ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Christoph Adami - Artificial life researcher
Christoph Adami works on the nature of life and evolution, trying to define life in a way that is as free as possible from our preconceptions.

Why you should listen

Christoph Adami researches the nature of living systems, using 'artificial life' -- small, self-replicating computer programs. His main research focus is Darwinian evolution, which he studies at different levels of organization (from simple molecules to brains). He has pioneered theapplication of methods from information theory to the study of evolution, and designed the "Avida" system that launched the use of digital life as a tool for investigating basic questions in evolutionary biology.

He is Professor of Applied Life Sciences at the Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, CA, and a Visiting Professor at the BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action at Michigan State University. He obtained his PhD in theoretical physics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. 

More profile about the speaker
Christoph Adami | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxUIUC

Christoph Adami: Finding life we can't imagine

克利斯朵夫・阿达米:寻找难以想象的生命

Filmed:
652,149 views

如果外星人根本不是我们所知的生命形态,那么我们如何搜寻外星人?在TEDxUIUC上,克利斯朵夫・阿达米告诉我们他是如何通过人工生命形式的研究 —— 即自我复制的电脑程序-来找到一个标识,一个“生命标记”的。这完全抛开了我们对所谓生命的先入为主的理解。
- Artificial life researcher
Christoph Adami works on the nature of life and evolution, trying to define life in a way that is as free as possible from our preconceptions. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:15
So I have a strange奇怪 career事业.
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我的职业比较奇特
00:17
I know it because people come up to me, like colleagues同事,
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这么说是因为有人跑过来,比如我的同事
00:20
and say, "Chris克里斯, you have a strange奇怪 career事业."
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他说:“克里斯,你的职业很奇特啊”
00:22
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑声)
00:24
And I can see their point,
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我知道
00:26
because I started开始 my career事业
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这是因为我是从
00:28
as a theoretical理论 nuclear physicist物理学家.
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理论核物理学家起家
00:30
And I was thinking思维 about quarks夸克 and gluons胶子
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成天想的都是夸克、胶子
00:32
and heavy ion离子 collisions碰撞,
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还有重离子碰撞
00:34
and I was only 14 years年份 old.
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那时只有14岁
00:36
No, no, I wasn't 14 years年份 old.
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不,不,我不是14岁
00:40
But after that,
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不过自那以后
00:42
I actually其实 had my own拥有 lab实验室
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我有了我自己的实验室
00:44
in the computational计算 neuroscience神经科学 department,
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是在计算神经科学系
00:46
and I wasn't doing any neuroscience神经科学.
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不过我没搞什么神经科学
00:48
Later后来, I would work on evolutionary发展的 genetics遗传学,
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后来我开始研究进化基因学
00:51
and I would work on systems系统 biology生物学.
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然后是组织生物学
00:53
But I'm going to tell you about something else其他 today今天.
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不过以上都不是今天要讲的
00:56
I'm going to tell you
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我要讲的是
00:58
about how I learned学到了 something about life.
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我是如何研究生命的
01:00
And I was actually其实 a rocket火箭 scientist科学家.
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我是个火箭科学家
01:04
I wasn't really a rocket火箭 scientist科学家,
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我不是真的火箭科学家
01:06
but I was working加工
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不过我为喷气推进实验室(JPL)
01:08
at the Jet喷射 Propulsion动力 Laboratory实验室
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喷气推进实验室(JPL)工作
01:10
in sunny晴朗 California加州 where it's warm;
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它位于温暖的加利福尼亚
01:13
whereas now I'm in the mid-West中西部,
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而我现在在中西部
01:15
and it's cold.
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天真冷
01:17
But it was an exciting扣人心弦 experience经验.
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不过是有趣的经历
01:20
One day a NASANASA manager经理 comes into my office办公室,
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一天一名NASA主管来到我的办公室
01:23
sits坐镇 down and says,
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坐下对我说
01:26
"Can you please tell us,
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“你能不能告诉我们
01:28
how do we look for life outside Earth地球?"
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怎么寻找外星生命?”
01:30
And that came来了 as a surprise to me,
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我当时很惊讶
01:32
because I was actually其实 hired雇用
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因为我是被雇来
01:34
to work on quantum量子 computation计算.
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做量子计算的研究的
01:36
Yet然而, I had a very good answer回答.
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不过,我给了一个好答案
01:38
I said, "I have no idea理念."
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我说“我不知道”
01:41
And he told me, "Biosignatures生物信号,
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他说“生命指标
01:44
we need to look for a biosignaturebiosignature."
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我们要找生命指标”
01:46
And I said, "What is that?"
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我说,“那是什么?”
01:48
And he said, "It's any measurable可测量 phenomenon现象
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他说“就是任何可被测量的现象
01:50
that allows允许 us to indicate表明
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能帮助我们发现
01:52
the presence存在 of life."
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生命的存在”
01:54
And I said, "Really?
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我说“当真?”
01:56
Because isn't that easy简单?
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因为那不是太简单了?
01:58
I mean, we have life.
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我是说,我们有生命
02:00
Can't you apply应用 a definition定义,
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但你能为生命给出一个
02:02
like for example, a Supreme最高 Court-like类似法院 definition定义 of life?"
