ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Richard Preston - Writer
Richard Preston wrote The Hot Zone, a classic look at the Ebola virus and the scientists who fight it. His wide-ranging curiosity about science and people has led him to cover a dizzying list of topics, with a lapidary attention to detail and an ear for the human voice.

Why you should listen

Richard Preston is one of the only humans to have climbed Hyperion, a nearly 380-foot redwood tree that is the tallest living thing on Earth. Hyperion was discovered by explorer Michael Taylor while Preston was writing his latest full-length book, The Wild Trees. 

His earlier book The Hot Zone sold millions of copies, spawned a movie, and made the Ebola virus horrifyingly familiar. The book is part of his Dark Biology trilogy, which includes the novel The Cobra Event and The Demon in the Freezer, a look at the bioterror implications of smallpox. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker. His latest book, Panic in Level Four, is a collection of reportage on a wonderful range of topics, from mathematical geniuses to trees to one of the most shocking medical conditions you can imagine. (This is the book that was passed around the TED offices with the note, "Don't read the final chapter while eating.")

More profile about the speaker
Richard Preston | Speaker | TED.com
TED2008

Richard Preston: The mysterious lives of giant trees

理查德·普雷斯顿与巨人树

Filmed:
751,481 views

科普作家理查德·普雷斯顿将向我们介绍这个星球上最巨大的生物之一——太平洋西北部巨大的红杉。虽然由一颗细小的种子成长起来,它们却支撑着巨大的生态系统。时至今日,这些生态系统的大部分仍然是一个谜。
- Writer
Richard Preston wrote The Hot Zone, a classic look at the Ebola virus and the scientists who fight it. His wide-ranging curiosity about science and people has led him to cover a dizzying list of topics, with a lapidary attention to detail and an ear for the human voice. Full bio

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

00:18
The north coast of California加州 has rainforests热带雨林 --
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加州北部海岸有着一片片雨林——
00:23
temperate适度的 rainforests热带雨林 -- where it can rain more than 100 inches英寸 a year.
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温带雨林——每年降水量超过25400毫米。
00:28
This is the realm领域 of the Coast Redwood红木 tree.
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这就是海岸红杉的领域。
00:32
Its species种类 name名称 is Sequoia红杉 sempervirens.
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它的学名为Sequoia sempervirens。
00:35
Sequoia红杉 sempervirens is the tallest最高 living活的 organism生物 on Earth地球.
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它是地球上最大的生命机体。
00:39
The range范围 of the species种类 goes up to as much as 380 feet tall.
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这个物种可高达116米
00:44
That's 38 stories故事 tall.
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相当于38层楼的高度。
00:46
These are trees树木 that would stand out in midtown市中心 Manhattan曼哈顿.
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若放在曼哈顿中城,这些巨杉将鹤立其中。
00:50
Nobody没有人 knows知道 how old the oldest最老的 living活的 Coast Redwoods红杉 are
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没有人知道最老的海岸红杉有多大岁数
00:54
because nobody没有人 has ever drilled into any of them
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因为没有人试过钻开他们
00:56
to count计数 their annual全年 growth发展 rings戒指, and, in any case案件,
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去数他们的年轮
00:59
the centers中心 of the oldest最老的 individuals个人 appear出现 to be hollow空洞.
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并且这些最古老的树木的中心似乎是空的。
01:03
But it's believed相信 that the oldest最老的 living活的 Redwoods红杉
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但是人们普遍认为最老的红杉
01:06
are perhaps也许 2,500 years年份 old -- roughly大致 the age年龄 of the Parthenon帕台农神庙 --
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有2500岁——几乎跟帕台农神庙一样古老了
01:12
although虽然 it's also suspected嫌疑 that there may可能 be individual个人 trees树木
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不过还有人怀疑
01:15
that are older旧的 than that.
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有比这更古老的红杉。
01:17
You can see the range范围 of the Coast Redwoods红杉. It's here, in red.
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你可以看到海岸红杉的领域,就在红色的区域里。
01:21
The largest最大 individuals个人 of this species种类,
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这个物种最巨型的个体,他们之中的“无畏战舰”,
01:23
the dreadnoughts无畏舰 of their kind, live生活 just on the north coast of California加州,
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就生活在加州北部海岸,
01:28
where the rain is really intense激烈.
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那里雨量十分充沛。
01:31
In recent最近 historic历史性 times, about 96 percent百分 of the Coast Redwood红木 forest森林
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在近代历史时期,96%的海岸红杉林木
01:37
was cut down, especially特别 in a series系列 of bursts连发 of intense激烈 liquidation清算 logging记录,
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被砍伐,特别是在70年代到90年代早期发生的严重的森林砍伐,
01:44
clear-cutting皆伐 that took place地点 in the 1970s through通过 the early 1990s.
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毁灭性的森林开垦活动中。
01:50
Even so, about four percent百分 of the primeval原始 Redwood红木 rainforest雨林 remains遗迹 intact完整,
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尽管如此,还是有4%的原始红杉雨林保留了下来
01:58
wild野生 and now protected保护 -- entirely完全 protected保护 --
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它们未受人类文明践踏,而且现在被保护了起来——全面地被保护起来
02:02
in a chain of small parks公园 strung串起 out like pearls珍珠
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它们被保护于沿着加州北海岸
02:05
along沿 the north coast of California加州, including包含 Redwood红木 National国民 Park公园.
