三维宇宙是哪三个维度（优雅的宇宙世界真是由弦）

现代物理学主要基于两大定理，一是爱因斯坦首先用以形容星体及银河等宏观宇宙现象的相对论(general relativity)，二是用以形容细微粒子的量子力学(quantum mechanics)，然而两个定律都似是而非，令人难以理解爱因斯坦一直梦想找出一条能统一解释宇宙各种现象的定律，可惜绞尽心机亦无功而还;甚至后来接棒的物理学家也未能参透相对论和量子力学之间的矛盾直到”弦理论“的诞生，这个宇宙定律死结终于有机会解开，我来为大家科普一下关于三维宇宙是哪三个维度?下面希望有你要的答案，我们一起来看看吧!

三维宇宙是哪三个维度

现代物理学主要基于两大定理，一是爱因斯坦首先用以形容星体及银河等宏观宇宙现象的相对论(general relativity)，二是用以形容细微粒子的量子力学(quantum mechanics)，然而两个定律都似是而非，令人难以理解。爱因斯坦一直梦想找出一条能统一解释宇宙各种现象的定律，可惜绞尽心机亦无功而还;甚至后来接棒的物理学家也未能参透相对论和量子力学之间的矛盾。直到”弦理论“的诞生，这个宇宙定律死结终于有机会解开。

根据布莱恩·格林著作《优雅的宇宙》(《The Elegant Universe》)改编，一连三集探讨二十世纪物理学一项重大发现－弦理论(String Theory)，从爱因斯坦到现代在弦理论上的发展过程，深入浅出地作出介绍。弦理论提到宇宙原本有十一次元空间，及后发生了一场爆炸，使当中一些次元收缩到基本粒子的空间之中，造成天文物理学家在观测天象时出现差距。

1、爱因斯坦的梦

2、弦学说从何而来

3、欢迎来到11次元

本文是第3集：欢迎来到11次元

1 They say that space can stretch and warp,But it cannot rip.

爱因斯坦的理论认为空间可以拉伸和弯曲，但不能撕裂

2 Strings actually make it possible for space to rip.Strings need to move in more than three dimensions.

弦的存在使得空间裂开成为可能，弦需要在多于三个的维度中运动

3 The extra dimension Witten added Allows a string to stretch into something like a membrane

威滕增加的额外维度使单根弦延伸成薄膜成为可能

4 A brane could be three-dimensional or even more.A brane could grow to an enormous size,Perhaps even as large as a universe.

膜可以是三维的也可以是更多维的，给它足够的能量，一个膜可以变得巨大无比，甚至跟宇宙一样大

And with enough energy,

5 And we are all living on a giant membrane Inside a higher dimensional space?

那么我们就全生活在更高维空间里的巨大的膜上吗

6 Is the world really made up of strings and membranes,Parallel universes and extra dimensions?

世界真是由弦和膜还有平行宇宙和额外维度构成吗

7 As we embark on the 21st century,we're getting a glimpse of what may be the next layer:Vibrating strings,sparticles,parallel universes And extra dimensions.

值此21世纪之际，我们下一步的任务已经隐隐在望，振动的弦 超粒子和平行宇宙以及额外维度

字幕:

现在 和NOVA一起

Now, on nova,

踏上比科幻世界更为奇妙的惊险旅程

Take a thrill ride into a world stranger than science fiction

在这里 你可以享受

Where you play the game,

颠覆规则的乐趣

By breaking some rules,

在这里 一种新的宇宙视角

Where a new view of the universe,

将使你超越想象力的极限

Pushes you beyond the limits of your wildest imagination.

这就是弦理论的世界

This is the world of string theory,

一种描述所有的力与物质的理论

A way of describing every force and all matter

从原子到地球

From an atom to earth,

再到无尽的星空彼端

To the end of the galaxies—

从时间的初始到最后一声滴答

From the birth of time to its final tick—

世间万物

In a single theory,

尽归此理

A theory of everything.

这次美丽新世界之旅的导游是布莱恩·格林

Our guide to this brave new world is Brian Greene,

畅销书作家和物理学家

The bestselling author and physicist.

不论我多少次进入这里

And no matter how many times I come here,

我似乎总是无法熟悉它

I never seem to get used to it.

他能帮助我们解答现代物理中的最大难题吗

Can he help us solve the greatest puzzle of modern physics—

我们对宇宙的所有认识

That our understanding of the universe

是建立在两套基础理论之上的

Is based on two sets of laws,

它们矛盾吗

That don't agree?

为了解决爱因斯坦提出 却连自己也无法自圆其说的

Resolving that contradiction eluded even Einstein,

终极矛盾

Who made it his final quest.

数个世纪过去

After decades,

我们也许离答案仅有一步之遥

We may finally be on the verge of a breakthrough.

那就是弦

The solution is strings,

微小的带能振动细丝如同演奏中大提琴上的弦

Tiny bits of energy vibrating like the strings on a cello,

吟唱出现实世界里的万事万物

A cosmic symphony at the heart of all reality.

随之带给我们

But it comes at a price

多数人从未了解过的

Parallel universes and 11 dimensions,

平行宇宙和11维空间

Most of which you've never seen.

我们也许真的生活在

We really may live in a universe

一个比我们肉眼能观察到的维度更多的世界中

With more dimensions than meet the eye.

那些认为

People who have said that

空间可能存在额外的维度的人

There were extra dimensions of space

往往被贴上想入非非

Have been labeled crackpots,

或者白日做梦的标签

Or people who are bananas.

这是科学和数学研究的空想

A mirage of science and mathematics

还是涵盖万物的终极理论

Or the ultimate theory of everything?

如果无法对弦理论进行实验性论证

If string theory fails to provide a testable prediction,

那么很难被人接受

Then nobody should believe it.

这是物理理论 还是哲学理论

Is that a theory of physics, or a philosophy?

可以确定的是

One thing that is certain

弦理论给我们展示出

Is that string theory is already showing us that

宇宙也许比任何人的想象

The universe may be a lot stranger

更为陌生

Than any of us ever imagined.

就在今晚

Coming up tonight...

不可抗拒的弦

The undeniable pull of strings.

这里的气氛扣人心弦

The atmosphere was electric.

弦理论自身有了突破

String theory goes through a revolution of its own...

五种不同的弦理论

Five different string theories...

揭示了事物的新形态

And reveals the new shape of things to come.

也许我们生活在一个三维膜中

Perhaps we live on a three-dimensional membrane.

我们的宇宙也许就像一片面包

Our universe might be like a slice of bread.

我们局限在更高维宇宙中

We're trapped on just a tiny slice

的一小片中

Of the higher dimensional universe.

那的确是个问题

That's actually a problem.

现在 一起来看看这优雅的宇宙吧

Watch the elegant universe right now.

《优雅的宇宙》 主持 布莱恩·格林

"The Elegant Universe", hosted by Brian Greene.

根据布莱恩·格林著作 《优雅的宇宙》

Based on "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greene.

第三部 欢迎来到第11维时空

Welcome to the 11th dimension

想象一下 我们可以控制空间

Imagine that we were able to control space

或时间

Or control time.

就可以做很多

The kinds of things that we'd be able to do

叹为观止的事情

Would be amazing.

我也许能从这里

I might be able to go from here...

到这里

To here...

再到这

To here...

或者到这

To here...

转瞬间又到这

And over to here in only an instant.

我们都认为这样的旅行

Now,we all think that this kind of trip

不可能实现

Would be impossible.

事实也许如此

And it probably is.

但在最近几年

But in the last few years,

我们的时空观

Our ideas about the true nature of space and time

有了不少的改变

Have been going through some changes.

以前在科幻小说中才有的东西

And things that used to seem like science fiction

似乎不再遥不可及

Are looking not-so-far-fetched.