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类似于最高法院的终极定义吗?
02:06
And then I thought about it a little bit, and I said,
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我想了想说
02:08
"Well, is it really that easy简单?
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“真就那么简单吗?”
02:10
Because, yes, if you see something like this,
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因为你看到这个
02:13
then all right, fine, I'm going to call it life --
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毫无疑问,我会称之为生命-
02:15
no doubt怀疑 about it.
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没问题
02:17
But here's这里的 something."
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但是这个
02:19
And he goes, "Right, that's life too. I know that."
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人们会说“没错,那也是生命,我知道”
02:22
Except, if you think life is also defined定义
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但是,如果你觉得会死去的东西
02:24
by things that die,
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是生命
02:26
you're not in luck运气 with this thing,
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那么这个怎么解释呢
02:28
because that's actually其实 a very strange奇怪 organism生物.
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因为这是个非常奇怪的有机体
02:30
It grows成长 up into the adult成人 stage阶段 like that
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进入成年期它呈这样
02:32
and then goes through通过 a Benjamin本杰明 Button按键 phase,
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然后像本杰明·巴顿一样
02:35
and actually其实 goes backwards向后 and backwards向后
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越长越小
02:37
until直到 it's like a little embryo again,
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直到又变成一个胎儿
02:39
and then actually其实 grows成长 back up, and back down and back up -- sort分类 of yo-yo悠悠球 --
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然后再长大,再长回去,再长大——像悠悠球一样——
02:42
and it never dies.
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永生不死
02:44
So it's actually其实 life,
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这也是生命
02:46
but it's actually其实 not
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但不象我们一般认为的
02:48
as we thought life would be.
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生命形态
02:51
And then you see something like that.
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你还能看到这样的东西
02:53
And he was like, "My God, what kind of a life form形成 is that?"
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人们会说“天哪,这是什么生命形态啊?”
02:55
Anyone任何人 know?
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有人知道吗?
02:57
It's actually其实 not life, it's a crystal水晶.
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这不是生命,这是晶体
03:00
So once一旦 you start开始 looking and looking
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所以当你观察的东西
03:02
at smaller and smaller things --
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越来越小-
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so this particular特定 person
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这个人
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wrote a whole整个 article文章 and said, "Hey, these are bacteria."
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他写了一篇文章说“这些是细菌”
03:09
Except, if you look a little bit closer接近,
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如果你凑近了看
03:11
you see, in fact事实, that this thing is way too small to be anything like that.
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可以看到这个东西太小了不可能长成那样
03:14
So he was convinced相信,
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他是被说服了
03:16
but, in fact事实, most people aren't.
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不过大部分人却没有
03:18
And then, of course课程,
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当然
03:20
NASANASA also had a big announcement公告,
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NASA做了一个重大宣布
03:22
and President主席 Clinton克林顿 gave a press conference会议,
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克林顿总统开了新闻发布会
03:24
about this amazing惊人 discovery发现
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宣布在火星陨石上
03:26
of life in a Martian火星 meteorite陨石.
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发现了生命
03:29
Except that nowadays如今, it's heavily严重 disputed争议.
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不过近来这个观点备受质疑
03:33
If you take the lesson of all these pictures图片,
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如果你研究这些图片
03:36
then you realize实现, well actually其实 maybe it's not that easy简单.
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你会意识到,也许这并不那么容易
03:38
Maybe I do need
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也许我需要
03:40
a definition定义 of life
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一个生命的定义
03:42
in order订购 to make that kind of distinction分别.
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来做区别
03:44
So can life be defined定义?
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那生命能被定义吗?
03:46
Well how would you go about it?
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你怎么说?
03:48
Well of course课程,
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当然
03:50
you'd go to Encyclopedia百科全书 Britannica大英百科全书 and open打开 at L.
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你会翻开大英百科全书的L部
03:52
No, of course课程 you don't do that; you put it somewhere某处 in Google谷歌.
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不,你不会这么做,你会在Google搜索
03:55
And then you might威力 get something.
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或许会得到些什么
03:58
And what you might威力 get --
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可能会得到——
04:00
and anything that actually其实 refers to things that we are used to,
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一切称我们习以为常的东西生命的
04:02
you throw away.
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扔到一边去
04:04
And then you might威力 come up with something like this.
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然后你可能会得到这个
04:06
And it says something complicated复杂
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带着许多许多概念的
04:08
with lots and lots of concepts概念.
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复杂表述
04:10
Who on Earth地球 would write something
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到底谁写出
04:12
as convoluted令人费解 and complex复杂
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这么晦涩复杂
04:14
and inane空洞的?
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疯狂的东西?
04:17
Oh, it's actually其实 a really, really, important重要 set of concepts概念.
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但这确实是一堆很重要的概念
04:21
So I'm highlighting突出 just a few少数 words
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我标出了几个词
04:24
and saying definitions定义 like that
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这样的定义
04:26
rely依靠 on things that are not based基于
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不是基于氨基酸
04:28
on amino氨基 acids or leaves树叶
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或者叶子
04:31
or anything that we are used to,
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或者我们知道的任何东西
04:33
but in fact事实 on processes流程 only.