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珠连起来的一些小公园里,包括红杉国家公园。
02:09
But curiously好奇, Redwood红木 rainforests热带雨林, the fragments片段 that we have left,
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但奇怪的是,剩下的红杉雨林
02:14
to this day remain under-explored充分开发.
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直到今天还未被充分开发。
02:17
Redwood红木 rainforest雨林 is incredibly令人难以置信 difficult to move移动 through通过,
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在红杉雨林里行走十分困难,困难得令人难以置信
02:22
and even today今天, individual个人 trees树木 are being存在 discovered发现
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时至今日,新的红杉仍不断地被发现
02:25
that have never been seen看到 before, including包含, in the summer夏季 of 2006,
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包括发现于2006夏的世界最高之树——
02:29
Hyperion海波, the world's世界 tallest最高 tree.
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亥帕龙神(Hyperion,希腊神话中一巨人之名),世界上最高的树。
02:32
I'm going to do a little GedankenGedanken experiment实验.
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我想做一个小小的想象实验
02:35
I'm going to ask you to imagine想像 what a Redwood红木 really is as a living活的 organism生物.
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让你们去想象一下,一棵红杉作为一个生命体究竟是什么东西
02:39
And, Chris克里斯, if I could have you up here? I have a tape胶带 measure测量.
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克里斯,你能站到舞台上来么?我有一把卷尺
02:47
It's a kind loaner借用 from TEDTED.
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是从TED借来的。
02:49
And Chris克里斯, if you could take the end结束 of that tape胶带 measure测量?
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克里斯,拿着卷尺的头好么?
02:53
We're going to show显示 you what the diameter直径
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我们将要向你们展示
02:55
at breast乳房 height高度 of a big Redwood红木 is.
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一棵大型红杉在我们胸部高度位置的直径大小
02:58
Unfortunately不幸, this tape胶带 isn't long enough足够 -- it's only a 25-foot-脚丫子 tape胶带.
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很遗憾,这卷尺不够长——只有7.6米长。
03:07
Chris克里斯, could you extend延伸 your arm out that way? There we go. OK.
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克里斯,你能向那边伸出你的手臂么?就这样,好了。
03:12
And maybe about here, about 30 feet, is the diameter直径 of a big Redwood红木.
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大概就是这么多,9.1米左右,就是一颗大型红杉的直径。
03:20
Now, let your imagination想像力 go upward向上 into space空间.
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现在,然你的想象力向天空延伸
03:23
Think about this tree, rising升起 upward向上 into Redwood红木 space空间, 325 feet,
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想象一下这棵树,耸立至红杉林的99米高,
03:33
32 stories故事, an individual个人 living活的 organism生物 articulating关节 its forms形式
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32层楼的高度——这就是一棵红杉
03:38
upward向上 into space空间 over long periods of time.
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长期逐渐成长至天际的体型
03:42
The Redwood红木 species种类 seems似乎 to exist存在 in another另一个 kind of time:
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红杉这种植物似乎存在于另一种时间体系中
03:47
not human人的 time, but what we might威力 call Redwood红木 time.
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不是人类的时间标准,而我们更愿意称其为“红杉时间”
03:51
Redwood红木 time moves移动 at a more stately庄严 pace步伐 than human人的 time.
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“红杉时间”以比人类时间更宏伟的节奏流逝着
03:56
To us, when we look at a Redwood红木 tree, it seems似乎 to be motionless不动 and still,
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对我们来说,当我们看着一棵红杉树,它似乎一动不动
04:01
and yet然而 Redwoods红杉 are constantly经常 in motion运动,
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但实际上它不停地在运动
04:04
moving移动 upward向上 into space空间, articulating关节 themselves他们自己
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向上生长,展现着自己
04:09
and filling填充 Redwood红木 space空间 over Redwood红木 time, over thousands数千 of years年份.
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在几千年的红杉时间之中填满了整个红杉树林。
04:14
Plant this small seed种子, wait 2,000 years年份, and you get this:
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将这颗小种子播种下去,等待两千年,然后就有了这个:
04:18
the Lost丢失 Monarch君主.
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“失落的君王”。
04:20
It dwells驻留 in the Grove树林 of Titans泰坦 on the north coast,
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它坐落于北部海岸的“泰坦丛林”,
04:22
and was discovered发现 in 1998.
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1998年我们发现了它。
04:25
And yet然而, when you look at the base基础 of a Redwood红木 tree,
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另外,当你看着一棵红杉树的树桩时,
04:27
you're not seeing眼看 the organism生物.
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你所看到的不是一个完整的生物。
04:29
You're like a mouse老鼠 looking at the foot脚丫子 of an elephant,
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你会像一只老鼠,看着一只大象的腿,
04:32
and most of the organism生物 is overhead高架, unseen看不见.
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而这个生物的大部分就在你头顶上,你却无法看到。
04:35
I became成为 very interested有兴趣, and I wrote about a couple一对.
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我变得饶有兴致,并记录了一对夫妇在这里的生活。
04:39
Steve史蒂夫 Sillett西莱特 and Marie玛丽 Antoine安托万 are the principal主要 explorers探险
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史蒂夫·西莱特 和 马莉·安东尼 是 主要的
04:42
of the Redwood红木 forest森林 canopy华盖. They're world-class世界级 athletes运动员,
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红杉林树冠探险者。他们是世界级的运动员,
04:45
and they also are world-class世界级 forest森林 ecology生态 scientists科学家们.