这要归功于一个物理学上的革命

It's all thanks to a revolution in physics

"弦理论"

Called "string theory,"

弦理论提供了个崭新的视角

Which is offering a whole new perspective

来看待宇宙的内在运行机理

On the inner workings of the universe.

弦理论给我们提供了这样一种前景

String theory holds out the promise that

它使我们相信我们真的可以

We can really understand questions of

从最基本层面上弄清楚

Why the universe is the way it is

宇宙为什么是这样的

At the most fundamental level.

弦理论是物理学上的未知领域

String theory is really the wild west of physics.

属于理论物理的范畴

This is an area of theoretical physics

从根本上不同于

Which is so radically different from

任何以往的研究

Anything that's been before.

这个激进的理论有一个前提

This radical new theory starts with the simple premiss

即宇宙万物

That everything in the universe,

地球 这些建筑

The earth,these buildings,

甚至像引力和电力这样的力

Even forces like gravity and electricity,

都是由极其微小的

Are made up of incredibly tiny,

号称"弦"的带能振动细丝组成

Vibrating strands of energy called "strings."

尽管弦很小

And small as they are,

却改变着一切

Strings are changing everything

我们对宇宙的认知

We thought we knew about the universe,

尤其是对空间本质的认识

Especially our ideas about the nature of space.

为了看个究竟 我们首先把整个空间

To see how,let's first shrink all of space

缩小到一个易于观察的大小

To a more manageable size.

把整个宇宙想象成

Imagine that the whole universe consisted of nothing

我的家乡曼哈顿

More than my hometown,manhattan.

那么 纽约市的一个区

So now,just one borough of new york city

就构成了整个空间结构

Makes up the entire fabric of space.

好玩起见

And just for kicks,

把我想象成华尔街

Let's also imagine that I'm the ceo of a large corporation

一家大公司的经理

With offices on wall street.

时间就是金钱

And because time is money,

我得找到最快路线

I need to find the quickest route from my apartment,

从北曼哈顿公寓赶到南边的办公室

Here in upper manhattan to my offices in lower manhattan.

众所周知 两点之间

Now,we all know that the shortest distance

直线距离最短

Between two points is a straight line,

即使一路畅通

But even if there's no traffic

这在我们想象中的曼哈顿也难达到

-A bit of a stretch even in our imaginary manhattan-

这段路也要花掉不少时间

It'll still take us some amount of time to get there.

随着速度越来越快

By going faster and faster,

可减少路上的时间

We can reduce the travel time.

但因为没什么可比光速更快

But because nothing can go faster than the speed of light,

这段路可省的时间

There is a definite limit to how much time

是有限的

We can cut from our journey.

这个曼哈顿型的宇宙

This manhattan universe fits with an old,

符合古老经典的空间观

Classical vision of space,

本质上就是静止不变的平面网格

Basically a flat grid that's static and unchanging.

但阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦眼中的空间结构

But when Albert Einstein looked at the fabric of space,

是完全不同的

He saw something completely different.

他认为空间不是静态的

He said that space wasn't static;

而是可弯曲和拉伸的

It could warp and stretch.

甚至存在非常规的空间结构

And there could even be unusual structures of space

叫做"虫洞"

Called "wormholes."

虫洞是连接空间不同区域的

A wormhole is a bridge or tunnel

桥或隧道

That can link distant regions of space,

实质上 是个宇宙捷径

In effect,a cosmic shortcut.

在这样的宇宙中

In this kind of universe,

我的通行路径是每个纽约人的梦想

My commute would be a new yorker's dream.

但制造这么个虫洞有个问题

But there is a hitch, to create a wormhole,

得在空间结构中撕裂或扯开个洞

You've got to rip or tear a hole in the fabric of space.

但空间结构真的能被撕裂吗

But can the fabric of space really rip?

形成虫洞的第一步

Can this first step toward

真的能实现吗

Forming a wormhole actually happen?

饿着肚子

Well,you can't answer these questions

可没法回答这些问题

On an empty stomach.

通过观察我的早餐

Turns out that by looking at my breakfast

咖啡和甜甜圈

--coffee and a doughnut--

可以对弦理论关于

We can get a pretty good sense of

空间结构是否可撕裂的答案

What string theory says

有个更好的认识

About whether the fabric of space can tear.

把空间想象成这个甜甜圈的形状

Imagine that space is shaped like this doughnut.

你也许认为这个空间与

You might think that it would be very different

形状如咖啡杯的空间完全不同

From a region of space shaped like this coffee cup.

但事实恰巧是

But there's a precise sense

甜甜圈形状的

In which the shape of the doughnut

和咖啡杯形状的实质上是一样的

And the coffee cup are actually the same,

只是有些隐晦

Just a little disguised.

瞧 他们都有个洞

You see,they both have one hole.

甜甜圈的洞在中间

In the doughnut it's in the middle

咖啡杯的洞在手柄上

And in the coffee cup it's in the handle.

这就意味着可以把甜甜圈

That means we can change the doughnut

变成咖啡杯 再变回来

Into the shape of a coffee cup and back again

而不需要撕裂或扯开甜甜圈

Without having to rip or tear the dough at all.

但如果想把甜甜圈

Okay,but suppose you want to change the shape

变成完全不同的形状

Of this doughnut into a very different shape,

比如没有洞的形状

A shape with no holes.

唯一的方法是像这样撕扯开甜甜圈

The only way to do that is to tear the doughnut like this

再改变其形状

And then re-shape it.

遗憾的是 根据爱因斯坦的理论

Unfortunately,according to Einstein's laws,

这是不可能的

This is impossible.

爱因斯坦的理论认为空间可以拉伸和弯曲

They say that space can stretch and warp,

但不能撕裂

But it cannot rip.

虫洞也许现成的就在某个地方

Wormholes might exist somewhere fully formed,

但你不能在曼哈顿或别处

But you could not rip space to create a new one,

撕开空间 制造出一个虫洞

Over manhattan or anywhere else.

换句话说 我无法穿过虫洞去工作

In other words,I can't take a wormhole to work.

不过现在弦理论提供了

But now string theory is giving us

一个崭新的视角来看待空间

A whole new perspective on space,

也证明了爱因斯坦不总是对的

And it's showing us that Einstein wasn't always right.

为了一探究竟

To see how,

让我们近距离观察空间结构

Let's take a much closer look at the spatial fabric.

我们如果能

If we could shrink down

缩小千万亿倍

To about a millionth of a billionth of our normal size,

进入统治原子运转的

We'd enter the world of quantum mechanics,

量子力学世界

The laws that control how atoms behave.

这是个光 电和所有一切都在

It's the world of light and electricity and everything else

最小级别运作的世界

That operates at the smallest of scales.

这里 空间的结构是随机无序的

Here,the fabric of space is random and chaotic.

撕裂和扯开就不足为奇了

Rips and tears might be commonplace.

但如果是这样的话

But if they were,

又是什么阻止了空间结构的撕裂

What would stop a rip in the fabric of space

避免了宇宙大灾难

From creating a cosmic catastrophe?

这就得说起弦的力量

Well,this is where the power of strings comes in.

弦避免了混乱

Strings calm the chaos.

一个弦在空间运动时

And as a single string dances through space,

轨迹是管状的

It sweeps out a tube.

这些管状物像气泡一样环绕在破裂处周围

The tube can act like a bubble that surrounds the tear,

形成重要的保护层

A protective shield with profound implications.

弦的存在使得空间裂开成为可能

Strings actually make it possible for space to rip.

这就意味着空间比爱因斯坦所想的

Which means that space is far more dynamic

要更加充满活力和难以琢磨

And changeable than even Albert Einstein thought.

这是不是说虫洞是可能存在的

So does that mean that wormholes are possible?