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而是只基于过程
04:35
And if you take a look at that,
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如果你仔细看下
04:37
this was actually其实 in a book that I wrote that deals交易 with artificial人造 life.
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这是我写的一本关于人工生命的书
04:40
And that explains说明 why
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它解释了
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that NASANASA manager经理 was actually其实 in my office办公室 to begin开始 with.
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那位NASA主管来到我办公室的原因
04:45
Because the idea理念 was that, with concepts概念 like that,
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因为这样的想法,这样的概念
04:48
maybe we can actually其实 manufacture制造
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我们可能创造出
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a form形成 of life.
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一个生命形式
04:52
And so if you go and ask yourself你自己,
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如果你反问自己
04:55
"What on Earth地球 is artificial人造 life?",
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“到底什么是人工生命”
04:57
let me give you a whirlwind旋风 tour游览
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让我带你快速了解一下
04:59
of how all this stuff东东 came来了 about.
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这是怎么弄出来的
05:01
And it started开始 out quite相当 a while ago
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很久以前
05:04
when someone有人 wrote
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有人写出了
05:06
one of the first successful成功 computer电脑 viruses病毒.
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最早的计算机病毒
05:08
And for those of you who aren't old enough足够,
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对年纪还比较轻的人来说
05:11
you have no idea理念 how this infection感染 was working加工 --
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你可能不知道它是怎么感染的-
05:14
namely亦即, through通过 these floppy软盘 disks磁盘.
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就是这个软盘
05:16
But the interesting有趣 thing about these computer电脑 virus病毒 infections感染
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但感染电脑病毒有趣的是
05:19
was that, if you look at the rate
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如果你看看
05:21
at which哪一个 the infection感染 worked工作,
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感染的速率
05:23
they show显示 this spiky高低不平 behavior行为
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它们表现出这种上下波动
05:25
that you're used to from a flu流感 virus病毒.
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是在流感病毒上常见的
05:28
And it is in fact事实 due应有 to this arms武器 race种族
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事实上正是由于
05:30
between之间 hackers黑客 and operating操作 system系统 designers设计师
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黑客和操作系统设计者间的军备竞赛
05:33
that things go back and forth向前.
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表现出这样结果
05:35
And the result结果 is kind of a tree of life
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这个结果是这些病毒的
05:37
of these viruses病毒,
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生命树形图
05:39
a phylogeny发展史 that looks容貌 very much
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一个看上去十分像我们熟悉的
05:42
like the type类型 of life that we're used to, at least最小 on the viral病毒 level水平.
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生命的发展史,至少对病毒的层面来说
05:45
So is that life? Not as far as I'm concerned关心.
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那这是生命吗?至少我不这么认为
05:48
Why? Because these things don't evolve发展 by themselves他们自己.
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为什么?因为它们不能自己演化
05:51
In fact事实, they have hackers黑客 writing写作 them.
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事实上,是黑客写出了它们
05:53
But the idea理念 was taken采取 very quickly很快 a little bit further进一步
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但是这个想法立刻被推进一步
05:57
when a scientist科学家 working加工 at the Scientific科学 Institute研究所 decided决定,
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一个在科学研究所的科学家决定
06:00
"Why don't we try to package these little viruses病毒
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“干嘛不把这些病毒
06:03
in artificial人造 worlds世界 inside of the computer电脑
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放到电脑的虚拟世界里
06:05
and let them evolve发展?"
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让它们自己演化呢?”
06:07
And this was Steen斯蒂恩 Rasmussen拉斯穆森.
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这个科学家就是Steen Rasmussen
06:09
And he designed设计 this system系统, but it really didn't work,
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他设计了这个系统,但是不奏效
06:11
because his viruses病毒 were constantly经常 destroying销毁 each other.
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因为他的病毒不断互相摧毁
06:14
But there was another另一个 scientist科学家 who had been watching观看 this, an ecologist生态学家.
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但是当时还有一个科学家在关注此事,一个生态学家
06:17
And he went home and says, "I know how to fix固定 this."
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他回了家说,“我知道怎么解决”
06:20
And he wrote the Tierra system系统,
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他写了Tierra系统
06:22
and, in my book, is in fact事实 one of the first
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在我的书里,是最早出现的
06:25
truly artificial人造 living活的 systems系统 --
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真正的虚拟生命系统之一——
06:27
except for the fact事实 that these programs程式 didn't really grow增长 in complexity复杂.
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只是这些程序不会拥有复杂体
06:30
So having seen看到 this work, worked工作 a little bit on this,
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看了这些研究,自己也多少涉猎一些
06:33
this is where I came来了 in.
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我开始了我的研究
06:35
And I decided决定 to create创建 a system系统
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我决定创造一个系统
06:37
that has all the properties性能 that are necessary必要
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其属性必须支持
06:39
to see the evolution演化 of complexity复杂,
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复杂体的进化
06:42
more and more complex复杂 problems问题 constantly经常 evolving进化.
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越来越多的复杂问题不断进化
06:45
And of course课程, since以来 I really don't know how to write code, I had help in this.