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他们还是世界级的森林生态科学家。
04:51
Steve史蒂夫 Sillett西莱特, when he was a 19-year-old-岁 college学院 student学生
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当史蒂夫还是一个19岁的里德大学的学生时,
04:54
at Reed芦苇 College学院, had heard听说 that the Redwood红木 forest森林 canopy华盖
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就听说过红杉林的树冠层
04:58
is considered考虑 to be a so-called所谓 Redwood红木 desert沙漠.
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被称为一个红杉沙漠。
05:01
That is to say, at that time it was believed相信
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换句话说,在那个时候,人们相信
05:03
that there was nothing up there except the branches分支机构 of Redwood红木 trees树木.
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在那里除了红杉树枝外什么都没有。
05:07
And with a friend朋友 of his, he took it upon himself他自己 to free-climb自由攀登 a Redwood红木
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之后他与他的一个朋友毅然试着徒手攀爬一棵红杉
05:10
without ropes绳索 or any equipment设备 to see what was up there.
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而没有用任何绳子或装备,想看一下在上面究竟有什么。
05:13
He climbed爬上 up a small tree next下一个 to this giant巨人 Redwood红木,
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他爬上了这棵巨型红杉旁的一棵小树,
05:16
and then he leaped飞跃 through通过 space空间 and grabbed抓起 a branch with his hands,
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然后腾空一跃,用双手抓住了一根树枝,
05:22
and ended结束 up hanging, like catching a bar酒吧 of a trapeze飞人.
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然后悬挂在那,就像抓住秋千的横杠一样。
05:25
And then, from there, he climbed爬上 directly up the bark
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接着,从那里他直接从树皮爬了上去
05:28
until直到 he got to the top最佳 of the tree.
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直到他到了树顶。
05:30
His friend朋友, a guy named命名 Marwood马伍德 Harris哈里斯, was following以下 behind背后.
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他的朋友玛沃德·查尔斯跟在他后面。
05:34
Neither也不 one of them had noticed注意到 that there was
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两个人都没有注意到,
05:36
a Yellow黄色 Jacket夹克 wasp's黄蜂的 nest the size尺寸 of a bowling保龄球 ball
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一个保龄球大小的黄蜂巢
05:40
hanging from the branch that Steve史蒂夫 had jumped跳下 into.
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就挂在史蒂夫跳过去的那根树枝上。
05:42
And when Marwood马伍德 made制作 the jump, he was covered覆盖 with wasps黄蜂
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当玛沃德跳过去的时候,他立刻就被黄蜂包围了
05:46
stinging刺痛 him in the face面对 and eyes眼睛. He nearly几乎 let go.
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黄蜂叮咬他的脸跟眼睛。他差点就放手了。
05:50
He would have fallen堕落 to his death死亡, being存在 75 feet above以上 the ground地面.
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如果从上面高达23米的地方摔下来,他肯定就摔死了。
05:53
But they made制作 it to the top最佳, and what they found发现
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但他们成功地到了顶,而他们看到的
05:55
was not a Redwood红木 desert沙漠, but a lost丢失 world世界 --
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不是一个红杉沙漠,而是一个失落的世界——
05:58
a kind of three-dimensional三维 labyrinth迷宫 in the air空气, filled填充 with unknown未知 life.
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一个空中三围迷宫,里面充满了不为人知的生命。
06:02
Now, I had been working加工 on other topics主题:
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我一直都在研究其它的课题:
06:06
the emergence紧急情况 of infectious传染病 diseases疾病,
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传染病的诞生
06:09
which哪一个 come out of the natural自然 ecosystems生态系统 of the Earth地球,
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它们源于地球的自然生态系统,
06:12
make a trans-species跨物种 jump, and get into humans人类.
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跨越种族,传染给人类。
06:15
After three books图书 on this, it got to be a bit much, in a way.
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我写过三本关于此课题的书之后,觉得在某种程度上有点过火了。
06:19
My wife妻子 and I adore崇拜 our children孩子.
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我和我妻子很喜欢我们的孩子
06:22
And I began开始 climbing攀登 trees树木 with my kids孩子 as just something to do with them,
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然后我开始和我的孩子们爬树,以此和他们一起做些事,
06:27
using运用 the so-called所谓 arborist树艺 climbing攀登 technique技术,
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我们采用了被称为树艺师的爬树技巧,
06:30
with ropes绳索. You use ropes绳索 to get yourself你自己 up into the crown王冠 of a tree.
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还有绳子。你要用绳子帮你爬到树冠。
06:34
Children孩子 are incredibly令人难以置信 adept拿手 at climbing攀登 trees树木.
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难以置信地,孩子们十分擅长爬树。
06:37
That's my son儿子, Oliver奥利弗.
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那是我的儿子奥利弗。
06:39
They don't seem似乎 to suffer遭受 from the same相同 fear恐惧 of heights高度 that humans人类 do.
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他们似乎一点也不畏高——不像人类那样畏高。
06:43
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑声)
06:47
If ontogeny个体发生 recapitulates概括 phylogeny发展史, then children孩子
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如果个体发生机理会再现种系发生的话,那么孩子们
06:51
are somewhat有些 closer接近 to our roots as primates灵长类动物 in the arboreal树栖 forest森林.
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就有点接近我们生活在树上的灵长类祖先了。
06:56
Humans人类 appear出现 to be the only primates灵长类动物 that I know of
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在我所知道的所有灵长类动物中,似乎只有人类
07:00
that are afraid害怕 of heights高度.
