TED演讲:个体DNA检测的时代来了(5)

 But personal DNA¹ machines can also save human lives. 但个人DNA检测器还可以挽救人类的生命。

Professor Ian Goodfellow is a virologist at the University of Cambridge. Ian Goodfellow教授是剑桥大学的病毒学家。

And last year he traveled to Sierra Leone. 去年他去了塞拉利昂。

When the Ebola outbreak broke out in Western Africa, 当埃博拉疫情在非洲西部爆发，

he quickly realized that doctors there lacked the basic tools to detect and combat disease. 他即刻意识到那里的医生缺乏基础的工具，去检测疾病并与之搏斗。

Results could take up to a week to come back -- that's way too long for the patients and the families who are suffering.  结果最迟需要一周才能出来--这对于遭受痛苦的病人和家属来说太久了。

Ian decided² to move his lab into Makeni, Sierra Leone. Ian决定将他的实验室搬去马可尼，塞拉利昂。

Here we see Ian Goodfellow moving over 10 tons of equipment into a pop-up tent 在这里，我们可以看到Ian Goodfellow正在把一个超过10吨的设备搬入一个弹出式帐篷，

that he would equip to detect and diagnose the virus and sequence it within 24 hours. 这是他准备来检测和诊断病毒，在24小时内确定病毒的基因序列的地方。

But here's a surprise: the same equipment that Ian could use at his lab in the UK to sequence and diagnose Ebola, 但令人意想不到的是：Ian在英国实验室用来确定和诊断埃博拉病毒基因序列的相同设备，

just wouldn't work under these conditions. We're talking 35 Celsius³ heat and over 90 percent humidity here. 在当前的条件下是根本无法使用的。我指的是当地35摄氏度的高温和超过90%的湿度。

But instead, Ian could use personal DNA machines small enough 但现在，伊恩可以使用个人DNA检测器，它们小到可以

to be placed in front of the air-conditioning unit to keep sequencing the virus and keep saving lives. 被放置在空调装置的前面，来进行病毒测序和拯救生命。

This may seem like an extreme place for DNA analysis, but let's move on to an even more extreme environment: outer space. 这可能看起来像在一个极端的地方进行DNA分析，但是让我们看看一个更极端的环境：外太空。

Let's talk about DNA analysis in space. 让我们来谈谈在太空中进行DNA分析。

When astronauts live aboard the International Space Station, they're orbiting the planet 250 miles high. 当宇航员生活在国际空间站中，是绕着距地球400公里高的轨道移动。

They're traveling at 17,000 miles per hour. Picture that -- you're seeing 15 sunsets and sunrises every day. 他们以每小时2万7千多公里的时速绕行。想象一下吧--每天会看到15次日落和日出。

You're also living in microgravity, floating. And under these conditions, our bodies can do funky⁴ things. 人也在微重力中漂浮着。在这些条件下，我们的身体机能会失常。

One of these things is that our immune systems get suppressed, making astronauts more prone⁵ to infection. 其一便是我们的免疫系统会被抑制，让宇航员更容易感染疾病。

1 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

4 funky   

adj.畏缩的，怯懦的，霉臭的；adj.新式的，时髦的

参考例句：

• The kitchen smelled really funky.这个厨房有一股霉味。
• It is a funky restaurant with very interesting art on the walls.那是一家墙上挂着很有意思的绘画的新潮餐馆。

5 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。