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当然,因为我不知道怎么写代码,所以需要帮助
06:48
I had two undergraduate大学本科 students学生们
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这是加州理工学院的
06:50
at California加州 Institute研究所 of Technology技术 that worked工作 with me.
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两个和我公事过的本科生
06:53
That's Charles查尔斯 OffriaOffria on the left, Titus泰特斯 Brown棕色 on the right.
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左边是Charles Offria,右边是Titus Brown
06:56
They are now actually其实 respectable可敬 professors教授
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他们现在都是密歇根州立大学里
06:59
at Michigan密歇根州 State University大学,
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受人尊敬的教授
07:01
but I can assure保证 you, back in the day,
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不过那时候
07:03
we were not a respectable可敬 team球队.
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我们还不没有受尊敬的份儿
07:05
And I'm really happy快乐 that no photo照片 survives生存
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我很高兴那些我们三个人老粘在一起的照片
07:07
of the three of us anywhere随地 close together一起.
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都没有保留下来
07:10
But what is this system系统 like?
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这个系统什么样子
07:12
Well I can't really go into the details细节,
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我没法深入讲解
07:15
but what you see here is some of the entrails腑脏.
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但你这儿你可以看到一些细部
07:17
But what I wanted to focus焦点 on
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我着重要讲的
07:19
is this type类型 of population人口 structure结构体.
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是群体构造特征
07:21
There's about 10,000 programs程式 sitting坐在 here.
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这儿有大概一万个程序
07:24
And all different不同 strains are colored有色 in different不同 colors颜色.
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每一个变种都用不同的颜色标记
07:27
And as you see here, there are groups that are growing生长 on top最佳 of each other,
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你可以看到群体会互相覆盖
07:30
because they are spreading传播.
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因为它们在扩散
07:32
Any time there is a program程序
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任何时刻一个程序
07:34
that's better at surviving幸存 in this world世界,
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因为获得某个突变
07:36
due应有 to whatever随你 mutation突变 it has acquired后天,
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从而在这个世界里更好的生存
07:38
it is going to spread传播 over the others其他 and drive驾驶 the others其他 to extinction灭绝.
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那它讲不断扩散把其他程度逼入绝境
07:41
So I'm going to show显示 you a movie电影 where you're going to see that kind of dynamic动态.
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下面播放的这个短片你就可以看到这种变化
07:44
And these kinds of experiments实验 are started开始
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这个实验是从
07:47
with programs程式 that we wrote ourselves我们自己.
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我们自己写的程序开始的
07:49
We write our own拥有 stuff东东, replicate复制 it,
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我们写了程序,复制了它们
07:51
and are very proud骄傲 of ourselves我们自己.
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我们为此很骄傲
07:53
And we put them in, and what you see immediately立即
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然后放到系统里,你马上可以看见的
07:56
is that there are waves波浪 and waves波浪 of innovation革新.
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不断变化的波形
07:59
By the way, this is highly高度 accelerated加速,
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顺便提一下,这个是加速播放
08:01
so it's like a thousand generations a second第二.
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大概是一秒是一千代
08:03
But immediately立即 the system系统 goes like,
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但是很快系统有了反应
08:05
"What kind of dumb piece of code was this?
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“这是什么愚蠢的代码?
08:07
This can be improved改善 upon in so many许多 ways方法
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这可以以很多种方式
08:09
so quickly很快."
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很快地改善”
08:11
So you see waves波浪 of new types类型
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你可以看到新的类型
08:13
taking服用 over the other types类型.
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取代其他的
08:15
And this type类型 of activity活动 goes on for quite相当 awhile一会儿,
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这种类型的活动持续一段时间
08:18
until直到 the main主要 easy简单 things have been acquired后天 by these programs程式.
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直到这些程序都获得了主要的简单的东西
08:22
And then you see sort分类 of like a stasis coming未来 on
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然后有一段停滞期
08:26
where the system系统 essentially实质上 waits等待
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系统在等待
08:28
for a new type类型 of innovation革新, like this one,
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一种新的变化,像这个
08:31
which哪一个 is going to spread传播
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它将扩散
08:33
over all the other innovations创新 that were before
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覆盖之前所有的变化
08:35
and is erasing擦除 the genes基因 that it had before,
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并消除之前的所有基因
08:38
until直到 a new type类型 of higher更高 level水平 of complexity复杂 has been achieved实现.
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直到获得一种新的高层次的复杂体
08:42
And this process处理 goes on and on and on.
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这个过程会一致持续
08:45
So what we see here
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所以我们看到的就是
08:47
is a system系统 that lives生活
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一个如同我们所知的
08:49
in very much the way we're used to life [going.]
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生命形式一样生存的系统
08:51
But what the NASANASA people had asked me really
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但是是NASA的官员问我
08:55
was, "Do these guys
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“那这些人
08:57
have a biosignaturebiosignature?
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有生命指标吗?
08:59
Can we measure测量 this type类型 of life?
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我们能测量到这样的生命吗?
