welcome excuse for the fossil fuel industry to delay the end of the fossil fuel age.

它甚至可能成為化石燃料產業推遲化石燃料時代終結的一個受歡迎的藉口。

Over the last few decades,

在過去的幾十年裡，

geoengineering has been so controversial that it stopped many scientists from doing the experiments 文法

地球工程一直備受爭議，以至於許多科學家不敢進行實驗

necessary to understand it better.

去更好地了解它。

But blankly opposing geoengineering is short-sighted. 慣用語

但一味反對地球工程是短視的。

The sad truth is,

可悲的事實是，

we are already running a geoengineering experiment. 片語搭配

我們已經在進行一項地球工程實驗了。

We're testing how fast the world changes if we add about 40 billion tons of CO2 each year.

我們正在測試如果我們每年增加約400億噸二氧化碳，世界會以多快的速度發生變化。

This experiment is about to get really exciting. 語氣意圖

這個實驗即將變得非常刺激。

Hopefully,

但願，

we'll never have to use geoengineering,

我們永遠不需要使用地球工程，

but if we need to in the future,

但如果未來我們需要的話，

we better have done the science. 文法

我們最好已經做好了科學研究。

We better be prepared.

我們最好做好準備。

Or a panicking humanity might accidentally press the self-destruct button. 慣用語

否則恐慌的人類可能會意外按下自毀按鈕。

It's time to reveal our darkest secret.

現在是時候揭露我們最黑暗的秘密了。

This may come as a surprise to you, 片語搭配

這可能會讓你感到驚訝，

but Kurzgesagt is not actually run by birds,

但 Kurzgesagt 實際上不是由鳥類經營的，

but by humans.

而是由人類經營的。

Now you might wonder,

現在你可能會想，

how's this possible?

這怎麼可能？

So many people spending hundreds of hours on research, 文法

這麼多人花了數百個小時去研究、

writing, and animating the Kurzgesagt videos

撰寫和製作 Kurzgesagt 的動畫影片，

that are then released for free.

然後免費發布。

Well,

其實，

the answer is simple.

答案很簡單。

It's possible because of our shop.

這都要歸功於我們的商店才有可能實現。

Our products are a piece of Kurzgesagt that you can touch,

我們的產品是你能夠觸摸到、

read, and have around you.

讀到並且擺在你周圍的 Kurzgesagt 的一部分。

Just like our videos,

就像我們的影片一樣，

they're a vital part of our dream to inspire people all around the world.

它們是我們激勵全世界人們這一夢想的重要組成部分。

Our carefully researched infographic posters

經過我們精心研究的資訊圖表海報

are now part of so many people's homes,

現在已經成為許多人家庭的一部分，

teaching them about evolution, black holes, and the night sky.

教導他們關於演化、黑洞和夜空的知識。

While our gratitude journal helps improve lives every day.

而我們的感恩日記每天都在幫助人們改善生活。

A special thanks goes out to everyone who appreciates our weirder product ideas.

我們要特別感謝每一位欣賞我們古怪產品創意的人。

Every Kurzgesagt product you buy directly funds another moment we get to spend working on our videos,

你購買的每一件 Kurzgesagt 產品都直接資助了我們在影片製作上投入的更多時間，

and you get a special piece of Kurzgesagt in return.

而作為回報，你也會得到一件特別的 Kurzgesagt 紀念品。

Thank you so much for being a part of our story

非常感謝你們成為我們故事的一部分，

and for making this channel possible.

也感謝你們讓這個頻道成為可能。

The bird humans of Kurzgesagt are eternally grateful.

Kurzgesagt 的鳥人們永遠感激你們。