評論
打印
Alien struggles of life and death are probably happening right now,
由于進化的普遍作用
thanks to the universal power of evolution.
外星人現在或許正在生死搏斗
But in my opinion, evolution is so remarkable,
但在我看來，進化是如此的非同尋常
we can't really be sure of its ultimate limits.
我們并不能真正地確定它的極限
Life-forms on earthlike planets or in hidden oceans
類似地球的行星或秘密的海洋
are not the only options.
并非生命存在形式的唯一可能
We can go even further into the depths of the universe
我們可以更進一步地進入宇宙深處
in search of other kinds of aliens,
來尋找其他種類的外星人
extraterrestrials that are totally unlike us,
與我們完全不同的外星人
life but not as we know it.
我們所不了解的生命形式
I like to think of myself as an optimist,
我認為我是個樂觀主義者
and so in our vast, ancient universe,
對我們廣闊古老而又擁有無數星系的宇宙
with its countless galaxies.
也同樣樂觀
Almost any life-form that is physically possible
幾乎任何物理上可能的生命形式
is likely to exist somewhere.
都可能在某處存在著
So they could be, perhaps should be really bizarre aliens
所以它們可能，或許更應該是非常怪異的
that followed a different evolutionary path.
遵循著不同的進化途徑
aliens that don't depend on water,
這便是依賴于其他化學物質
but on other chemicals instead.
而不依賴水的外星人
Nitrogen is one possibility.
氮氣是一種可能
It's a gas on earth,
在地球上這是一種氣體
but it can exist as a liquid when it's very, very cold,
但當溫度極低時，它便能以液態形式存在
minus 320 degrees fahrenheit.
華氏零下三百二十度時
So, is there a world of nitrogen oceans,
是否會存在一個被冰封海岸所包圍的
lapping frozen shores,
液態氮海洋世界呢
where aliens have evolved in temperatures that would kill a human instantly?
那里的外星人在人類無法生存的溫度下進化
Life here would need chemistry very different than our own
這里生物需要的化學物質與我們完全不同
a cold-weather remix of the ingredients that make us.
一種構成我們身體的，寒冷天氣的混合成分
Ingredient number one, of course, is water.
第一種成分，當然是水
The average male holds 8 gallons.
男性身體平均擁有八加侖的水
So, let's swap water for liquid nitrogen.
所以，讓我們來將水換成液氮
There's also about 2 pounds of phosphorus,
另外還有兩磅的磷
half a pound of salt,
半磅的鹽
enough iron to make a nail,
足以打出一顆釘子來的鐵
3 pounds of lime,
三磅的石灰
15 trace elements,
十五種也許同樣會在
which might also work in alien biology,
外星人體內起作用的微量元素
And then, this. Carbon, 45 pounds of it.
接著是這個，四十五磅的碳
But what if carbon was switched with something else?
但如果碳被其他的物質換掉了又會怎樣呢