我能不能在珠穆朗玛峰漫步

Will I ever be able to take a stroll on Everest,

到巴黎拿条法棍面包

Grab a baguette in Paris

仍然能及时赶回纽约

And still make it back to new york in time

开晨会呢

For my morning meeting?

那该有多酷

It would be kind of cool,

但这种可能仍遥不可及

Though it's still a very distant possibility.

但可以肯定的是

But one thing that is certain

弦理论已经告诉我们

Is that string theory is already showing us

宇宙也许比我们想象的

That the universe may be a lot stranger

更加神秘莫测

Than any of us ever imagined.

例如 弦理论指出我们周围充斥着

For example,string theory says we're surrounded

不可见的维度

By hidden dimensions,

那些神秘的地方超出了

Mysterious places beyond the familiar

我们所熟悉的三维空间

Three-dimensional space we know.

认为空间存在着

People who've said that

另外维度的人

There were extra dimensions of space,

曾被冠名空想家

Have been labeled as,you know,crackpots

或疯子

Or people who are bananas.

我说 开玩笑 你竟然认为有另外的维度

I mean,what,do you think there are extra dimensions?

然而 弦理论的确预测了它们的存在

Well,string theory really predicts it.

我们想 我们的宇宙

What we think of as our universe

可能只是更大的东西的一小部分

Could just be one small part of something much bigger.

也许我们生活在一个膜上

Perhaps we live on a membrane,

一个在更高维度的空间里

A three-dimensional membrane

漂浮的三维膜上

That floats inside higher dimensional space.

也许在我们周遭 有很多完整的世界

There could be entire worlds right next to us,

但完全不可见

But completely invisible.

从很浅层的理解上来说 这些其他的世界

These other worlds would,in a very literal sense,

可能是相互平行的

Be,be parallel universes.

这不是什么天方夜谭的想法

This isn't a particularly exotic or,or strange notion.

难怪学物理的学生都蜂拥而至

No wonder physics students are lining up

来探索弦理论的奇妙世界

To explore the strange world of string theory.

弦理论研究很活跃

String theory is very active.

不断有进展 有很多人致力于此

Things are happening. there are a lot of people doing it.

大部分是年轻人 让他们选择

Most of the young kids,given the choice,

十之八九的人

At a ratio of something like ten to one,

都会选择弦理论

They will go into string theory.

但弦不总是这么受到追捧

But strings weren't always this popular.

弦理论的先驱们挣扎了很多年

The pioneers of string theory struggled for years,

独自置身于没人相信的理论研究

Working alone on an idea that nobody else believed in.

总体上 数十年来

Here is generalized, For decades,

物理学家认为原子内最小的基本粒子

Physicists believed that the tiniest bits inside an atom

是点粒子

Were point particles.

围绕原子核旋转的是电子

Flying around the outside were the electrons,

原子核内部的是质子和中子

And inside were protons and neutrons

是由夸克组成的

Which were made up of quarks.

但弦理论认为

But string theory says that what we thought

我们以为不可见的粒子

Were indivisible particles are actually tiny,

实际上是振动的弦

Vibrating strings.

没什么神秘的 只是很小的弦

It's nothing really mystical. it's a really tiny string.

要么是闭弦 要么是开弦

It either closes in to its little circle or it has end points

总之都是很小的弦

But it's just a little string.

到了20世纪80年代 这理论变得流行起来

In the 1980s,the idea caught on,

人们争先恐后加入到弦的研究中来

And people started jumping on the string bandwagon.

事实上

Well,the fact that

忽然很多人投入到一个领域的研究中

Suddenly all these other people were working in the field

有利有弊

Had its advantages and its disadvantages.

因为很多人的投入

It was wonderful to see

使得这一学科得以快速发展

How rapidly the subject could develop now,

是件非常美妙的事

Because so many people were working on it.

弦的吸引人之处在于它的多样性

One of the great attractions of strings is their versatility.

正如大提琴上的琴弦

Just as the strings on a cello can vibrate

以不同频率振动

At different frequencies,

产生不同的音符

Making all the individual musical notes,

同理

In the same way,

弦理论中的微小的弦

The tiny strings of string theory

以不同模式振动和舞蹈

Vibrate and dance in different patterns,

产生了自然界的最基本的粒子

Creating all the fundamental particles of nature.

如果这一观点没错 那么把这些弦放在一起

If this view is right,then put them all together

就奏出一曲宏大美妙的交响乐

And we get the grand and beautiful symphony

这就是我们的宇宙

That is our universe.

真正令人兴奋的是

What's really exciting about this

它提供了一种极为神奇的可能性

Is that it offers an amazing possibility.

如果我们能掌握弦的韵律

If we could only master the rhythms of strings,

那我们就极有可能能解释自然界

Then we'd stand a good chance of explaining all the matter

从最小的亚原子粒子

And all the forces of nature,

到外太空星系的

From the tiniest subatomic particles

所有物质和作用力

To the galaxies of outer space.

这就是弦理论的潜力

This is the potential of string theory,

成为统一的"万物至理"

To be a unified "theory of everything."

但乍一看来 我们对这种理念的热情

But,at first sight,in our enthusiasm for this idea,

似乎有点过了

We seem to have gone too far.

因为我们不仅提出了一种弦理论

Because we didn't produce just one string theory,

或是两种

Or even two—

我们提出了五种理论

We somehow managed to come up with five.

五种不同的弦理论

Five different string theories,

都在竞争着万物至理的头衔

Each competing for the title of the theory of everything.

如果存在一个

And if there's going to be a

"自然界的基本理论"

"the fundamental theory of nature,"

应该是其中的一种

There ought to be one of them.

我想很多弦理论家在想

I suppose a number of string theorists thought,

"太棒了 太好了"

"ah,that's fantastic. that's wonderful."

也许其中一个最终成为正确的理论

And maybe one of these will end up being the right theory

然而

Of the world." and yet,

在脑海中会有一个声音

There must have been a little nagging voice

不断地问

At the back of the head that said,

为什么是五个呢

"well,why are there five?"

有五个相互竞争者

With five competing players,

弦理论的舞台显得有些拥挤

The stage of string theory was looking a little crowded.

这五种理论有许多共同点

The five theories had many things in common.

例如 他们都与振动的弦有关

For example,they all involved vibrating strings,

但他们在数学上的详细表达

But their mathematical details appeared

却完全不同

To be quite different.

坦率的说 这有些让人费解

Frankly,it was embarrassing.

这种适用于一切事物的理论

How could this unified theory of everything

怎么会有五种不同版本

Come in five different flavors?

这真是多一事不如少一事

This was a case where more was definitely less.

然而 奇迹出现了

But then something remarkable happened.

这位是爱德·威滕

This is Ed Witten.

他被认为是现在

He's widely regarded as one of

世界上最伟大的物理学家之一

The world's greatest living physicists,

甚至是爱因斯坦的接班人

Perhaps even Einstein's successor.

爱德·威滕是这一领域的特殊人才

Ed Witten is a very special person in the field.

他无疑

He clearly has a grasp,

对基本数学原理

Particularly of the underlying mathematical principles,

有着超乎常人的理解

Which is far greater than most other people.

你知道 我们都认为自己很聪明

Well,you know,we all think we're very smart;

可他比我们还要聪明得多

He's so much smarter than the rest of us.

1995年 世界各地的弦理论学者

In 1995,string theorists from all over the world

聚集在南加州大学

Gathered at the university of southern california

召开了他们的年会

For their annual conference.

爱德·威滕在会上发表的理论震惊了弦学界

Ed Witten showed up at strings 95 and rocked their world.

我一直想为那届学会

I was really trying to think of something

找一个意义深远的话题

That would be significant for the occasion.