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是畏高的。
07:02
All other primates灵长类动物, when they're scared害怕,
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其他所有的灵长动物在它们害怕的时候,
07:04
they run up a tree, where they feel safe安全.
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就爬上一棵树,在那里他们感到很安全。
07:07
We camped扎营 overnight过夜 in the trees树木, in tree boats.
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我们在树林里或树舟上宿营过夜,
07:11
This is my daughter女儿 Laura劳拉, then 15, looking out of a tree boat.
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这是我女儿罗拉,那时她15岁,正从树舟往外看。
07:14
She's, by the way, tied in with a rope so she can't fall秋季.
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顺便提一下,她身上帮着绳子,所以她不会掉下去。
07:19
Looking out of a tree boat in the morning早上 and hearing听力 birdsong鸟鸣声
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在清晨向外望去,听着鸟儿的歌唱
07:22
coming未来 in three dimensions尺寸 around us.
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全方位地围绕着我们。
07:24
We had been visited参观 in the night by flying飞行 squirrels松鼠,
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有时在夜晚一些鼯鼠会造访我们,
07:27
who don't seem似乎 to recognize认识 humans人类 for what they are
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他们似乎不认得人类
07:30
because they've他们已经 never seen看到 them in the canopy华盖 before.
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因为他们从来没有在树冠上面见过人类。
07:32
And we practiced advanced高级 techniques技术 like sky-walking天空行走,
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我们还练习了一些高级技巧,如“天空行走”
07:35
where you can move移动 from tree to tree through通过 space空间,
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你可以在空中从一棵树走到另一棵树,
07:38
rather like Spiderman蜘蛛侠.
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像蜘蛛侠一样。
07:40
It became成为 a writing写作 project项目.
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这变成了我的一个写作计划。
07:42
When Steve史蒂夫 Sillett西莱特 gets得到 up into a big Redwood红木, he fires火灾 an arrow箭头,
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当史蒂夫爬上一棵大红杉之后,他向外射出一箭,
07:46
which哪一个 trails步道 a fishing钓鱼 line线, which哪一个 gets得到 over a branch in the tree,
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箭上绑着鱼线,之后鱼线缠住了树上的一根树枝,
07:49
and then you ascend up a rope which哪一个 has been dragged into the tree by the line线.
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然后你可以爬上那根鱼线拖着的绳子,
07:53
You ascend 30 stories故事.
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直上30层楼高。
07:55
There are two people climbing攀登 this tree, Gaya伽耶,
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有两个人正爬着这棵树——盖亚(Gaia,希腊神话中的大地女神),
07:58
which哪一个 is thought to be one of the oldest最老的 Redwoods红杉. There they are.
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它被认为是最古老的红杉之一。那是他们两人。
08:01
They are only one-seventh七分之一 of the way up that tree.
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他们只到了树身的1/7处,
08:05
You do feel a sense of exposure曝光.
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你一定有一丝刺眼的感觉。
08:07
There is a small person right down there on the ground地面.
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就在下面有个小人。
08:10
You feel like you're climbing攀登 a wall of wood.
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你会觉得你在爬一堵树墙,
08:12
But then you enter输入 the Redwood红木 canopy华盖,
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然而你却来到了树冠层,
08:14
and it's like coming未来 through通过 a layer of clouds.
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那感觉就像穿越一个云层。
08:17
And all of a sudden突然, you lose失去 sight视力 of the ground地面,
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突然之间,你再也看不见地面了,
08:20
and you also lose失去 sight视力 of the sky天空,
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天空也看不见了,
08:22
and you're in a three-dimensional三维 labyrinth迷宫 in the air空气
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你身处于一个空中三维迷宫
08:25
filled填充 with hanging gardens花园 of ferns蕨类植物 growing生长 out of soil,
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里面悬着一丛丛由土壤长出来的蕨类植物,
08:28
which哪一个 is populated人口稠密 with all kinds of small organisms生物.
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而土里生活着各式各样的生物。
08:32
There are epiphytes附生植物, plants植物 that grow增长 on trees树木.
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这是附生植物,一种长在树上的植物。
08:35
These are huckleberry越橘 bushes灌木丛.
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这些是越橘丛。
08:37
Many许多 species种类 of mosses苔藓, and then all sorts排序 of lichens地衣 just plastering抹灰 the tree.
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很多种类的苔藓,还有各种的地衣贴在了树上。
08:43
When you get near the top最佳 of the tree, you feel like you can't fall秋季 --
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当你接近树顶的时候,你觉得你不可能掉下去——
08:46
in fact事实, it's difficult to move移动.
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实际上,上面寸步难行。
08:48
You're worming驱虫 your way through通过 branches分支机构 which哪一个 are crowded
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你只能像虫子一样在茂密的树枝里慢慢向前蠕动
08:51
with living活的 things that don't occur发生 near the ground地面.
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而树枝间充满了在地面上不会出现的生物。
08:54
It's like scuba水肺 diving潜水 into a coral珊瑚 reef,
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这感觉就像潜入一个珊瑚礁,
08:56
except you're going upward向上 instead代替 of downward向下.
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只是你现在是向上走而不是向下潜。
08:58
And then the trees树木 tend趋向 to flare闪光 out into platform-like平台类 areas at the top最佳.
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这些树会向外伸展,在顶部形成一个平台。
09:02
Maria's玛丽亚 sitting坐在 on one of them.
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玛丽亚坐在其中的一个上。
09:04
These limbs四肢 could be five to six hundred years年份 old.
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这些大树枝可能有五六百岁了。
09:06
Redwoods红杉 grow增长 very slowly慢慢地 in their tops上衣.
