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Dark matter is that mysterious stuff that apparently accounts for some quarter of the mass and energy in the universe.
暗物質是一種神奇的材料，它顯然在宇宙中的質量和能量中占據很大的一部分。
And for one small wannabe-galaxy, dark matter may have been a lifesaver.
而對于小瓦納比星系而言，暗物質也許成為了救星。
It's called the Smith Cloud.
它被稱為史密斯云。
Astronomers think it's a failed dwarf galaxy that lacked the requisite mass to produce stars.
天文學家們認為它是缺乏必要存在物而不能產生新星的已經衰敗的矮星星系。
Many millions of years ago the cloud seems to have collided with the Milky Way and passed through the disk of our galaxy.
數百萬年前，這團云物質似乎已經同銀河相撞并且穿過我們太陽系的盤狀空間。
A new computer simulation finds that the cloud should have been ripped to shreds.
一項新型的計算機模擬研究發現該云團本應該已經粉身碎骨。
That it survived is evidence that it's protected—by a shell of dark matter.
但現有證據表明它是被一層暗物質包裹保護所以仍然存在。
The report will appear in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
該研究報告將在《皇家天文協會月刊》上發表。
That dark matter shell could have insulated the Smith Cloud from the Milky Way's gravitational forces, which otherwise should have torn Smith apart.
這層暗物質保護殼將史密斯云與來自于銀河的重力引力隔絕，否則這道引力勢必會撕裂前者。
As if its first fender-bender with the Milky Way wasn't enough, the Smith Cloud is coming back for more.
仿佛第一道屏障彎曲并不足以阻擋銀河的重力引力，因此史密斯云正在被吸引過來。
It's on course to slam into our galaxy again—in about 30 million years.
它正處于再次撞向銀河系的進程當中—貌似還有3億年的時間。
Perhaps future astronomers will note whether its dark matter shroud once again saves the cloud.
或許未來天文學家們會發現暗物質是否將再次包裹它再次幸免于難。
