宇宙中有哪些我們至今無法解釋的神秘星體？：英語精讀講義

For as long as humans have been staring up into space, 文法

自從人類開始仰望太空以來，

we've been absolutely mesmerized by the stars. 片語搭配

我們就完全被星星迷住了。

Have you ever tried to count them? 文法

你有沒有試著去數過它們？

It's thought at best in the ideal location, 講解

人們認為，充其量在最理想的位置，

the naked human eye will be able to see no more than 5,000 stars. 用詞

人類的肉眼最多只能看到5000顆星星。

That's hardly any considering there are 170 billion galaxies in the observable universe 表達脈絡

這根本算不上什麼，考慮到可觀測宇宙中有1700億個星系，

and in each one of them there might be 1 to 100 trillion stars.

而且在每一個星系中，可能有1到100兆顆恆星。

Observable stars number about a septillion,

可觀測到的恆星數量大約是10的24次方，

but that's what we can observe using equipment.

但那只是我們使用設備能觀測到的。

Even the Milky Way,

即使是銀河系，

the galaxy that contains our solar system,

也就是包含我們太陽系的星系，

has about 400 billion stars.

也有大約4000億顆恆星。

It's mind-boggling what could be out there. 慣用語

外面可能存在的東西簡直令人難以置信。

Today we are going to look at some of the mysteries of space

今天我們將看看一些太空的奧秘，

in this episode of The Infographics Show,

在《The Infographics Show》的這一集中，

Mysterious Objects in Space We Can't Explain Yet.

探討「我們至今無法解釋的神秘太空天體」。

Don't forget to subscribe and click the bell button

不要忘記訂閱並點擊小鈴鐺按鈕，

so that you can be part of our notification squad.

這樣你就能成為我們通知小隊的一員。

Going back to the time we really didn't know much about space, 表達脈絡

回到那個我們對太空還知之甚少的時代，

ancient people could of course see the stars

古人當然能看到星星，

and also the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.

也能看到水星、金星、火星、木星和土星。

Then it all changed in 1608 when a Dutchman named Hans Lippershey 表達脈絡

後來這一切在1608年發生了改變，當時一位名叫漢斯·利珀希的荷蘭人

patented the telescope,

為望遠鏡申請了專利，

our window to outer space. 慣用語

這是我們通往外太空的窗口。

Hot on his heels was Italian Galileo Galilei, 講解

緊隨其後的是義大利人伽利略·伽利萊，

who made his own telescope.

他製作了自己的望遠鏡。

He spotted mountains on the moon,

他發現了月球上的山脈、

a stream of white lights now called the Milky Way,

一條現在被稱為銀河的白光帶、

some of Jupiter's moons,

木星的一些衛星，

and those rocky rings that encircle the wonderful planet of Saturn.

以及環繞在美麗土星周圍的岩石光環。

This was a high time for astronomy, 用詞

這是天文學的一個黃金時代，

and we have of course come much further.

當然，我們現在已經走得更遠了。

But what have we found that we just can't fathom? 用詞

但我們發現了哪些根本無法理解的東西呢？

Perhaps the space mysteries that make us the most curious

也許讓我們最好奇的太空未解之謎，

are the ones that compel us to think aliens did it. 片語搭配

是那些迫使我們認為是外星人幹的好事。

One such mystery is what looks like a perfect hexagon 講解

其中一個謎團看起來像是一個完美的六邊形，

embossed on the planet Saturn.

浮雕在土星上。

Found in 2006 by astronomers,

由天文學家在2006年發現，

this hexagon sitting right on Saturn's north pole

這個正好位於土星北極的六邊形，

had people thinking it might have been left there by an intelligent alien species.

讓人以為它可能是高智商外星物種留在那裡的。

Sticking with Saturn, 表達脈絡

說到土星，

did you know that we still can't figure out how those rings formed

你知道我們至今也搞不懂這些星環是如何形成的嗎？

or why they maintain that seemingly perfect shape?

或者它們為什麼能保持那種看似完美的形狀？

They are made of ice and also rocks,

它們是由冰和岩石組成的，

that we know,

這是我們所知道的，

and we think they formed right at the beginning of the solar system

而且我們認為它們是在太陽系剛誕生時形成的，

about 4.4 billion years ago.

大約在44億年前。

Are they made of bits of destroyed moons? 片語搭配

它們是由被摧毀的衛星碎片組成的嗎？

Are they much younger than that?

它們的真實年齡是否比那年輕得多？

We just don't rightly know. 用詞

我們確實不知道確切答案。

Shooting stars, as you know, 文法

如你所知，流星

are not actually shooting stars,

實際上並不是劃過的星星，

but meteors that come into our atmosphere.

而是進入我們大氣層時形成的流星。

But there is such a thing as a shooting star 文法

但確實存在真正的「飛奔的星星」，

and they are brilliant.

它們非常璀璨。

Known as hypervelocity stars,

被稱為超高速星，

these things rocket through space 用詞

這些天體在太空中穿梭

at millions of miles per hour.