09:01
Because if we can,
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因为如果我们能的话
09:03
maybe we have a chance机会 of actually其实 discovering发现 life somewhere某处 else其他
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也许有机会发现其他形式的生命
09:06
without being存在 biased
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而不需要
09:08
by things like amino氨基 acids."
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依赖氨基酸”
09:10
So I said, "Well, perhaps也许 we should construct构造
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我说,“也许我们应该构造
09:13
a biosignaturebiosignature
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一个基于
09:15
based基于 on life as a universal普遍 process处理.
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作为通用过程的生命的生命指标
09:18
In fact事实, it should perhaps也许 make use
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事实上,这得利用
09:20
of the concepts概念 that I developed发达
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我开发的概念
09:22
just in order订购 to sort分类 of capture捕获
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以了解
09:24
what a simple简单 living活的 system系统 might威力 be."
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简单的生命体是什么样的
09:26
And the thing I came来了 up with --
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我得出的——
09:28
I have to first give you an introduction介绍 about the idea理念,
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首先我得介绍一下这个想法
09:32
and maybe that would be a meaning含义 detector探测器,
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也许是个存在探测器
09:35
rather than a life detector探测器.
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而不是生命探测器
09:38
And the way we would do that --
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操纵的方式是——
09:40
I would like to find out how I can distinguish区分
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我怎么区分一段文字
09:42
text文本 that was written书面 by a million百万 monkeys猴子,
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是一百万个猴子写的
09:44
as opposed反对 to text文本 that [is] in our books图书.
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还是我们的书
09:47
And I would like to do it in such这样 a way
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我会这么做
09:49
that I don't actually其实 have to be able能够 to read the language语言,
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我并不去阅读它
09:51
because I'm sure I won't惯于 be able能够 to.
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因为我知道我无法做到
09:53
As long as I know that there's some sort分类 of alphabet字母.
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只要我知道存在某种字母表
09:55
So here would be a frequency频率 plot情节
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这是一个猴子写的
09:58
of how often经常 you find
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一段文字的
10:00
each of the 26 letters of the alphabet字母
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26个字母频度的
10:02
in a text文本 written书面 by random随机 monkeys猴子.
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示意图
10:05
And obviously明显 each of these letters
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显然这些字母
10:07
comes off about roughly大致 equally一样 frequent频繁.
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出现的频率基本相等
10:09
But if you now look at the same相同 distribution分配 in English英语 texts文本,
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但是如果你看看一段英文段落的字母分布的话
10:13
it looks容貌 like that.
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是这样的
10:15
And I'm telling告诉 you, this is very robust强大的 across横过 English英语 texts文本.
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而且英语文字的这种现象非常明显
10:18
And if I look at French法国 texts文本, it looks容貌 a little bit different不同,
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如果是法语的,会有些不一样
10:20
or Italian意大利 or German德语.
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或者是意大利语,德语
10:22
They all have their own拥有 type类型 of frequency频率 distribution分配,
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它们都有自己的频度分布
10:25
but it's robust强大的.
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但也都非常明显
10:27
It doesn't matter whether是否 it writes about politics政治 or about science科学.
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不论内容是关于政治还是科学
10:30
It doesn't matter whether是否 it's a poem
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不管是一首诗
10:33
or whether是否 it's a mathematical数学的 text文本.
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还是数学内容
10:36
It's a robust强大的 signature签名,
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都有明显的标识
10:38
and it's very stable稳定.
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并且很稳定
10:40
As long as our books图书 are written书面 in English英语 --
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只要我们的书是英语写的-
10:42
because people are rewriting重写 them and recopying再次复制 them --
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因为人们不断地写和再印-
10:45
it's going to be there.
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这个标识就存在
10:47
So that inspired启发 me to think about,
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这促使我想到
10:49
well, what if I try to use this idea理念
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如果我用这个法子
10:52
in order订购, not to detect检测 random随机 texts文本
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不是去探测随意的
10:54
from texts文本 with meaning含义,
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是否有意义的文字
10:56
but rather detect检测 the fact事实 that there is meaning含义
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而是探测可标志生命的
11:00
in the biomolecules生物分子 that make up life.
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生物分子的存在
11:02
But first I have to ask:
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首先我问道:
11:04
what are these building建造 blocks, like the alphabet字母, elements分子 that I showed显示 you?
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组成的基本单位是什么,就像我展示给你的字母表,要素一样?
11:07
Well it turns out, we have many许多 different不同 alternatives备择方案
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我们有很多不同选择
11:10
for such这样 a set of building建造 blocks.
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作为这种构造基础
11:12
We could use amino氨基 acids,
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可以是氨基酸
11:14
we could use nucleic核酸 acids, carboxylic羧基的 acids, fatty脂肪 acids.
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核酸,羧酸或者不饱和脂肪酸
11:17
In fact事实, chemistry's化学的 extremely非常 rich丰富, and our body身体 uses使用 a lot of them.
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事实上,化学物质十分丰富,我们的身体有很多
11:20
So that we actually其实, to test测试 this idea理念,
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为了试验这个想法
11:23
first took a look at amino氨基 acids and some other carboxylic羧基的 acids.
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我们首先研究了氨基酸和其他一些羧酸
11:26
And here's这里的 the result结果.
