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When I was in my 20s,
我二十多歲時
I did some of the basic mathematics of black holes,
對黑洞進行過一些基礎演算
but few people shared my fascination.
但少有人與我志同道合
These days, they are a popular subject.
現(xiàn)今，黑洞成為流行的課題
Physicists all over the world are studying black hole behavior.
全世界的物理學家都在研究黑洞行為
We now know that black holes
現(xiàn)在我們知道黑洞
are not only fascinating in their own right,
不僅因它們自身的特點受到歡迎
but that they play a
還因為它們在星系形成過程中
fundamental role in the formation of galaxies.
起到至關重要的作用
They also give us a glimpse of how the universe may end.
同時讓我們得以一窺宇宙可能的滅亡方式
A black hole forms when a large star,
當一顆比太陽大20倍的大恒星
one say, 20 times the mass of our sun, comes to the end of its life.
走向生命盡頭時，黑洞就產(chǎn)生了
Such a star looks nothing like our sun
這樣的恒星與太陽完全不同
because it's become unstable,
因為開始滅亡時
convulsing violently as its death throws begin.
它變得不穩(wěn)定并劇烈震動
Finally it runs out of fuel and begins to shrink,
最終，它燃料耗盡，開始收縮
getting denser and denser, hotter and hotter.
密度越來越大，溫度越來越高
But with a star this massive,
但對于如此巨大的恒星
there is no force in the universe
宇宙中沒有任何力量
capable of stopping the collapse.
能夠阻止恒星崩塌
The core is so heavy that it just keeps on falling in on itself.
內(nèi)核太過沉重以至于不斷坍縮
Gravity is running wild.
萬有引力如脫韁之馬
In just 15 seconds or so,
僅僅十五秒鐘左右
the unstoppable force crushes the star from
這股無堅不摧的力量將此恒星直徑
millions of miles in diameter to as little as 12 miles in diameter.
從數(shù)百萬英里壓至十二英里
All the mass that was in the star is still there,
恒星的質(zhì)量沒有發(fā)生改變
but its own weight keeps
但它自身的重量
forcing it down smaller and smaller still.
一直在迫使它變得越來越小
The temperature of the core sores to 100 billion degrees.
內(nèi)核溫度飆升至一千億攝氏度
The outer layers are blasted away in a massive supernova.
恒星外層在劇烈的超新星爆炸中解體
But deep in the center, the core falls down
但在恒星中心深處，內(nèi)核逐漸陷入
what we call a gravitational well.
所謂的重力勢阱
It crushes itself into a single point.
它坍縮成一個點
A black hole is born.
黑洞便誕生了
Nothing nearby can escape its pull,
附近的一切都無法逃脫它的引力
not even light.
甚至光也難以幸免
It's hard to imagine just how dense a black hole can be.
黑洞的密度大到人類難以想象
But I'll try to put it into perspective using something familiar.
但我要借用大家熟悉的事物進行深入剖析
The Earth.
地球
