評論
打印
There were two teams that didn't much like each other.
辯論分成2個組，二者都不太喜歡對方。
They were trying to measure the rate at which the universe has been expanding at different times in the past and compare it with the rate at which it's expanding now.
他們試圖測量宇宙在過去不同時期膨脹的速率，然后與現在膨脹的速率相比較。
The way to check comes from Hubble.
這個證實的方法來自于哈勃。
It finds supernova explosions in remote galaxies and uses the light from the explosion as a yardstick to measure the distance from earth to the galaxy.
哈勃發現在遙遠星系發生的超新星爆炸，再用爆炸發出的光做為量尺測量從地球到發生超新星爆炸的星系的距離。
But Hubble's findings do not fit the accepted model for the expansion of the universe.
但是哈勃的發現卻不符合宇宙膨脹的常規結果。
The galaxies with supernovae are not just moving away.
發生超新星爆炸的星系不僅僅是在遠離我們。
They are moving at an accelerated rate.
它們在加速遠離我們。
Hubble's results convinces astronomers that they must think of the universe in an entirely new way.
哈勃的測量結果讓天文學家們信服了他們必須得以全新的方式來看待宇宙。
You toss a ball up and it comes back down or slows down.
你向上拋出一個球，它會從空中落下來，或者減速。
What you don't expect is the ball to speed up and speed up and speed up more and more and more.
但是你料想不到的是，球加速向上飛不停加速、加速，越來越快，
It doesn't happen.
這不應該發生的。
But it does happen.
但是它的確發生了。
According to Hubble's evidence, the universe is expanding more and more quickly.
根據哈勃采集的證據，宇宙正在越來越快的膨脹。
The only explanation is as simple as it is unlikely.
對此唯一的解釋簡單到你不能相信。
Something is causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate.
有什么東西使宇宙的膨脹在加速。
An unseen force called, "Dark Energy".
一種看不見的能量，叫做“黑暗能量”。
Dark Energy is another manifestation of a familiar force.
黑暗能量是一種我們熟悉的能量的另一種展現形式。
So, gravity's a familiar force.
重力是一種我們熟悉的能量。
But we've never seen it act this way before.
但是我們從來沒有見過重力以如此的方式運行。
But the darkest part of this mysterious force is its future.
但是這種神秘能量最黑暗的部分在其未來
Over time, it will grow in strength.
隨著時間推移，它會越來越強。
This means that one day, Dark Energy will become stronger than gravity.
這意味著總有一天黑暗能量會強過重力。
Stronger than even the forces which bind atoms together.
甚至比將原子結合在一起的能量還強。
Every bound thing becomes unbound including, eventually at the most subatomic level.
所有結合而成的物體都會被分裂，最終亞原子層的物質都會被分裂。
Our universe, it seems, is living on borrowed time.
我們的宇宙看起來已經超期服役了。
The universe will one day end in a cosmic apocalypse that scientists call, "The Big Rip".
宇宙總有一天會在一場宇宙性的浩劫中被終結，這浩劫被科學家稱做“大解體”。
It's what we get for daring to look at something.
這就是敢于探求真相的后果。
We're outside the envelope.
我們超越了傳統思維，
We didn't expect this at all.
我們沒想到會有這種結果。
It's a tremendous change in how we think about the universe.
這極大的改變了我們看待宇宙的方法。
Imagine we know nothing of the sea and one day we discover the ocean, we find to our surprise that three quarters of the world is covered by the ocean.
想象一下如果我們從來不知道海，而某一天卻突然發現了大洋，更讓我們驚奇的是這個世界3/4都被大洋所覆蓋。
But we have no clue of what it is in the ocean or what the ocean does.
但是我們卻對大洋里有什么毫無頭緒，也不知道大洋能做什么。
This is where we are today with Dark Energy.
這就是今天我們面臨的黑暗能量的困境。
The continued study of Dark Energy may be the single most important reason for keeping Hubble on orbit.
對黑暗能量的持續研究也許是讓哈勃留在軌道上的最重要的原因。
But how much longer can we keep Hubble flying?
但我們還能讓哈勃在那待多久呢？