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红杉的顶部生长得很慢。
09:09
They also have a feature特征: thickets灌丛 of huckleberry越橘 bushes灌木丛
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他们还有另外一个特点:一簇簇的越橘丛
09:12
that grow增长 out of the tops上衣 of Redwood红木 trees树木
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从红杉顶长出来,
09:14
that are technically技术上 known已知 as huckleberry越橘 afrosafros,
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我们专门称其为“越橘爆炸头”,
09:17
and you can sit there and snack小吃 on the berries浆果 while you're resting休息.
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当你休息的时候,你可以坐在那,品尝这些浆果。
09:21
Redwoods红杉 have an enormous巨大 surface表面 area that extends扩展 upward向上 into space空间
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红杉树向外延伸的表面积很巨大
09:26
because they have a propensity倾向 to do something called reiteration重申.
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因为他们有我们称之为“横向生长”的倾向。
09:30
A Redwood红木 is a fractal分形. And as they put out limbs四肢,
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红杉是一种不规则的生物。随着他们的枝干向外伸展,
09:34
the limbs四肢 burst爆裂 into small trees树木, copies副本 of the Redwood红木.
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这些枝干会爆芽,长成小的红杉树。
09:39
Now, here we see a reiteration重申 in Chronos克罗诺斯, one of the older旧的 Redwoods红杉.
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现在我们看到的是一棵侧苗,它长在名为“克罗诺斯”(Cronus,希腊神话中的时间之神)这棵年长的红杉上。
09:43
This reiteration重申 is a huge巨大 flying飞行 buttress支持
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这棵侧木像一个巨型飞拱
09:47
that comes out the tree itself本身.
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从这棵树里长出来。
09:49
This buttress支持 is less than halfway up the tree.
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这个树垛不到树身的一半。
09:52
And then it bursts连发 into a forest森林 of Redwoods红杉.
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然后它萌发出一片红杉林。
09:55
This particular特定 extra额外 trunk树干 is a meter仪表 across横过 at the base基础
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这根特别的额外树干在它底座那有一米宽
10:00
and extends扩展 upward向上 for 150 feet.
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向上伸至46米。
10:02
It's as big as any of the biggest最大 trees树木 east of the Mississippi密西西比州 River,
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它跟任何一株在密西西比河东岸最大的树一样高大,
10:06
and yet然而 it's only a minor次要 feature特征 on Chronos克罗诺斯.
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却只是克罗诺斯上的一个小特征而已。
10:09
This three-dimensional三维 map地图 of the crown王冠 structure结构体 of a Redwood红木 named命名 IluvatarIluvatar,
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这张是名为“伊卢瓦塔”(Illuvatar,托尔金魔戒三部曲中的众生之父)的红杉其树冠结构的三维图,
10:15
made制作 by Steve史蒂夫 Sillett西莱特, Marie玛丽 Antoine安托万 and their colleagues同事, gives you an idea理念.
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由史蒂夫,玛丽·安东尼,以及他们的同事绘制,它能让你更好理解一些。
10:19
What you're seeing眼看 here is a hierarchical分级 schematic概要 development发展
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你现在看到的是一个分层发展模式的示意图,
10:23
of the trunks树干 of this tree as it has elaborated详尽的 itself本身 over time into six layers of fractal分形,
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它展现了这棵树的树枝是怎样慢慢地长出六层复合树枝结构的,
10:29
of trunks树干 springing雨后春笋 from trunks树干 springing雨后春笋 from trunks树干.
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以及树枝怎样从树枝中长出来。
10:34
I asked Steve史蒂夫 to put a human人的 being存在 in this to give a sense of scale规模.
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我让史蒂夫将一个人放到那里好让大家感受一下它的大小.
10:39
There's the person, right there. The person is waving挥手 to us.
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那个人就在那。他在向我们招手。
10:44
I've wanted to ask Craig克雷格 Venter腹部 if it would be possible可能 to insert
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我曾想问克雷格·文特尔可不可以
10:50
a synthetic合成的 chromosome染色体 into a human人的
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将一条人工合成的染色体植入人体
10:52
so that we could reiterate重申 ourselves我们自己 if we wanted to.
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好让我们能随心所欲地侧生。
10:56
And if we were able能够 to reiterate重申, then the fingers手指 of our hand
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如果我们能够做到的话,那么我们的手指
10:59
would be people who looked看着 like us,
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就可以长成像我们一样的人了,
11:03
and they would have people on their hands and so on.
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而在他们的手指也会长出很多人,如此下去。
11:06
And if we had Redwood-like红木样 biology生物学,
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又如果我们有红杉般的生理机制,
11:08
we would have six layers of people on our hands, as it were.
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可以说,我们的手就能长出六层的人。
11:12
And it would be a lovely可爱 thing to be able能够 to wave to someone有人
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如果能够让我们所有的手指上的人们同时向某人挥手的话
11:14
and have all our reiterations叠架 wave at the same相同 time.
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那将是多么可爱啊。
11:18
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑声)
11:20
To reiterate重申 the point, let's go closer接近 into IluvatarIluvatar.
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重申一下这一点,让我们走近伊路瓦塔。
11:26
We're looking at that yellow黄色 box.
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我们现在看到那个黄色的盒子。
11:29
And this hallucinatory幻觉 drawing画画 shows节目 you --
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这张幻觉般的图画向你展现——
11:31
everything you see in this drawing画画 is IluvatarIluvatar.
