評論
打印
Now, the going gets tougher. The next stage introduces entities that are significantly more fragile, significantly more vulnerable,
現在，（變化的條件）就更加苛刻了。下一個階段是初次形成的個體，個體是明顯更加弱小，更加脆弱的，
but they're also much more creative and much more capable of generating further complexity.
但是它們也更加有創造力，也更加有能力創造更多的復雜性。
I'm talking, of course, about living organisms.
當然，我說的是生命個體。
Living organisms are created by chemistry. We are huge packages of chemicals.
生命個體是有化學物質組成的。我們是大量化學物質的集合。
So, chemistry is dominated by the electromagnetic force.
化學是被電子磁場力所控制。
That operates over smaller scales than gravity, which explains why you and I are smaller than stars or planets.
這運用在比重力場更小范圍的地方，這也解釋了為什么你和我要比那恒星和行星小。
Now, what are the ideal conditions for chemistry? What are the Goldilocks conditions?
現在，什么才是化學物質的理想環境呢？什么才是黃金條件呢？
Well, first, you need energy, but not too much.
首先，你需要能量，但是不需要太多。
In the center of a star, there's so much energy that any atoms that combine will just get busted apart again. But not too little.
在恒星的內部有著巨大的能量，以至于任何原子結合之后就會重新分開。但是也不要太少。
In intergalactic space, there's so little energy that atoms can't combine.
在銀河系中，只有一點點的能量，以至于原子都無法結合。
What you want is just the right amount, and planets, it turns out, are just right, because they're close to stars, but not too close.
你要的就是那剛剛好的量，它也證明，行星的適量是剛剛適中的，因為它們接近恒星了，但也不是太接近。
You also need a great diversity of chemical elements, and you need liquids, such as water. Why?
你也需要各種化學元素，同時你也需要液體比如水。為什么？
Well, in gases, atoms move past each other so fast that they can't hitch up.
因為在氣體的環境，相互間原子的運動如此的快，以至于它們不能結合。
In solids, atoms are stuck together, they can't move. In liquids, they can cruise and cuddle and link up to form molecules.
在固體的環境下，原子被固定在一起，它們不能運動。在液體環境下，它們能游動和碰撞，也能結合形成分子。
Now, where do you find such Goldilocks conditions? Well, planets are great, and our early Earth was almost perfect.
那在哪里你才能找到這些黃金條件呢？行星就是不錯的，我們早期的地球幾乎就是完美的。
It was just the right distance from its star to contain huge oceans of liquid water.
它和其他恒星之間距離適中，以此形成了大量的液態水的海洋。
And deep beneath those oceans, at cracks in the Earth's crust,
在這些海洋下方地殼的斷層中，
you've got heat seeping up from inside the Earth, and you've got a great diversity of elements.
你能從地球內部滲透出熱量，而且你也能得到各種原子。
So at those deep oceanic vents, fantastic chemistry began to happen, and atoms combined in all sorts of exotic combinations.
所以在這些深海的開口上，奇妙的化學變化開始進行，原子結合成奇異的混合物。