实际上 五种弦理论太多了

And actually,since five string theories was too many,

我认为我可以试着去掉一些

I thought I would try to get rid of some of them.

为了解决这个问题

To solve the problem,

威滕开辟了一条惊人的新思路

Witten constructed a spectacular new way

用来审视弦理论

Of looking at string theory.

爱德称他已经思考过

Ed announced that he had thought about it,

并且还找出了解决方案

And moreover,he had solved it.

他告诉我们从每一个维度

He was going to tell us the solution

解决每一个弦理论的方法

To every string theory in every dimension,

这是一个重要声明

Which was an enormous claim,

但它出自爱德之口并不使人吃惊

But coming from Ed it was not so surprising.

当时的气氛很振奋人心

The atmosphere was electric because,

突然间 弦理论

All of a sudden,string theory,

在经历了停滞不前之后

Which had been going through a kind of doldrums,

犹如注射了兴奋剂 获得了强劲的动力

Was given an incredible boost,a shot in the arm.

爱德·威滕做了他的著名演讲

Ed Witten gave his famous lecture.

他还没讲几句 我就被吸引了

And he said a couple of words that got me interested...

至于之后的演讲

And for the rest of the lecture...

我因为完全沉浸在他前面讲的内容中

I got hooked up on the first few words that he said,

所以根本没有听进去

And completely missed the point of his lecture.

我记得我在他之后发言

I remember I had to give the talk after him,

这使我很尴尬

And I was kind of embarrassed to.

爱德·威滕征服了所有人

Ed Witten just blew everybody away.

爱德·威滕征服了大家

Ed Witten blew everybody away

因为他为弦理论

Because he provided a completely

提出了一个全新的观点

new perspective on string theory.

按照这个观点

from this point of view,

我们发现并不是真的有五个不同的理论

We could see that there weren't really five different theories

就好像在一排镜子中的映像

Like reflections in a wall of mirrors,

我们认为的五种理论

What we thought were five theories

原来只是对同一事物的

Turned out to be just five different ways of looking

五种不同的看法

at the same thing.

弦理论终于被统一了

String theory was unified at last.

威滕在研究上的革命性突破

Witten's work sparked a breakthrough so revolutionary

被命名为"M理论"

That it was given it's own name,"M-theory,"

然而没有人知道M代表什么

Although no one really knows what the M stands for.

M代表什么

Aah,what is the M for?

M理论

M-theory.

M理论

M-theory.

M理论

M-theory.

M理论

M-theory.

M理论

The M-theory.

M理论是一种

M-theory is a theory...

我其实不清楚M代表什么

I don't actually know what the M stands for.

M是

Well,the M has...

我听说过很多种说法

I've heard many descriptions.

神秘理论 魔法理论

Mystery theory,magic theory...

是母理论的意思

It's the mother theory.

母体理论

Matrix theory.

超级理论 我不知道它是什么

Monstrous theory? I don't know what it...

我不知道爱德的本意

I don't know what Ed meant.

M代表魔法 神秘或母体 随你喜欢

M stands for magic,mystery or matrix,according to taste.

我怀疑M是威滕字母W的倒写

I suspect that the "M" is an upside down "W" for "Witten."

一些嘲笑挖苦的人有时说

Some cynics have occasionally suggested

M代表混沌

That M may also stand for "murky,"

因为我们对这一理论的认识水平

Because our level of understanding of the theory is,

实际上还很原始

In fact,so primitive.

也许我不应该告诉你那个说法

Maybe I shouldn't have told you that one.

不管什么名字 这是个爆炸性事件

Whatever the name,it was a bombshell.

突然间一切都不同了

Suddenly everything was different.

当你意识到大事发生了

There was a lot of panic,if you like,

你会惊慌失措

Realizing that big things were happening,

在这场弦理论的革命中

And all of us not wanting to get left behind

我们都不想落后

In this new revolution of string theory.

威滕的演讲让人们又有了希望

After Witten's talk,there was renewed hope

希望这个理论就是

That this one theory could be the theory

解释宇宙万物的理论

To explain everything in the universe.

但这同样需要代价

But there was also a price to pay.

在M理论之前

Before M-theory,

弦被看做在10维的时空中运动

Strings seemed to operate in a world with 10 dimensions.

这包括了时间的一个维度

These included one dimension of time,

和熟悉的空间三维

The three familiar space dimensions,

还有六个额外的维度

As well as six extra dimensions,

它们卷曲的太小以至于完全无法看到

Curled up so tiny that they're completely invisible.

我们认为那些额外的维度是存在的

Well,we think these extra dimensions exist

因为它们是由弦理论方程算出来的

Because they come out of the equations of string theory.

弦需要在多于三个的维度中运动

Strings need to move in more than three dimensions.

这让所有人震惊

And that was a shock to everybody,

但我们学着去适应它

But then we learned to live with it.

但M理论更进一步

But M-theory would go even further,

提出了另一个空间维度

Demanding yet another spatial dimension,

使得总共加起来有11维

Bringing the grand total to 11 dimensions.

我们知道要有11维度

We know that there would have to be 11 dimensions

才能使这个理论合理

For this theory to make sense.

所以必须有11维度

So there must be 11 dimensions.

我们只看到其中的3加1个

We only see three plus one of them.

这怎么可能呢

How is that possible?

对大多数人来说描绘出

For most of us,it's virtually impossible

额外的更高维度是根本不可能的

to picture the extra,higher dimensions:

我不能 这并不奇怪

I can't. and it's not surprising.

我们大脑的感官只能

Our brains evolved sensing just

感受平时的三维空间

The three spatial dimensions of everyday experience.

那我们是如何感知它们的呢

So how can we get a feel for them?

一种方式就是去看电影

One way is to go to the movies.

我们对现实世界中的

We're all familiar with the real world

三维空间很熟悉

Having three spatial dimensions

也就是我去的任何地方

That is,anywhere I go,I can move left-right,

从左到右从前到后 还有上下移动

Back-forth,or up-down.

但在电影中就有些不同了

But in the movies,things are a bit different.

尽管荧幕上看起来人物是处于三维空间

Even though the characters on a movie screen

而实际上他们被限制在

Look three-dimensional,they actually are stuck

二维空间中

In just two dimensions.

因为荧幕没有前后之分

There is no back-forth on a movie screen,

这其实是一种视错觉

That's just an optical illusion.

要真正的前后移动

To really move in the back-forth dimension,

我就得跳出荧幕了

I'd have to step out of the screen.

有时进入更高的维度

And sometimes moving into a higher dimension

是很有用处的

Can be a useful thing to do.

所以维度是与你可以移动的

So dimensions all have to do with

独立方位有关

The independent directions in which you can move.

它们有时被称作"自由度"

They're sometimes called "degrees of freedom."

你所拥有的维度或自由度越多

The more dimensions or degrees of freedom you have,

你就能做得更多

The more you can do.

没错

That's right.

如果11维度真的存在

And if there really are 11 dimensions,

那么弦也可以做得更多

Then strings can do a lot more,too.

人们很快发现

People found,fairly soon,

在这一理论下确实存在某些物体

That there were objects that lived in these theories,

不仅仅是弦

Which weren't just strings,

而是比弦更大的物体

But were larger than that.

它们看起来就像薄膜或面

They actually looked like membranes or surfaces.

威滕增加的额外维度

The extra dimension Witten added

使单根弦延伸成薄膜成为可能

Allows a string to stretch into something like a membrane

或者简称为"膜"

Or a "brane" for short.

膜可以是三维的也可以是更多维的

A brane could be three-dimensional or even more.

给它足够的能量

And with enough energy,

一个膜可以变得巨大无比

A brane could grow to an enormous size,

甚至跟宇宙一样大

Perhaps even as large as a universe.

这是弦理论的一次革命

This was a revolution in string theory.

