VOA慢速英语2014 美国国家航空航天局在外太空发现生命

 

AS IT IS 2014-07-22 NASA to Discover Life in Outer Space 美国国家航空航天局在外太空发现生命

NASA scientists say they are closer than ever to finding life beyond Earth. 

Several leading NASA scientists spoke¹ to a gathering² July 14th at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. The scientists discussed the space agency’s plan to find life in outer space.  

NASA continues to look for life in the solar system.   That search is centered mostly on Mars and the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn³.  But the scientists mainly discussed the search for life outside the solar system.

NASA Administrator⁴ Charles Bolden opened the talk.  He said it is not probable that humans are alone in what he calls “the limitless vastness of the universe."

The scientists spoke about improvements in search equipment. They noted⁵ the Kepler Space Telescope. They said the tool had been critical in expanding knowledge about exoplanets. 

An exoplanet is a planet that orbits a star outside the solar system.  Kepler has discovered most of the 5,000 possible exoplanets, of which almost two thousand have been confirmed.

An Earth-size exoplanet orbits what is called, the “habitable zone” of a star. The habitable zone is an area which could support liquid water on the exoplanet. Liquid water is considered essential for life as we know it.

Kepler research has led scientists to believe that there may be billions of planets in the galaxy⁶.

Sara Seager is a professor of planetary science and physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  She says space scientists think it is “very likely that every single star in the Milky⁷ Way galaxy has at least one planet.”

Another major step toward discovery is the planned launch of three new telescopes.  Officials expect to deploy⁸ the equipment starting in 2017.

These telescopes will help scientists to learn if an exoplanet has atmospheric⁹ water vapor¹⁰ or carbon dioxide.

Ms. Seager says these three telescopes will give scientists the ability to find life on other planets.  But she adds they will also need luck.  It is a very big universe. 

During the discussion, the group of scientists took questions from the public.  One person asked if the United States government would tell the public of a discovery of life outside of Earth.

NASA's chief scientist Ellen Stofan answered, “Of course we would.”

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 Saturn   

n.农神，土星

参考例句：

• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings.天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。
• These comparisons suggested that Saturn is made of lighter materials.这些比较告诉我们，土星由较轻的物质构成。

4 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

7 milky   

adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的

参考例句：

• Alexander always has milky coffee at lunchtime.亚历山大总是在午餐时喝掺奶的咖啡。
• I like a hot milky drink at bedtime.我喜欢睡前喝杯热奶饮料。

8 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

9 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

10 vapor   

n.蒸汽，雾气

参考例句：

• The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
• This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。