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这是结果
11:28
Here is, in fact事实, what you get
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这个结果
11:31
if you, for example, look at the distribution分配 of amino氨基 acids
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如果你观察一个彗星或者星际空间的
11:34
on a comet彗星 or in interstellar星际 space空间
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或者一个实验室的
11:37
or, in fact事实, in a laboratory实验室,
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氨基酸分布
11:39
where you made制作 very sure that in your primordial原始 soup
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实验室的话得保证原始汤里
11:41
that there is not living活的 stuff东东 in there.
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没有任何生命
11:43
What you find is mostly大多 glycine甘氨酸 and then alanine丙氨酸
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你能找到的大部分是甘氨酸和丙氨酸
11:46
and there's some trace跟踪 elements分子 of the other ones那些.
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还有其他一些
11:49
That is also very robust强大的 --
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这结果也非常明显——
11:52
what you find in systems系统 like Earth地球
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你可以在地球系统中
11:55
where there are amino氨基 acids,
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找到氨基酸
11:57
but there is no life.
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但是没有生命
11:59
But suppose假设 you take some dirt污垢
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但是如果
12:01
and dig through通过 it
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采集一些土壤
12:03
and then put it into these spectrometers光谱仪,
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放到光谱仪里
12:06
because there's bacteria all over the place地点;
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因为细菌的存在
12:08
or you take water anywhere随地 on Earth地球,
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或者采集地球上任何一处的水
12:10
because it's teaming联手 with life,
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因为水里富含生命
12:12
and you make the same相同 analysis分析;
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然后你做同样的分析
12:14
the spectrum光谱 looks容貌 completely全然 different不同.
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光谱结果完全不一样
12:16
Of course课程, there is still glycine甘氨酸 and alanine丙氨酸,
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当然仍然还有甘氨酸和丙氨酸
12:20
but in fact事实, there are these heavy elements分子, these heavy amino氨基 acids,
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但是更重要的因素是大量的氨基酸
12:23
that are being存在 produced生成
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它们对有机体非常重要
12:25
because these are valuable有价值 to the organism生物.
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因而大量产生
12:27
And some other ones那些
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而其他一些
12:29
that are not used in the set of 20,
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没有在20个集合被使用
12:31
they will not appear出现 at all
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因为不在任何一个聚集里
12:33
in any type类型 of concentration浓度.
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出现
12:35
So this also turns out to be extremely非常 robust强大的.
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这个结果特征也非常明显
12:37
It doesn't matter what kind of sediment沉淀 you're using运用 to grind研磨 up,
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不管你是研磨是哪种泥沙
12:40
whether是否 it's bacteria or any other plants植物 or animals动物.
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不管是细菌,植物或者动物
12:43
Anywhere随地 there's life,
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到处都有生命存在
12:45
you're going to have this distribution分配,
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就会得出这样的分布
12:47
as opposed反对 to that distribution分配.
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而不是那样的
12:49
And it is detectable检测 not just in amino氨基 acids.
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不光是氨基酸可被探测
12:52
Now you could ask:
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现在你会问:
12:54
well, what about these AvidiansAvidians?
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那么Avidian呢?(一台叫Avida计算机里的数字生物物种)
12:56
The AvidiansAvidians being存在 the denizens娇客 of this computer电脑 world世界
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Avidian是计算机世界的居民
13:00
where they are perfectly完美 happy快乐 replicating复制 and growing生长 in complexity复杂.
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它们在那里快乐得繁殖成长
13:03
So this is the distribution分配 that you get
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这是它们的分布
13:06
if, in fact事实, there is no life.
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不是生命
13:08
They have about 28 of these instructions说明.
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它们有28个这样的结构
13:11
And if you have a system系统 where they're being存在 replaced更换 one by the other,
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如果有一个供他们相互取代的系统
13:14
it's like the monkeys猴子 writing写作 on a typewriter打字机.
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就像是猴子用打字机写作
13:16
Each of these instructions说明 appears出现
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每一个结构
13:19
with roughly大致 the equal等于 frequency频率.
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出现的频率基本一样
13:22
But if you now take a set of replicating复制 guys
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但是如果是像刚刚视频里
13:26
like in the video视频 that you saw,
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那些复制的家伙
13:28
it looks容貌 like this.
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则是这样
13:30
So there are some instructions说明
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这里有些结构
13:32
that are extremely非常 valuable有价值 to these organisms生物,
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是机体里非常脆弱的部分
13:34
and their frequency频率 is going to be high.
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他们的频度很高
13:37
And there's actually其实 some instructions说明
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而有些
13:39
that you only use once一旦, if ever.
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你只能用一次,如果要用的话
13:41
So they are either poisonous有毒
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它们不是有毒
13:43
or really should be used at less of a level水平 than random随机.
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就是应该以低于随机的水平使用
13:47
In this case案件, the frequency频率 is lower降低.
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这种情况下,频度较低
13:50
And so now we can see, is that really a robust强大的 signature签名?
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那我们看到,这是个明显的生命指标吗?