弦理论越来越带有巴洛克风格

String theory has gotten much more baroque.

我是说现在不仅有弦

I mean now there are not only strings,

还有薄膜

There are membranes.

人们一直称它为弦理论

People go on calling this string theory,

但弦学家们却已经不敢确定

But the string theorists are not sure

它还是不是关于弦的理论了

It really is a theory of strings anymore.

巨大薄膜与额外维度的存在

The existence of giant membranes and extra dimensions

会产生一个令人震惊的新的可能

Would open up a startling new possibility,

那就是我们的宇宙存在于

That our whole universe is living on a membrane,

一个更大更高维空间里的膜上

Inside a much larger,higher dimensional space.

几乎就像住在一块面包里

It's almost as if we were living inside...a loaf of bread?

我们的宇宙就像是一片面包

Our universe might be like a slice of bread,

只是物理学家称为"主体"的

Just one slice,in a much larger loaf that

一大块面包中的一片

Physicists sometimes call the "bulk."

如果这些想法是正确的话

And if these ideas are right,

就会有与我们相邻的

The bulk may have other slices,other universes,

其他片即其他宇宙的存在

That are right next to ours,

也就是平行宇宙

In effect,"parallel" universes.

不仅我们的宇宙不再是特殊的

Not only would our universe be nothing special,

而且还会有很多邻居

but we could have a lot of neighbors.

它们中有些会与我们的宇宙相似

Some of them could resemble our universe,

可能拥有物质和星球 谁知道呢

They might have matter and planets and,who knows,

或许还有生命

Maybe even beings of a sort.

其它的则可能很不一样

Others certainly would be a lot stranger.

它们可能有着截然不同的物理法则

They might be ruled by completely different laws of physics.

那些其它的宇宙可能存在于

Now,all of these other universes would exist

M理论的额外维度里

within the extra dimensions of M-theory,

也就是我们周围的维度

dimensions that are all around us.

有人甚至说它们就在我们的身边

Some even say they might be right next to us,

不足一毫米之遥

Less than a millimeter away.

但如果那是真的 为什么我看不到摸不着

But if that's true,why can't I see them or touch them?

如果一个膜存在于一个高维空间中

If you have a brane living in a higher dimensional space,

并且你的粒子和原子不能摆脱这层膜

And your particles,your atoms,cannot get off the brane,

那就像你伸出双手却摸不到任何东西

It's like trying to reach out,but you can't touch anything.

也可能在宇宙的另一端

It might as well be on the other end of the universe.

这是个举足轻重的想法 因为如果正确

It's a very powerful idea because if it's right

就意味着我们对宇宙的整体认识

It means that our whole picture of the universe is clouded

因为我们被困在高维宇宙的一小片中

By the fact that we're trapped on just a tiny slice

而被蒙蔽了

Of the higher dimensional universe.

这是个极好的想法 尤其是它可以

It is a powerful idea,especially because it may help solve

帮我们解决现代科学中的一大谜团

One of the great mysteries of modern science.

那就是引力

It has to do with gravity.

自从艾萨克·牛顿如故事中所讲的那样

It's been more than 300 years

从树上掉下来的苹果得到启发

Since Isaac Newton came up with the universal law of gravity,

发现地心引力的普适法则以来

Inspired,as the story goes,

已经过去了300多年

By seeing an apple fall from a tree.

如今 引力的强大显而易见

Today,it seems obvious that gravity is a powerful force.

大多数人认为

It would seem to most people

引力很强很重要

That gravity is a very important force,it's very strong.

早上艰难的起床 费力的站起来

It's very hard to get up in the morning,stand up,

物体掉落会摔破都是它强大的表现

And when things fall they break because gravity is strong.

但事实并非这样

But the fact of the matter is that it's not strong.

它其实是一股很弱的力

It's,it's really a very weak force.

引力把我们吸在地球上

Gravity pulls us down to the earth,

并使地球绕太阳公转

And keeps our earth in orbit around the sun.

但事实上我们一直都在克服引力

But in fact,we overcome the force of gravity all the time.

这其实并不难 即使是整个地球的引力

It's not that hard. Even with the gravity of the entire earth

把这个苹果向下拉

Pulling this apple downward,

我们手臂的肌肉依然可以轻松战胜它

The muscles in my arm can easily overcome it.

而且不仅是我们的肌肉让引力蒙羞

And it's not just our muscles that put gravity to shame.

磁体也可以毫不费力的做到

Magnets can do it,too,no sweat.

磁体运用的是不同的力

Magnets carry a different force,

电磁力

The electromagnetic force.

它就是产生光和电的力

That's the same force behind light and electricity.

其实电磁力要比引力

It turns out that electromagnetism is much,much stronger

强大很多

Than gravity.

相比较而言引力实在弱小太多

Gravity,in comparison,is amazingly weak.

多么弱呢

How weak?

电磁力要比引力强一万亿

The electromagnetic force is some thousand billion,

亿亿 兆亿倍还多

Billion,billion,billion times stronger.

也就是1后面有39个零

That's a one with 39 zeroes following it.

引力的弱小

The weakness of gravity

困扰了科学家们好几十年

Has confounded scientists for decades.

但现在 用膜和额外维度

But now,with the radical world of string theory,

充实过的弦理论

Filled with membranes and extra dimensions,

提供了一个全新的视角来看这个问题

There's a whole new way to look at the problem.

一种分析引力为什么

One way of approaching the question of

比其它力弱得多的方法

Why gravity is so weak compared to all the other forces,

是把这问题倒过来看

Is to turn the question completely on its head,

应该说 不对 引力实际上并不弱

And say,"no,actually gravity isn't very weak.

只是与其它力相比

Compared to all the other forces,

显得弱

It just appears to be weak."

或许引力

It may be that gravity

实际上与电磁力一样强大

Is actually just as strong as electromagnetism,

只是由于某种原因我们感受不到

But for some reason,we can't feel its strength.

想象一个很大很大的台球桌

Consider a pool table,a very large pool table.

将它的台面

Think of the surface of the pool table

设想为我们的三维世界

As representing our three-dimensional universe,

虽然它只是二维的

Although it is just two-dimensional,

将台球

And think of the billiard balls

设想为组成宇宙的

As representing atoms and other particles

原子和其它粒子

That the universe is made out of.

这就是那个疯狂的想法

So here's the wild idea:

构成我们世界万物的

The atoms and particles that make up stuff

原子和粒子停留在这层膜上

In the world around us will stay on our particular membrane,

我们这片宇宙就像台球

Our slice of the universe just as the billiard balls

呆在台面上

Will stay on the surface of the pool table

除非你技术太差

——unless you're a really bad pool player.

但是每当球发生碰撞

But whenever the balls collide,

总会有些东西从球台上发出

There is something that always seeps off the table,

这就是声波 所以我可以听到撞击声

Sound waves. That's why I can hear the collision.

我们认为引力就像是声波

Now,the idea is that gravity might be like the sound waves,

它能突破我们的膜

It might not be confined to our membrane.

它似乎可以扩散出我们这个宇宙

It might be able to seep off our part of the universe.

或者换一种想法

Or think about it another way.

我们从台球桌回到面包上来

Instead of pool tables,let's go back to bread.

想像我们的宇宙就像这片吐司

Imagine that our universe is like this slice of toast.

所有的物质包括你和我

And that you and me,and all of matter

还有光 我们所能看到的一切

——light itself,everything we see—

就像果酱

Is like jelly.

果酱可以在面包上自由移动

Now jelly can move freely on the surface of the toast,

但另一方面 它被困住了

But otherwise,it's stuck,

它无法自己离开表面

it can't leave the surface itself.

如果引力是不同的呢

But what if gravity were different?