時速可達數百萬英里。

They could have a mass similar to our sun

它們的質量可能與我們的太陽相似，

and are sent wandering around the cosmos

並在宇宙中被流放漫遊，

at 2 million miles per hour

速度達到每小時200萬英里，

after interacting with a supermassive black hole.

這發生在它們與一個超大質量黑洞相互作用之後。

According to NASA, 表達脈絡

根據NASA的說法，

this is what happens.

情況是這樣的。

A galaxy devours one star in a binary system 慣用語

一個星系吞噬了雙星系統中的一顆恆星，

and ejects its twin,

並將它的雙胞胎兄弟彈射出去，

flinging it through space at super fast speeds. 用詞

使其以超快速度在太空中飛馳。

We know a fair bit about them, 片語搭配

我們對它們有一定了解，

but we are still speculating. 用詞

但我們仍在推測中。

We have stars that get kicked out 片語動詞

我們有被踢出局的恆星，

and we also have planets that get the boot. 慣用語

也有被掃地出門的行星。

These are known as rogue planets. 用詞

它們被稱為流浪行星。

One such planet is CFBDSIR2149.

其中一顆這樣的行星是CFBDSIR2149。

This planet didn't gel with its solar system 慣用語

這顆行星與它的太陽系格格不入，

and so was ejected into space

因此被彈射到了太空中，

where it wanders alone for,

在那裡它孤獨地遊蕩了，

well, 語氣意圖

嗯，

we don't know for how long.

我們不知道遊蕩了多久。

Astronomers tell us there are probably billions of these rogue planets

天文學家告訴我們，可能存在數十億顆這樣的流浪行星，

looking for a home in the universe. 慣用語

在宇宙中尋找一個家。

Being a lonely planet without a home

作為一個無家可歸的孤獨行星，

is probably better than being eaten alive.

也許總比被活生生吞噬要好。

There is a term for when galaxies eat each other 文化背景

有一個專門的術語用來描述星系互相吞噬的現象，

and this is not surprisingly called galactic cannibalism.

毫不意外，這被稱為星系同類相食。

Two galaxies collide

兩個星系相撞，

and one eats the other.

一個吞噬了另一個。

Does this mean our closest galaxy,

這是否意味著離我們最近的星系，

Andromeda,

仙女座星系，

could devour us?

會吞噬我們？

No,

不會，

because it's too far away

因為它太遠了，

at 2.5 million light-years.

在250萬光年之外。

That said, 表達脈絡

話雖如此，

some experts believe the Milky Way and Andromeda

一些專家認為銀河系和仙女座星系

will collide in about 4 billion years.

將在大約40億年後相撞。

We don't have to worry for now, 表達脈絡

目前我們還不必擔心，

but that's not the case for other galaxies

但對於其他星系來說情況就不同了，

that encroach on each other's space, 慣用語

它們在互相蠶食彼此的空間，

literally.

字面上的意思。

The galaxy with the strongest gravitational pull

引力最強的星系

will always win the battle.

永遠會贏得這場戰鬥。

Speaking of being devoured or in this case sucked away, 表達脈絡

說到被吞噬或者在這種情況下被吸走，

we have something scientists call dark flow, 文化背景

我們有一種科學家稱之為「暗流」的東西，

which lies just outside the observable universe.

它就位於可觀測宇宙的邊界之外。

The observable universe is said to have a diameter 文法

據說可觀測宇宙的直徑

of 93 billion light-years

有930億光年，

and beyond that lies the dark flow.

而在這之外就是暗流。

Scientists don't know exactly what it is,

科學家們不確切知道它是什麼，

but it might have formed around the time of the Big Bang.

但它可能是在大爆炸前後形成的。

This flow is pulling things into it.

這種流動正在把物體拉向它。

It is quite complicated,

這相當複雜，

but one astronomer simply said,

但一位天文學家簡單地說：

"There is a structure beyond the horizon of our universe

"在我們的宇宙地平線之外有一種結構，

and that structure is exerting a force on our universe." 片語搭配

而那種結構正在對我們的宇宙施加一種力。"

Enough of all this eating and beating. 語氣意圖

關於吞噬和撞擊的話題就說到這裡。

What about all the pretty things in space?

那麼太空中那些美麗的事物呢？

Well,

嗯，

how does giant diamond star sound? 語氣意圖

巨型鑽石星聽起來怎麼樣？

According to Space.com,

根據Space.com的說法，

that is exactly what it is,

它確確實實就是這個樣子，

a diamond the size of planet Earth.

一顆和地球一樣大的鑽石。

It's the coldest white dwarf ever found

這是迄今發現的最冷的白矮星，

and so cold,

而且它是如此寒冷，

for a star that is,

對於一顆恆星來說，

that all the carbon crystallized

以至於所有的碳都結晶了，

and formed what for all intents and purposes 慣用語

並且形成了實際上完全是

is a diamond,

一顆鑽石的東西，

a very expensive one.

一顆非常昂貴的鑽石。

If a diamond star isn't a wonderful thing to behold, 用詞

如果鑽石星還不算令人驚嘆的話，

what about a planet that is made of extremely hot ice? 表達脈絡

那麼由極熱的冰組成的行星呢？

You might ask,

你可能會問，

how can you have hot ice? 語氣意圖

怎麼可能有熱冰？

Ice is cold,

冰是冷的，

right?