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在这张图画里你看到的所有东西就是伊路瓦塔。
11:35
These are millennial千年 structures结构 -- portions of the tree
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这些是千年结构——
11:38
that are believed相信 to be more than 1,000 years年份 old.
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那些被认为超过1000岁的部分。
11:40
There are four humans人类 in this shot射击 -- one, two, three, four.
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在这张照片里有四个人——一,二,三,四。
11:48
And there's also something that I want to show显示 you.
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我还有一些东西给你们展示一下。
11:51
This is a flying飞行 buttress支持.
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这是一个飞拱。
11:54
Redwoods红杉 grow增长 back into themselves他们自己 as they expand扩大 into space空间,
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红杉向周围空间延伸的时候同时也向自身生长,
11:58
and this flying飞行 buttress支持 is a limb shot射击 out of that small trunk树干,
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这个飞拱就是那根小树干长出的一根树枝,
12:01
going back into the main主要 trunk树干 and fusing定影 with it.
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它向主干生长,与之糅合。
12:04
Flying飞行 buttresses支墩, just as in a cathedral大教堂, help strengthen加强 the crown王冠 of the tree
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这些飞拱,正如在一座大教堂里一样,强化了树冠
12:08
and help the tree exist存在 longer through通过 time.
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也让这些树活得更久。
12:12
The scientists科学家们 are doing all kinds of experiments实验 in these trees树木.
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科学家在这些树上做着各种各样的实验。
12:16
They've他们已经 wired有线 them like patients耐心 in an ICUICU.
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他们将树像重症护理病房的病人一样用铁丝环绕起来。
12:19
They're finding发现 out that Redwoods红杉 can move移动 moisture湿气 out of the air空气
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他们发现红杉可以吸收空气中的水分
12:22
and down into their trunks树干,
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至它们的树干里,
12:24
possibly或者 all the way into their root systems系统.
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很有可能一路送到它们的根部系统。
12:26
They also have the ability能力 to put roots anywhere随地 in the tree itself本身.
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他们还有能力将自己的根放到树内的任何地方。
12:30
If a portion一部分 of a Redwood红木 is rotting腐烂,
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如果红杉有一部分在腐烂,
12:32
the Redwood红木 will send发送 roots into its own拥有 form形成
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红杉就会将这些根收回体内
12:35
and draw nutrients营养成分 out of itself本身 as it falls下降 apart距离.
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在它溃坏的同时吸收其营养。
12:39
If we had Redwood-like红木样 biology生物学, if we got a touch触摸 of gangrene坏疽 in our arm
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如果我们有红杉一般的生理机制,如果我们的手臂有某处坏死了
12:43
then we could just, you know,
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你知道,那么我们就可以,
12:45
extract提取 the nutrients营养成分 extract提取 the nutrients营养成分 and the moisture湿气 out of it until直到 it fell下跌 off.
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吸收这部分的营养跟水分直至其脱落。
12:50
Canopy华盖 soil can occur发生 up to a meter仪表 deep,
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树冠的泥土可以有一米厚,
12:53
hundreds数以百计 of feet above以上 the ground地面, and there are organisms生物 in this soil
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离地面几百英尺,里面还有很多生物
12:57
that have, as yet然而, no names.
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至今为止都还没有名字。
12:59
This is an unnamed无名 species种类 of copepod桡足类. A copepod桡足类 is a crustacean甲壳动物.
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这是一个还没被命名的桡足类动物。桡足类动物属甲壳纲。
13:04
These copepods桡足类 are a major重大的 constituent组分 of the oceans海洋,
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这些桡足类是海洋里的一种主要动物,
13:09
and they are a major重大的 part部分 of the diet饮食 of grazing放牧 baleen鲸须 whales鲸鱼.
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他们也是须鲸的主要食粮。
13:13
What they're doing in the Redwood红木 forest森林 canopy华盖 soil
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关于他们在离海洋几百英尺高的红杉林树冠的土壤里做着什么
13:17
hundreds数以百计 of feet above以上 the ocean海洋, or how they got there,
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或他们是怎么到达那里的,
13:20
is completely全然 unknown未知.
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我们完全不知道。
13:22
There are some interesting有趣 theories理论
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有些有趣的理论
13:24
that, if I had time, I would tell you about.
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如果我有时间的话,我会告诉你们的。
13:26
But as you go and you look closer接近 at a tree,
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不过当你走近一棵树并仔细看看,
13:28
what you see is, you see increasing增加 complexity复杂.
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你看到的将越来越复杂。
13:31
We're looking at the very top最佳 of Gaya伽耶, which哪一个 is thought to be the oldest最老的 Redwood红木.
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我们现在所看的是盖亚的树顶,它被认为是最古老的红杉。
13:35
Gaya伽耶 may可能 be 3,000 to 5,000 years年份 old,
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盖亚可能有3000到5000岁,
13:40
no one really knows知道, but its top最佳 has broken破碎 off
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没有人真正知道,不过它的树顶曾经折断过
13:43
and it's been rotting腐烂 back now.
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现在它在往内腐烂。
13:45
This little Japanese日本 garden-like花园式 creation创建 probably大概 took 700 years年份
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这棵像是小型日本花园盆栽的树可能花了700年
13:51
to form形成 in its complexity复杂 that we see right now.
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才形成我们现在看到的复杂结构。
13:55
As you look at a tree, it takes a magnifying放大 glass玻璃 to see a giant巨人 tree.