如果引力更像糖肉桂会怎样呢

What if gravity were more like cinnamon and sugar?

这种东西一点也不粘

Now,this stuff isn't sticky at all,

所以很容易从表面滑落

So it easily slides right off the surface.

那为什么引力与其他我们所知道的东西

But why would gravity be so different from everything else

如此不同呢

That we know of in the universe?

弦理论或M理论

Well,turns out that string theory,or M-theory,

给了我们答案

Provides an answer.

是形状所致

It all has to do with shape.

多年来

For years,

我们一直关注的是像橡皮圈一样

We concentrated on strings that were closed loops,

呈闭环的弦

Like rubber bands.

M理论的提出使我们开始关注其它种类

But after M-theory,we turned our attention to other kinds.

现在我们认为周围的一切

Now we think that everything we see around us,

像光和物质都是由开环弦组成

Like matter and light,is made of open-ended strings,

所有弦的末端

And the ends of each string

都束缚在三维的膜上

Are tied down to our three-dimensional membrane.

而闭环弦也确实存在

But closed loops of string do exist,

其中一种就是产生引力的原因

And one kind is responsible for gravity.

称为引力子

It's called a graviton.

闭环的弦没有末端可以连接膜

With closed loops, there are no loose ends to tie down,

所以引力子可以自由穿梭于其它的维度

So gravitons are free to escape into the other dimensions,

稀释了引力的强度

diluting the strength of gravity

使它看起来比其他的自然力弱

And making it seem weaker than the other forces of nature.

这就提出了一个有趣的可能

This suggests an intriguing possibility.

倘若我们真的生活在膜上

If we do live on a membrane

而且附近其它膜上还有平行宇宙

And there are parallel universes on other membranes near us,

我们也许永远看不见它们

We may never see them,

但或许有一天我们能通过引力感觉到它们

But perhaps we could one day feel them through gravity.

如果恰巧有智慧生命

If there happens to be intelligent life

生存在一个膜上

On one of the membranes,

那么这一智慧生命可能会离我们很近

Then this intelligent life might be very close to us.

所以理论上讲 单纯从理论出发

So theoretically,and purely theoretically,

我们可以通过交换强引力波

We might be able to communicate with this intelligent life

和这一智慧生命进行交流

By exchanging strong gravity wave sources.

谁知道呢

So who knows?

也许有一天我们会发明这种技术

Maybe someday we'll develop the technology

利用引力波

And use gravity waves

与其它世界真正的交流

to actually communicate with other worlds.

你好

Ay-yoo-ya.

嘿 我是布莱恩 最近可好

Yes,hey,it's brian. how you doing?

跟你说了别在我看《辛普森一家》时打来

I told you never to call me during "the simpsons!"

我们并不真正知道平行宇宙

We don't really know if parallel universes

是否对我们真有影响

Could have a real impact on us.

但是现在有个颇具争议的理论

But there is one very controversial idea,which says

号称它们早已影响至深

They've already played a major role.

事实上 它把我们的存在归功于它们

In fact,it gives them credit for our existence.

正如经典理论所描述

As the classic story goes,

我们今日所见广大宇宙曾经很微小

The vast universe we see today was once extremely small,

无法想象的微小

Unimaginably small.

突然间 在所谓宇宙大爆炸的戏剧变化中

Then,suddenly,it got bigger ——a lot bigger

它开始变大 变得非常大

——during the dramatic event known as the big bang.

大爆炸拉伸了空间的构架

The big bang stretched the fabric of space

引发了一连串变化 从而给我们带来

And set off the chain of events that brought us

今日我们熟知和热爱的宇宙

To the universe we know and love today.

但是关于宇宙大爆炸理论

But there's always been a couple of problems

总是有很多问题

With the big bang theory.

首先 当你将整个宇宙

First,when you squeeze the entire universe

挤压成体积无限小

Into an infinitesimally small,

但是密度无限大的一包时

But stupendously dense package,

在某种程度上

At a certain point,

我们的物理法则就完全不再适用

Our laws of physics simply break down.

它们不再具有意义

They just don't make sense anymore.

我们所使用的公式开始给出

The formulas we use start giving answers

无意义的答案 我们彻底失败

That are nonsensical. we find total disaster.

一切均被颠覆 我们陷入了困境

Everything breaks down,and we're stuck.

此外 还有爆炸本身

And on top of this,there's the bang itself.

那究竟是什么

What exactly is that?

问到点子上了

That's actually a problem.

大爆炸理论的经典形式

The classic form of the big bang theory

实际上没有告知任何关于什么爆炸了

Really says nothing about what banged,

在爆炸之前发生了什么

What happened before it banged,

或者什么导致了爆炸的讯息

Or what caused it to bang.

大爆炸理论的核心确实解释了爆炸

Refinements to the big bang theory do suggest explanations

但却没能把时光完全倒回到

For the bang,but none of them turn the clock back completely

万物起源的时刻

To the moment when everything started.

多数人对此有天真的想法

Most people come at this with the naive notion

认为时空

That there was a beginning

无缘无故地从虚无中产生

——that somehow space and time emerged from nothingness

形成存在

Into somethingness.

我不知道你怎么想 但我不喜欢虚无

Well,I don't know about you,but I don't like nothing.

我真的相信宇宙是大爆炸

Do I really believe that the universe was a big bang

从虚无中产生的吗 我不是哲学家

Out of nothing? And I don't -I'm not a philosopher,

所以我不想说 但可以想象对哲学家来说

So I won't say. But I could imagine to a philosopher,

这是个难题

That is a problem.

但对于物理学家 我认为也是个难题

But to a physicist,I think,it's also a problem.

所有人都承认有问题

Everyone admits there are problems.

问题是 弦理论可以解决它们吗

The question is: "Can string theory solve them?"

一些弦理论学家认为大爆炸

Some string theorists have suggested that the big bang

根本不是起源

Wasn't the beginning at all,

宇宙可能由来已久甚至一直就是这样

That the universe could have existed long before even forever.

不是所有人都对此认同

Not everyone is comfortable with the idea.

实际上我觉得去研究

I actually find it rather unattractive

一个没有起源的宇宙是多么乏味

To think about a universe without a beginning.

对我来说一个无起源的宇宙

It seems to me that a universe without a beginning

就相当于一个无法解释的宇宙

Is also a universe without an explanation.

那么解释是什么呢

So what is the explanation?

如果弦理论是正确的呢

What if string theory is right,

那么我们就全生活在

And we are all living on a giant membrane

更高维空间里的巨大的膜上吗

Inside a higher dimensional space?

弦理论的一种主张

One of the ideas in string theory

十分吸引我的注意

That was particularly striking to me,

它也许提出了宇宙学的新方向

And suggested perhaps a new direction for cosmology,

就是膜和膜在额外空间里

Is the idea of branes and the idea of branes moving

运动的想法

In extra dimensions.

一些科学家认为

Some scientists have proposed that the answer

大爆炸之谜的答案存在于

To the big bang riddle lies in the movements

这些巨大膜的运动中

Of these giant branes.

这很简单 这是我们生活的膜

It's so simple. Here's a brane on which we live,

这是另一个在更高维度里漂浮的膜

And here's another brane floating in the higher dimension.

可以毫无困难的想象

There's absolutely nothing difficult about imagining

两者之间会发生碰撞

That these collide with each other.

根据此观点 在大爆炸之前的某个时候

According to this idea,some time before the big bang,

两个携带平行宇宙的膜

Two branes carrying parallel universes

开始朝彼此漂移

Began drifting toward each other,

直到

Until...

所有的能量释放到别处

All of that energy has to go somewhere.

释放到哪里去了呢 释放到大爆炸中

Where does it go? It goes into the big bang.