對吧？

Astronomers call this Neptune-sized world

天文學家將這顆海王星大小的世界

the hot ice planet.

稱為熱冰行星。

It hangs out about 30 light-years from our planet 片語動詞

它位於距離我們星球約30光年外的地方，

and is also less poetically called GJ436b. 表達脈絡

它還有一個不那麼詩意的名字叫GJ436b。

It orbits a sun that is much less bright

它繞著一顆比我們的太陽暗得多、

and much smaller than ours

也小得多的恆星運行，

and is also very close to that sun.

而且離那顆恆星非常近。

That's called Gliese 436.

那顆恆星被稱為Gliese 436。

Because it's so close, 文法

因為它離得太近了，

it is obviously really hot on that planet,

那顆行星上顯然非常熱，

about 980 degrees Fahrenheit.

大約華氏980度。

But because of its strange gas makeup,

但由於其奇怪的氣體組成，

it has a really bizarre form of what is called water ice

它擁有一種非常怪異的所謂「水冰」形態，

or ice X,

或者叫「冰X」，

as astronomers call it. 文法

天文學家是這麼稱呼它的。

No one is sure what this gas makeup is,

沒有人確定這種氣體組成到底是什麼，

but it's weird,

但它很詭異，

say scientists.

科學家這樣說道。

This hot ice covers the planet

這種熱冰覆蓋著這顆行星，

and it is so hot it would melt right through you. 文法

而且它是如此之熱，足以直接將你融化。

Now let's come closer to home. 表達脈絡

現在讓我們回到離家近一點的地方。

What are the strangest things that have ever gotten close to Earth?

曾經靠近過地球的最奇怪的東西是什麼？

Well,

嗯，

someone once said there were blueberries on Mars,

有人曾說火星上有藍莓，

but they turned out to be rocks. 片語動詞

但結果發現它們只是岩石。

They just looked really cool.

它們只是看起來真的很酷。

And if we are going to be cute, 語氣意圖

如果我們想賣個萌的話，

what about the Mickey Mouse impression on Mercury?

水星上的米老鼠圖案怎麼樣？

Are aliens making fun of us?

外星人是在取笑我們嗎？

No,

不，

the shape is merely a coincidence,

這個形狀僅僅是個巧合，

just as when Jesus Christ turns up on American toast. 片語動詞

就像耶穌基督出現在美國人的吐司上一樣。

Possibly the strangest recorded object ever to get near Earth 文法

可能是有記錄以來最奇怪的接近地球的物體，

is the one all the news media is talking about now.

正是現在所有新聞媒體都在談論的那個。

This is an interstellar asteroid that has sailed into our solar system 慣用語

這是一顆駛入我們太陽系的星際小行星，

and it looks like an alien spaceship.

而且它看起來像一艘外星飛船。

The strange object has been wandering around space

這個奇怪的物體已經在太空中漫遊了

for hundreds of millions of years

數億年，

and now it's waving at us. 慣用語

現在它正在向我們招手。

NASA was over the moon about this, 慣用語

NASA對此欣喜若狂，

stating,

並聲明：

"For decades we've theorized that such interstellar objects are out there 表達脈絡

"幾十年來，我們一直在理論上推測存在這種星際物體，

and now,

而現在，

for the first time,

這是第一次，

we have direct evidence they exist."

我們有了它們存在的直接證據。"

It's called Oumuamua 文化背景

它被稱為奧陌陌(Oumuamua)，

and it travels at about 59,030 miles per hour.

它以大約每小時59030英里的速度飛行。

It's thought that it came from the star Vega, 文法

人們認為它來自織女星，

which is about 25 light-years away.

距離我們約25光年。

The 400-m diameter object is dark and red and smooth,

這個直徑400公尺的物體又暗又紅，表面光滑，

consisting of metals, 片語搭配

由金屬、

water,

水，

and ice.

和冰組成。

It's so special because this is the first 文法

它如此特別，是因為這是第一次

time we've ever had a visitor from another part of the galaxy,

我們迎來了來自星系另一部分的訪客，

on record anyway. 表達脈絡

至少在有記錄以來是這樣的。

It's still a mystery

它仍然是一個謎，

as we don't really know where it's been 文法

因為我們真的不知道它去過哪裡，

and how it got to us.

以及它是如何來到我們這裡的。

So,

那麼，

can you add to this list of mysterious objects in space

你能為這個神秘太空天體的列表再添加一些對象嗎？

we can't explain yet?

就是那些我們至今無法解釋的天體。

If so,

如果你能，

let us know in the comments.

請在評論區告訴我們。

Also,

另外，

be sure to check out our other video called NASA versus SpaceX.

一定要去看看我們另一部叫做《NASA對戰SpaceX》的影片。

Thanks for watching

感謝觀看，

and as always,

並且一如既往，

don't forget to like,

別忘了按讚、

share,

分享，

and subscribe.

並訂閱。

See you next time.

下次見。