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当你“看”一棵树时,你需要一副放大镜来真正“看到”一棵巨型树。
14:00
I have to show显示 you something unfortunately不幸 very sad伤心
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在这个讲座快要结束的此刻
14:03
at the conclusion结论 of this talk.
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我要向你们展示一些不幸的东西。
14:05
The Eastern Hemlock毒草名 tree has often经常 been described描述 as the Redwood红木 of the East.
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加拿大铁杉经常被描述为“东方的红杉”。
14:09
And we're moving移动 in a full充分 circle now.
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而我们现在正在一个完整的循环之中。
14:11
In the 1950s, a small organism生物 appeared出现 in Richmond里士满, Virginia弗吉尼亚州,
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20世纪50年代,一种小型生物出现在弗吉尼亚州的里士满,
14:16
called the Hemlock毒草名 woolly长毛 adelgidadelgid.
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它们被称作铁杉球蚜。
14:18
It made制作 a trans-species跨物种 jump out of some other organism生物 in Asia亚洲,
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它们越过一些亚洲其它的物种,
14:22
where it was living活的 on Hemlock毒草名 trees树木 in Asia亚洲.
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之前它们生活在亚洲的铁杉树上。
14:25
When it moved移动 into its new host主办, the Eastern Hemlock毒草名 tree,
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当它们进驻它们新的宿主——加拿大铁杉,
14:29
it escaped逃脱 its predators大鳄, and the new tree had no resistance抵抗性 to it.
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它们避离了他们的天敌,而这种新树对其毫无抵抗力。
14:33
The Eastern Hemlock毒草名 forest森林 is being存在 considered考虑 in some ways方法
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在某种程度上,加拿大铁杉树林被认为是
14:37
the last fragments片段 of primeval原始 rainforest雨林 east of the Mississippi密西西比州 River.
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密西西比河东部原始雨林的最后一部分。
14:42
I hadn't有没有 even known已知 that there were rainforests热带雨林 in the east,
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我以前并不知道东部原来还有雨林,
14:45
but in Great Smoky Mountains National国民 Park公园
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不过在大烟山国家公园里
14:48
it can rain up to 100 inches英寸 of rain a year.
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每年雨量可达到25400毫米。
14:53
And in the last two to three summers夏天, these invasive侵入的 organisms生物,
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而且在最近两到三个夏天里,这些侵略性生物,
15:00
this kind of Ebola埃博拉病毒 of the trees树木, as it were,
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有如扩散在树木中的“埃博拉病毒”,
15:03
has swept风靡 through通过 the primeval原始 Hemlock毒草名 forest森林 of the east,
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已经横扫了东部整个的原始铁杉林,
15:07
and has absolutely绝对 wiped it out. I climbed爬上 there this past过去 summer夏季.
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使它们完全灭绝。去年夏天我去那里进行爬树之旅。
15:12
This is Great Smoky Mountains National国民 Park公园,
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这是大烟山国家公园,
15:14
and the Hemlocks铁杉 are dead as far as the eye can see.
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而眼睛所及之处的铁杉均已死去。
15:19
And what we're seeing眼看 is not just the potential潜在 death死亡
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而且我们现在看着的并不仅仅是
15:22
of the Eastern Hemlock毒草名 species种类 --
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加拿大铁杉灭绝的可能——
15:25
that is to say, its extinction灭绝 from nature性质 due应有 to this invading入侵 parasite寄生物 --
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换句话说,它们将灭绝于这种侵略性的寄生体——
15:29
but we're also seeing眼看 the death死亡 of an incredibly令人难以置信 complex复杂 ecosystem生态系统
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我们看到的更是一个令人难以置信般复杂的生态系统的死去
15:34
for which哪一个 these trees树木 are merely仅仅 the substrate基质
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因为这些树是一个基座,
15:37
for the aerial天线 labyrinth迷宫 of the sky天空 that exists存在 in their crowns.
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一个支撑着那些长在树冠上空中生态迷宫的基座。
15:43
It's absolutely绝对 heartbreaking令人心碎 to see.
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看到这些实在是令人心碎。
15:46
One of the things that is just -- I almost几乎 can't conceive构想 it --
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而有件事情我几乎无法理解——
15:50
is the idea理念 that the national国民 news新闻 media媒体 hasn't有没有 picked采摘的 this up at all,
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国家的新闻媒体居然对这毫不关心,
15:54
and this is the devastation毁坏 of one of the most important重要 ecosystems生态系统 in North America美国.
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尽管这意味着北美最重要生态系统之一的毁灭。
16:02
What can the Redwoods红杉 tell us about ourselves我们自己?
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红杉树又能告诉我们关于我们自己的什么呢?
16:05
Well, I think they can tell us something about human人的 time.
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我想,它们可以告诉我们一些关于人类时间的东西。
16:08
The flickering闪烁, transitory短暂的 quality质量 of human人的 time
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人类时间的转瞬即逝
16:13
and the brevity简短 of human人的 life -- the necessity必要性 to love.
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以及人类生命的短暂——它告诉我们爱的需要。
16:18
But we're different不同 from trees树木, and they can also teach us
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但我们跟树不一样,他们还教会我们
16:20
something about ourselves我们自己 in the differences分歧 that we have.
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我们自己身上存在哪些不同点。
16:23
We are human人的, and we have the capacity容量 to love,
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我们是人类,我们可以爱,
16:26
we have the capacity容量 to wonder奇迹, and we have a sort分类 of
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我们可以询问,我们还有一种
16:30
boundless漫漫 curiosity好奇心, a restless不安 inquisitiveness好奇心
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无边的好奇心,以及永不休止的求知欲
16:35
that so suits西装 us as primates灵长类动物, I think.