它创造了我们看见的膨胀

It creates the expansion that we see,

加强了宇宙中粒子在这个大的活跃的

And it heats up all the particles in the universe,

质量体中的活动

In this big, fiery mass.

如果这还不足为奇的话

As if this weren't weird enough,

此理论的推崇者提出了一个更激进的论断

the proponents of this idea make another radical claim:

大爆炸并非特殊事件

The big bang was not a special event.

他们认为平行宇宙在过去

They say that parallel universes could have collided,

不止一次的碰撞

Not just once in the past,

而是反反复复

But again and again

而且也会发生在未来

——and that it will happen in the future.

如果此理论正确 现在就有一张膜

If this view is right,there's a brane out there right now,

朝着我们的宇宙撞来

Headed on a collision course with our universe.

所以另一个碰撞要来临了

So another collision is coming,

另一个大爆炸也即将发生

And there'll be another big bang.

而这个过程也将不断的

And this will just repeat itself

在未来的某个不确定时间重演

For an indefinite period into the future.

这是个有趣的想法

It's an intriguing idea.

遗憾的是 存在一些技术性问题

Unfortunately,there are a few technical problems.

那是个非常有创意的假设

Well,that was a very ingenious scenario

它的本质源于弦理论

That arose naturally within string theory.

但是 老问题又回来了

However,the good old problems creep back in again.

我们根本不知道当两个膜相撞时

The fact is we don't really know what happens

到底发生了什么

When two branes collide.

和大爆炸遇到的情况一样

You can wind up with the same situation we had

方程失去了意义

With the big bang;the equations don't make sense.

他们在这个模型中要做很多假设

They have to make a lot of assumptions in their models,

我不认为他们真的解决了弦理论中

And I don't think they've really solved the problem

大爆炸的问题

Of the big bang in string theory.

如果弦理论真的成立

If string theory is the one true theory of the universe,

它就能解决大爆炸之谜

It will have to solve the riddle of the big bang.

有很多期待

And there's a lot of hope

希望弦理论会成功

That someday string theory will succeed.

但是现在 还是有很多不确定因素

But for now,there's also a lot of uncertainty.

尽管这理论很有前途也很令人振奋

As promising and exciting the theory is,

但我们还未完全理解它

We don't entirely understand it.

就好像在黑暗中我们误闯入一栋房子

It's as if we've stumbled in the dark into a house,

我们本以为是套两间房的公寓

Which we thought was a two bedroom apartment

现在发现是至少有19间房的别墅

And now we're discovering is a nineteen-room mansion

也许有上千间房间

——at least. And maybe it's got a thousand rooms,

我们的探索之旅才刚开始

And we're just beginning our journey.

所以我们有多确定宇宙就如

So how sure are we that the universe is the way

弦理论描述的一样呢

That string theory describes it?

世界真是由弦和膜

Is the world really made up of strings and membranes,

还有平行宇宙和额外维度构成吗

Parallel universes and extra dimensions?

这些全是科学还是科幻

Is this all science or science fiction?

当我们求解方程时

Well,the question we often ask ourselves

我们常问自己的问题是

As we work through our equations is,

这仅仅是空想的数学

"Is this just fancy mathematics,

还是它真的描述了客观世界

Or is it describing the real world?"

我们想象中的这些数学理论

These exercises in our imagination of mathematics are all,

最终被归结到一个问题上

at the end of the day,subjected to a single question:

可以实验验证吗 能够找到证据吗

"Is it there in the laboratory? Can you find its evidence?"

弦理论和弦理论学家确实面临难题

String theory and string theorists do have a real problem.

你到底如何验证弦理论

How do you actually test string theory?

如不能像验证其他正常理论一样证实它

If you can't test it in the way that we test normal theories,

这就不是科学 而是哲学

It's not science,it's philosophy,

这是问题的关键

And that's a real problem.

弦被认为是如此之微小

Strings are thought to be so tiny,

比原子还要小很多

Much smaller than an atom,

以至于可能没有办法直接看到它们

That there's probably no way to see them directly.

但是即使我们看不到弦

But even if we never see strings,

可能有一天我们可以看到它们的指纹

We may someday see their fingerprints.

你看 如果弦是圆形的

You see,if strings were around

在宇宙伊始

At the beginning of the universe

当万物还是非常微小之时

When things were really tiny,

它们可能会在它们的周围

They would have left impressions

留下痕迹或踪迹

Or traces on their surroundings.

于是 在大爆炸之后

And then, after the big bang,

当一切开始扩张时

When everything expanded,

这些踪迹可能跟其他物质

Those traces would have been stretched out

一起被拉伸

Along with everything else.

所以 如果这是真的

So,if that's true,

我们可能某天会在星球的某个地方

We may someday see the tell-tale signs of strings

看到传说中弦的踪迹

Somewhere in the stars.

即使在地球上

But even here on earth

我们仍有机会探测到弦的迹象

There's a chance we can detect evidence of strings.

这个伊利诺伊州的牧场被用作是

This pasture in Illinois serves as command central

许多类似实验的指挥中心

For a lot of this research.

实际上 真正的工作是在地下进行

Well,actually,the real work happens underground

那里正开展为弦理论包括额外维度

Where the hunt is on for evidence supporting string theory,

寻求证据的探索

Including extra dimensions.

不久之前

Not too many years ago,

那些谈论大额外维度的人

People who talked about large extra dimensions

坦白说 会被视为狂想家

Would have been considered crackpots,to put it lightly.

但是多亏了弦理论 一切都发生了改变

But all that has changed,thanks to string theory.

这里是费米实验室 目前

This is fermilab,and right now,

这是证实额外维度真实性的最大希望

It's our best hope for proving that extra dimensions are real.

费米实验室有巨大的核粒子加速器

Fermilab has a giant atom smasher.

它是这样工作的

Here's how it works:

科学家们用大量电流轰击氢原子

Scientists zap hydrogen atoms with huge amounts of electricity

然后 他们剥去氢原子的电子

Later,they strip them of their electrons

让质子沿着牧场地下

And send the protons zooming around

4英里长的圆形隧道

A four mile circular tunnel

高速运动

Beneath the prairie.

当它们速度接近光速时

Just as they're approaching the speed of light,

它们会被引导与反向运动的粒子

They are steered into collisions with particles whizzing

进行碰撞

In the opposite direction.

大多数碰撞都只不过是擦肩而过

Most collisions are just glancing blows,

但是偶尔会有正碰发生

But occasionally there's a direct hit.

结果会产生许多异常的亚原子粒子

The result is a shower of unusual subatomic particles.

科学家期望在这些粒子之中

The hope is that among these particles

发现微小的引力单元 也就是引子力

Will be a tiny unit of gravity,the graviton.

引子力 根据弦理论是闭环弦

Gravitons,according to string theory,are closed loops,

所以它们能够漂进额外维度

So they can float off into the extra dimensions.

最大的收获是获得引力子

The grand prize would be a snapshot of a graviton

在逃逸时刻的快照

At the moment of escape.

既而引子力进入额外维度

And then the graviton goes to the extra dimension,

然后探测器侦测到它的消失

And then it shows in the detector by its absence.

你在它消失时才能看见它

You see it by its absence.

遗憾的是

Unfortunately,

费米实验室没能"看到"消失的引子力

Fermilab hasn't yet "seen" the vanishing graviton.

压力随之而来

And the pressure is on,

因为另一团队正如火如荼进行同样的实验

Because another team is hot on the same trail.

四千英里开外

Four thousand miles away,

在法国和瑞士交界处

On the border of france and switzerland,

名为欧洲核研究委员会的实验室

A lab called cern

正在建造巨大的新型核粒子加速器

Is constructing an enormous new atom smasher.

当它竣工时

When it's finished,

将会比费米实验室的强大七倍

It will be seven times more powerful than fermilab's.

