科技动态:世纪科学发现之人造生命?

We are now to a major scientific breakthrough, building life from scratch. A biologist here in the US claimed to have created the first man made cell. He and his team researchers built this synthetic¹ cell from human DNA² inside their lab. The benefits really could be limitless. But then there are all these questions, you know, about ethics³ and moral issues as well.

现在科学有了大发现，人类可以凭空创造生命。美国一名生物学家宣布其团队在实验室中合成了第一个具有人类DNA的人造细胞。这项科研结果带来的效益将是无限的。但接下来问题来了，在科技进步的情况下，我们同样需要考虑伦理道德。

And Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist⁴, physics professor and author of the book Physics of the Impossible. So, is this really a big deal? Why is it such a big deal?

Michio Kaku是一名理论物理学教授，著有《Physics of the Impossible》，那么，伦理在生命科学中真的重要吗，为什么这么重要呢？

This is the proverbial game changer. It's like splitting the atom back in the 30s. In 10 years, splitting the atom change the political, economic, theological landscape. This is potentially on that scale.

众所周知，这是一项颠覆传统观念的科研成果。就如30年前原子分裂一般，仅仅10年就从政治，经济和神学上改变了世界。如今这项科研成果很可能具有这项潜能。

So we are creating artificial life?

所以说，我们是在创造生命？

In some sense, yes, if you take a look at the cell, think aobut it is a cell phone. We've downloaded apps onto the cell phone all the time, so this time, we took a cell from a goat, and actually downloaded new DNA that we programed.

某种程度上说，是的。你可以把细胞想象成手机。我们下载应用程序到手机上，就像我们将编辑好的程序置入山羊的细胞一样。

So, a cell from a goat and with human DNA?

那就是说，这是一个取自山羊，但拥有人类DNA的细胞？

Well, different kinds of junk DNAs was put in, even James Joyce quotation⁵ from James Joyce. biography of Jay Robert, Robert Highbird. Also, this stuff was put in. The point was, that it was artificial, (got it ) and that's why this is so novel.

不同的DNA被分别置入细胞中，即使是喜剧大师James Joyce也会觉得这不可思议。Jay Robert和Robert Highbird也参与其中。重要的是这是人工合成的细胞，所以才会那么具有传奇色彩。

So what can we do with an artificial cell? What can be some of the benefits?

那我们会对人工合成的细胞做什么呢？人类可以获得什么好处呢？

We can tailor and make it to do certain things, like eat oil slicks. (No kidding). Exile is a very much interested in commercializing this technology. Already there are negotiations⁶ with talks. Also global warming. You can create bacteria that are specifically designed to eat up carbon dioxide.

我们可以调整，并且使它能够做些有利人类的事，比如吞食水面浮油。（这不是在开玩笑。）。Exile公司对于将这项技术商业化十分感兴趣，并且已经开始洽谈。但需要提醒的是，我们已经创造出了以二氧化碳为食的细菌。

But this story reminds me of Jurrassic Park when all the dinosaurs⁷ got out and ran in the mark. I mean, there can be some unintended consequences, is that right?

但这类似于侏罗纪恐龙灭绝，我是说这一定会造成一些意想不到的后果，对吗？

That's right. You can not recall a life form, you can recall a bad Toyota, or General Motors car; You can recall a life form. And also killer⁸ bees, they were introduced in Brazil in the 1950s. Some Queen bees are escaped by accident. And these bees have now pushed down the honey bees out of the most of land of the America.

是的。你可以复活丰田，通用汽车，但你不能复活死去的生物。还有杀人蜂，它们是1950年被带入到巴西。一些蜂王逃出，并驱逐美洲大陆上的工蜂。

And there were Tinker West?

还有Tinker West？

I know there were Tinker West, but it came Africa, deliberately⁹ introduced from Africa to Brazil (I see), to see whether we can get a better hybrid¹⁰ mix, but it was out of control. And now they are penetrating¹¹ California, Texas, and Louisiana.

Tinker West来自非洲，为了配种被引进到巴西，但之后的事情失去了控制。现在这些蜜蜂遍及加利福尼亚，达克萨斯和路易斯安那州。

So an example of unintended consequence is really quick. As a physicist, do you give thumbs up or thumbs down of this discovery?

意想不到的结果来得很快。那作为一名物理学家。您多人工合成细胞的事情有什么看法呢？

I think it this way, yuh, but it's between here and here.

我想这就是发展，不是好就是坏。

All right, we will see what will happen, just beginning now. So, I guess a lot of things could happen moving forward. Thank you very much, I appreciate your coming in and Joan, back up to you.

好的，我们将会持续关注事态，这还仅仅是个开始。因此，我猜有很多事情将会不断向前发展。谢谢，感谢你来到这里，现在节目交回给Joan。

1 synthetic   

adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品

参考例句：

• We felt the salesman's synthetic friendliness.我们感觉到那位销售员的虚情假意。
• It's a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。

2 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。

3 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

4 physicist   

n.物理学家，研究物理学的人

参考例句：

• He is a physicist of the first rank.他是一流的物理学家。
• The successful physicist never puts on airs.这位卓有成就的物理学家从不摆架子。

5 quotation   

n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情

参考例句：

• He finished his speech with a quotation from Shakespeare.他讲话结束时引用了莎士比亚的语录。
• The quotation is omitted here.此处引文从略。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

9 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

10 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

11 penetrating   

adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的

参考例句：

• He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
• He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。