13:53
I can tell you indeed确实 it is,
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是的
13:55
because this type类型 of spectrum光谱, just like what you've seen看到 in books图书,
339
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因为这种分布,就如刚刚的书
13:58
and just like what you've seen看到 in amino氨基 acids,
340
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和氨基酸一样
14:00
it doesn't really matter how you change更改 the environment环境, it's very robust强大的;
341
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不管你怎么改变环境,特征十分明显
14:03
it's going to reflect反映 the environment环境.
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会反映环境
14:05
So I'm going to show显示 you now a little experiment实验 that we did.
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现在给你们看一个我们做的实验
14:07
And I have to explain说明 to you,
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得解释一下
14:09
the top最佳 of this graph图形
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图表的上部
14:11
shows节目 you that frequency频率 distribution分配 that I talked about.
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是我提到的频度分布
14:14
Here, in fact事实, that's the lifeless死气沉沉 environment环境
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这是无生命的环境
14:17
where each instruction指令 occurs发生
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每一个结构的
14:19
at an equal等于 frequency频率.
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频度相等
14:21
And below下面 there, I show显示, in fact事实,
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下面的
14:24
the mutation突变 rate in the environment环境.
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是环境里的突变率
14:27
And I'm starting开始 this at a mutation突变 rate that is so high
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我将开始的突变率设得很高
14:30
that, even if you would drop下降
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高到就算你放入
14:32
a replicating复制 program程序
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一个复制程序
14:34
that would otherwise除此以外 happily高高兴兴 grow增长 up
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能快乐的成长
14:36
to fill the entire整个 world世界,
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并布满整个空间
14:38
if you drop下降 it in, it gets得到 mutated突变 to death死亡 immediately立即.
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如果你放进去,立刻突变至死亡
14:42
So there is no life possible可能
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所以那样的突变率
14:44
at that type类型 of mutation突变 rate.
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任何生命无法存活
14:47
But then I'm going to slowly慢慢地 turn down the heat, so to speak说话,
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但是我降低了温度
14:51
and then there's this viability可行性 threshold
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到这个可行阈值
14:53
where now it would be possible可能
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这样有一个复制体
14:55
for a replicator复制 to actually其实 live生活.
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能够存活
14:57
And indeed确实, we're going to be dropping落下 these guys
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我们把这些家伙放进
15:00
into that soup all the time.
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(原始)汤里
15:02
So let's see what that looks容貌 like.
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是什么样子呢
15:04
So first, nothing, nothing, nothing.
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开始的时候什么都没有
15:07
Too hot, too hot.
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太热了太热了
15:09
Now the viability可行性 threshold is reached到达,
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达到可行阈值之后
15:12
and the frequency频率 distribution分配
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频度分布
15:14
has dramatically显着 changed and, in fact事实, stabilizes稳定.
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开始剧烈变化然后稳定下来
15:17
And now what I did there
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然后我就
15:19
is, I was being存在 nasty讨厌, I just turned转身 up the heat again and again.
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很邪恶地调高了温度
15:22
And of course课程, it reaches到达 the viability可行性 threshold.
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当然到达了可行阈值
15:25
And I'm just showing展示 this to you again because it's so nice不错.
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我再给你们看一遍因为这个太棒了
15:28
You hit击中 the viability可行性 threshold.
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降到可行阈值
15:30
The distribution分配 changes变化 to "alive!"
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分布就变成“有生命的”
15:32
And then, once一旦 you hit击中 the threshold
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升高到可行阈值
15:35
where the mutation突变 rate is so high
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突变率太高了
15:37
that you cannot不能 self-reproduce自我繁殖,
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就无法自我繁殖
15:39
you cannot不能 copy复制 the information信息
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不能将信息
15:42
forward前锋 to your offspring子孙
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没有错误地
15:44
without making制造 so many许多 mistakes错误
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复制给后代
15:46
that your ability能力 to replicate复制 vanishes消失.
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复制的能力就消失了
15:49
And then that signature签名 is lost丢失.
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然后生命指标消失了
15:52
What do we learn学习 from that?
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就此我们学到什么?
15:54
Well, I think we learn学习 a number of things from that.
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我觉得我们学到几点
15:58
One of them is,
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第一是
16:00
if we are able能够 to think about life
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如果我们可以
16:03
in abstract抽象 terms条款 --
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从抽象意义上认知生命-
16:05
and we're not talking about things like plants植物,
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我们不是在讨论植物
16:07
and we're not talking about amino氨基 acids,
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也不是氨基酸
16:09
and we're not talking about bacteria,
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或者细菌
16:11
but we think in terms条款 of processes流程 --
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而是一种过程——
16:13
then we could start开始 to think about life,
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那么我们可以认为生命
16:16
not as something that is so special特别 to Earth地球,
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不是地球特有的
16:18
but that, in fact事实, could exist存在 anywhere随地.
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可能存在任何一个地方
16:21
Because it really only has to do
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因为它只是
16:23
with these concepts概念 of information信息,
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与信息的概念有关
16:25
of storing存储 information信息
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与储存信息有关
16:27
within physical物理 substrates基板 --
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通过物质性基板——
16:29
anything: bits, nucleic核酸 acids,
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任何东西:数位,核酸
16:31
anything that's an alphabet字母 --
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任何类似字母表的东西——
16:33
and make sure that there's some process处理
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并确保存在某种程序
16:35
so that this information信息 can be stored存储
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从而信息可以被长久保存
16:37
for much longer than you would expect期望
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比你预期的信息损坏的
16:39
the time scales for the deterioration恶化 of information信息.