我们倍感危机

There's a great sense of urgency that

分秒必争 但最终欧洲核研究委员会

Every minute has to count,but eventually,cern,

我们的竞争对手 将毫无悬念的战胜我们

Our rival laboratory,will frankly blow us out of the water.

欧洲核研究委员会将会击败费米实验室

Cern will blow fermilab out of the water,

不仅在探索额外维度上

Not only in the search for extra dimensions,

还在证实其他前沿的想法上

But other wild ideas.

在两个实验室任务列表的开始

At the top of the "to do" list for both labs

都是寻求名为"超对称性"的物质

Is the hunt for something called "supersymmetry,"

这是弦理论的核心预测

That's a central prediction of string theory.

简言之 它指出

And it says,in a nutshell,

对于我们所熟知的每个亚原子粒子

That for every subatomic particle we're familiar with,

例如电子 光子和引力子

Like electrons,photons,and gravitons,

都应该有更重的叫做"超对称粒子"的伴随粒子

There should also be a much heavier partner

然而目前还没有人看见过

Called a "sparticle," which so far no one has ever seen.

因为弦理论认为超对称粒子应该存在

Now,because string theory says sparticles should exist,

找到它们便成为首要任务

Finding them is a major priority.

所以寻找到超对称性将是巨大的发现

So,it's a big discovery to find supersymmetry.

那将是重大的发现

That's,that's a humongous discovery and,

而且我认为发现超对称性

And I think it's a bigger discovery to find supersymmetry

比在火星上发现生命的意义更为重大

Than to find life on mars.

如果我们明天听说

If we were to hear tomorrow that

超对称性被发现了

Supersymmetry was discovered,

整个地球都会狂欢

There would be parties all over the planet.

问题是 如果它们存在

The problem is,if they exist,

超对称性粒子可能会非常重

The sparticles of supersymmetry are probably incredibly heavy,

以至于利用今天的粒子加速器

So heavy that they may not be detected

还无法发现它们

With today's atom smashers.

欧洲核研究委员会的新设备一旦建成

The new facility at cern will have the best chance,

并且运转几年时间 很有可能成功

Once it's up and running in several years,

但是这不会阻止费米实验室的人们

But that won't stop the folks at fermilab

尝试率先找寻到它们

From trying to find them first.

竞争是友好的 同时也是激烈的

The competition is,is friendly and fierce at the same time.

就像恶狗抢食一样

We're competing like bad dogs,essentially.

一直如此 将来也会如此

It has always been like that,and it will always be like that.

我们要确定不犯错误

We have to make sure that we don't make any mistakes,

在实验中竭尽我们的全力

That we do absolutely the best we can do at these experiments

利用好这个

And take advantage of what is really

探索发现的黄金机会

One of the great golden opportunities for discovery.

如果我们能找到超粒子 也不会证实弦理论

If we do find sparticles,it won't prove string theory,

但是这必将间接证明

But it will be really strong circumstantial evidence

我们是在正确的道路上前行

That we're on the right track.

未来的十到二十年

Over the next 10 to 20 years,

新一代核粒子加速器

The new generation of atom smashers

必定会揭示关于我们宇宙本质的

Is sure to uncover surprising truths

令人惊讶的真相

About the nature of our universe.

宇宙会如同弦理论所阐释的一样吗

But will it be the universe predicted by string theory?

如果没能找到超粒子或额外维度怎么办

What if we don't find sparticles? or extra dimensions?

如果不能发现任何证据

What if we never find any evidence

证实这充满膜和微小振动的弦的

That supports this weird new universe filled with

新奇的宇宙呢

Membranes and tiny vibrating strings?

弦理论 最终会是错误的吗

Could string theory,in the end,be wrong?

对 当然逻辑上有这种可能

Oh yes,it's certainly a logical possibility that

我们浪费了过去二十年的时间

We've all been wasting our time for the last twenty years

最终发现理论完全错误

And that the theory is completely wrong.

曾经有很多时候

There have been periods of many years

那些聪明优秀的人

Where all of the smart people,all of the cool people,

一直在研究某种理论

Were working on one kind of theory,

朝着一个方向前进

Moving in one kind of direction,

即使他们认为前景很美好

And even though they thought it was wonderful,

但最终还是走进死胡同

It turned out to be a dead end.

这也可能发生在弦理论上

This could happen to string theory.

即使现在没有真凭实据

Even though there's no real evidence yet,

这么多的弦理论都有其道理

So much of string theory just makes so much sense;

我们当中很多人坚信它是正确的

A lot of us believe it's just got to be right.

我不认为

I don't think it's ever happened

像弦理论这样有如此数学基础的理论

That a theory that has the kind of mathematical appeal

最终是完全错误的

That string theory has turned out to be entirely wrong.

我很难相信

I would find it hard to believe that that

这么多美妙的想法和精彩的计算

Much elegance and mathematical beauty

仅仅只是种徒劳

Would simply be wasted.

我不知道我们离结束还有多远

I don't really know how close we are to the end.

我们即将揭晓故事的全部吗

You know,are we almost there in having the complete story?

还需要另外一个十年吗 没人知道

Is it going to still be another ten years? nobody knows.

但是我相信这会让我忙上很长一阵

But I think it's going to keep me busy for a long time.

我们真的很幸运

We have been incredibly lucky.

自然界已经允许我们

Nature has somehow allowed us

去解答许多的基础谜题

To unlock the keys to many fundamental mysteries already.

我们能走多远

How far can we push that?

不尝试我们怎么会知道

We won't know until we,until we try.

一个世纪以前 一些科学家认为

A century ago,some scientists thought

他们已经了解了宇宙的基本法则

They had pretty much figured out the basic laws of the universe.

但是爱因斯坦的出现

But then einstein came along

戏剧般地颠覆了我们对空间

And dramatically revised our views of space

时间以及引力的看法

And time and gravity.

量子力学揭开了原子和分子

And quantum mechanics unveiled the inner workings

内部运动的神秘面纱

Of atoms and molecules,

向人们展现了一个变化多端的奇异世界

Revealing a world that's bizarre and uncertain.

所以 我们离弄清所有的真相还很遥远

So,far from confirming that we had sorted it all out,

20世纪告诉我们

The 20th century showed that

每当我们对宇宙的了解更进一步

Every time we looked more closely at the universe,

便会出乎意料地发现客观世界的另一层面

We discovered yet another unexpected layer of reality.

值此21世纪之际

As we embark on the 21st century,

我们下一步的任务已经隐隐在望

we're getting a glimpse of what may be the next layer:

振动的弦 超粒子和平行宇宙

Vibrating strings,sparticles,parallel universes

以及额外维度

And extra dimensions.

前景是激动人心的

It's a breathtaking vision

几年后 实验也许会告诉我们

And in a few years,experiments may begin to tell us

这些理论是对还是错

Whether some of these ideas are right or wrong.

但是无论结果如何 我们将继续前行

But,regardless of the outcome,we'll keep going,

因为这就是我们的使命

Because,well,that's what we do.

我们跟随好奇心 探索未知世界

We follow our curiosity. we explore the unknown.

千百年后 今日的宇宙学说

And a hundred or a thousand years from now,

可能会不幸地被认为是不完整的

Today's view of the cosmos may look woefully incomplete,

甚至是荒唐的

Perhaps even quaint.

但是不可否认 我们称之为弦理论的想法

But undeniably,the ideas we call string theory

是人类创造力的见证

Are a testament to the power of human creativity.

它们为回答古老的问题

They've opened a whole new spectrum of possible answers

提供了全新的答案

To age-old questions.

有了它们 在对优雅的宇宙的全面探寻中

And with them,we've taken a dramatic leap

我们已经迈出了一大步

In our quest to fully understand this elegant universe.

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