評論
打印
The same process is happening all over the cosmos.
宇宙中到處都在發生這樣的碰撞過程
Entire clusters of galaxies are constantly colliding and reforming.
所有的星系都在不斷地發生碰撞和重建
Giant collisions as trillions of stars pull on one another,
數萬億恒星相互吸引而產生的巨大沖撞
their vast masses causing them to spin and dance.
所產生的大量碎塊使得星系開始旋轉起舞
Gravity is driving the cosmic clock work
萬有引力仍然像在宇宙大爆炸開始時那樣
as it done ever since the big bang.
驅動著宇宙時鐘的運行
This is what the universe looks like
這就是當我們脫離人類尺度上的時間
when we are released from time on a human scale.
所看到的宇宙面貌了
But will this cosmic whirlpool go on forever
但宇宙的這種旋轉永遠持續下去嗎
as an endless mild storm of mass and energy, space and time?
讓能量與質量，時間與空間無盡地緩慢碰撞
What an extraordinary question to even be able to ask.
能提出這樣的問題是多么不簡單啊
I think the solution lies back where we began,
我認為答案就在一切開始的地方
with the big bang.
宇宙大爆炸
Ask yourself this.
問問你自己
What caused the inflation or expansion of the universe in the first place?
是什么最先引起了宇宙的膨脹或是擴張
When we can answer that
等我們能夠回答這個問題
and fully understand the Big Bang,
并完全理解宇宙大爆炸的時候
we will also learn the fate of the universe.
我們也就能夠知道宇宙的命運
The key to it all is something called dark energy.
宇宙命運的關鍵是一種叫做暗能量的物質
A mysterious form of energy
一種神秘形式的能量
that pushes space itself apart,
它能夠使空間本身相分離
even as gravity is making matter clump together.
即便存在著能將物質聚在一起的萬有引力
It seems as if dark energy supplied the kick that inflated the universe,
看上去似乎是暗能量使得宇宙得以膨脹
although we are not quite sure how.
盡管我們并不知道究竟是如何做到的
What is certain is
可以肯定的是
that the fate of the universe depends on how this dark energy behaves.
宇宙的命運依賴于暗物質如何進行反應
If the dark energy slowly weakens,
如果暗物質逐漸變弱
then gravity could get the upper hand
萬有引力便會占據上風那么大約兩百億年之后
and in 20 billion years or so, the universe goes into reverse
那么大約兩百億年之后，宇宙會開始倒轉
and drive everything back to where it came.
將一切都拉回到宇宙的起源