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时间尺度还要长很多
16:43
And if you can do that,
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如果是这样
16:45
then you have life.
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那么就是生命
16:47
So the first thing that we learn学习
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所以头一件我们学到的
16:49
is that it is possible可能 to define确定 life
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就是生命可以被定义为
16:52
in terms条款 of processes流程 alone单独,
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一种过程本身
16:55
without referring at all
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而不需要借助
16:57
to the type类型 of things that we hold保持 dear,
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其他我们珍视的东西
16:59
as far as the type类型 of life on Earth地球 is.
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比如地球上的生命形式
17:02
And that in a sense removes移除了 us again,
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这个结论再一次
17:05
like all of our scientific科学 discoveries发现, or many许多 of them --
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就像其他所有科学发现,或者很多科学发现-
17:08
it's this continuous连续 dethroning拉下马 of man --
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告诉人们-
17:10
of how we think we're special特别 because we're alive.
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我们的存在并不是什么独特的事
17:13
Well we can make life. We can make life in the computer电脑.
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我们可以创造生命,可以在电脑里创造生命
17:16
Granted诚然, it's limited有限,
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当然这个有限
17:18
but we have learned学到了 what it takes
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但是我们据此可以知道
17:21
in order订购 to actually其实 construct构造 it.
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构建生命的要素
17:23
And once一旦 we have that,
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一旦我们有这些要素
17:26
then it is not such这样 a difficult task任务 anymore
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那么创造生命不是什么难事
17:29
to say, if we understand理解 the fundamental基本的 processes流程
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如果我们掌握了最基本的
17:33
that do not refer参考 to any particular特定 substrate基质,
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不借助于任何特殊基板的过程的话
17:36
then we can go out
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我们就能走出去
17:38
and try other worlds世界,
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探寻其他世界
17:40
figure数字 out what kind of chemical化学 alphabets字母 might威力 there be,
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了解那里有什么样的化学字母表
17:44
figure数字 enough足够 about the normal正常 chemistry化学,
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了解一般的化学物质
17:46
the geochemistry地球化学 of the planet行星,
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和那个星球的地理化学
17:49
so that we know what this distribution分配 would look like
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那样我们就知道没有生命的
17:51
in the absence缺席 of life,
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分布是什么样子
17:53
and then look for large deviations偏差 from this --
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从而以此寻找更大的偏差-
17:56
this thing sticking症结 out, which哪一个 says,
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这个突起意味着
17:59
"This chemical化学 really shouldn't不能 be there."
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“这个化学物质不应该在这儿”
18:01
Now we don't know that there's life then,
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现在我们还不知道那里有没有生命
18:03
but we could say,
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但是我们可以说
18:05
"Well at least最小 I'm going to have to take a look very precisely恰恰 at this chemical化学
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“至少我会精确地研究一下这个化学物质
18:08
and see where it comes from."
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看看哪里来的”
18:10
And that might威力 be our chance机会
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这也许就是
18:12
of actually其实 discovering发现 life
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当我们无法看到生命
18:14
when we cannot不能 visibly明显地 see it.
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但真正发现生命的机会
18:16
And so that's really the only take-home带回家 message信息
445
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这是我唯一的可以让你
18:19
that I have for you.
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带回家的信息
18:21
Life can be less mysterious神秘
447
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生命并不一定像
18:23
than we make it out to be
448
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我们以为的那样神秘
18:25
when we try to think about how it would be on other planets行星.
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如果我们知道其他星球上也存在的话
18:29
And if we remove去掉 the mystery神秘 of life,
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如果我们去掉生命的神秘感
18:32
then I think it is a little bit easier更轻松
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我像对于我们
18:35
for us to think about how we live生活,
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思考如何生活
18:37
and how perhaps也许 we're not as special特别 as we always think we are.
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和我们并不特殊来说会更容易
18:40
And I'm going to leave离开 you with that.
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这就是我要讲的
18:42
And thank you very much.
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非常感谢
18:44
(Applause掌声)
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(掌声)
Translated by Chunxiang Qian
Reviewed by Felix Chen

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Christoph Adami - Artificial life researcher
Christoph Adami works on the nature of life and evolution, trying to define life in a way that is as free as possible from our preconceptions.

Why you should listen

Christoph Adami researches the nature of living systems, using 'artificial life' -- small, self-replicating computer programs. His main research focus is Darwinian evolution, which he studies at different levels of organization (from simple molecules to brains). He has pioneered theapplication of methods from information theory to the study of evolution, and designed the "Avida" system that launched the use of digital life as a tool for investigating basic questions in evolutionary biology.

He is Professor of Applied Life Sciences at the Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, CA, and a Visiting Professor at the BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action at Michigan State University. He obtained his PhD in theoretical physics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. 

More profile about the speaker
Christoph Adami | Speaker | TED.com