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我想,这些跟我们作为灵长类是多么匹配啊。
16:38
And at least最小 for me, personally亲自, the trees树木 have taught me
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而对我个人来说,这些树木至少教会了我
16:42
an entirely完全 new way of loving爱心 my children孩子.
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一种全新的去爱我的孩子的方式。
16:45
Exploring探索 with them the forest森林 canopy华盖
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与他们一起在树冠里探险
16:47
has been one of the most lovely可爱 things of my existence存在 on Earth地球.
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是我生命里最美好的事情之一。
16:51
And I think that one of the happiest最幸福 things is the sense that
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我又想,另外一件最快乐的事情,就是
16:56
with my children孩子 I've been able能够 to introduce介绍 them
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我可以向他们介绍
16:59
into the very small circle of humans人类 who are lucky幸运 enough足够,
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这些十分幸运,
17:03
or possibly或者 stupid enough足够, to still climb trees树木.
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或者说,十分愚蠢的,仍在爬着树的人们。
17:07
Thank you very much.
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非常感谢你们。
17:09
(Applause掌声)
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(掌声)
17:20
Chris克里斯 Anderson安德森: I think at a previous以前 TEDTED,
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克里斯·安德森:我想到了之前的一个TED讲座,
17:23
I think it was Nathan弥敦道 Myhrvold梅尔沃德 who told me that it was thought that
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我想那是纳森·梅尔沃德,他告诉我
17:27
because these trees树木 are like, 2,000 years年份 and older旧的,
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这些树大概有2000岁或更老,
17:30
on many许多 of them there are ecosystems生态系统 where there are species种类
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而很多棵树本身就是一个独特生态系统
17:33
that are not found发现 anywhere随地 on the Earth地球
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里面有着无法在别处找到的物种,
17:35
except on that one tree. Is that correct正确?
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除非在仅仅的那一棵红杉身上。是么?
17:38
Richard理查德 Preston普雷斯顿: Yes, that is correct正确. I mentioned提到 Hyperion海波, the world's世界 tallest最高 tree.
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理查德·普雷斯顿:是的。我提到了亥帕龙神,这棵世界上最高的树。
17:43
And I was a member会员 of a climbing攀登 team球队 that made制作 the first climb of it, in 2006.
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在2006年,我是首个爬这棵树的攀登队的成员之一。
17:48
And while we were climbing攀登 Hyperion海波, Marie玛丽 Antoine安托万 spotted
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当我们在爬亥帕龙神的时候,马莉·安东尼发现
17:52
an unknown未知 species种类 of golden-brown金黄色 ant蚂蚁 about halfway up the trunk树干.
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一种未知的金棕蚁在树干的半腰处。
17:58
Ants蚂蚁 are not known已知 to occur发生 in Redwood红木 trees树木, curiously好奇 enough足够,
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据我们所知,蚁类不会出现在红杉树上,这很奇怪,
18:01
and we wondered想知道 whether是否 this ant蚂蚁, this species种类 of ant蚂蚁,
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我们疑惑,是否这个蚂蚁,或这种蚂蚁,
18:04
was only endemic流行 to that one tree, or possibly或者 to that grove树林.
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只在这棵树或它所在的那个树丛里才特有。
18:08
And in subsequent随后 climbs攀登 they could never find that ant蚂蚁 again,
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而在接下来的攀登中他们再也找不到那只蚂蚁了,
18:11
and so no specimens标本 have ever been collected.
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所以,我们没能收集到标本。
18:13
We don't know what it is -- we just know it's there.
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我们不知道那是什么,我们只知道他们在那里。
18:17
CACA: So, you have to wonder奇迹 when, you know,
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CA:那么,我们需要询问的是
18:19
if some other species种类 than us was recording记录 the stories故事 that mattered要紧 on Earth地球,
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是否有着其它一些物种在记录着地球上那些重要的故事,
18:25
you know, our stories故事 are about Iraq伊拉克 and war战争 and politics政治 and celebrity名人 gossip八卦.
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正如你知道的,对于我们的故事,那就是伊拉克和战争和政治,以及关于名人的闲话。
18:31
You've just told us a different不同 story故事 of this tragic悲惨 arms武器 race种族 that's happening事件,
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你刚才告诉了我们一个与众不同的故事,如果这些可悲的军备竞赛继续下去,
18:35
and maybe whole整个 ecosystems生态系统 gone走了 forever永远.
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那么地球所有的生态系统都会永远毁灭。
18:38
It's an amazing惊人 sense of wonder奇迹 you've given特定 me,
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你给了我一种惊异的感觉,
18:40
and a sense of just how fragile脆弱 this whole整个 thing is.
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并让我了解到了这整个系统是多么的脆弱。
18:43
RPRP: It is fragile脆弱, and you know, I think about emerging新兴 human人的 diseases疾病 --
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RP:她是脆弱的,你知道,我想到了新兴的人类疾病——
18:47
parasites寄生虫 that move移动 into the human人的 species种类.
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那些能感染人类的寄生生物。
18:50
But that's just a very small facet
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但相对于全世界各个生态系统的物种入侵这个更大的问题来说,
18:53
of a much greater更大 problem问题 of invasions入侵 of species种类 worldwide全世界,
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那只是很小的一个方面,
18:57
all through通过 the ecosystems生态系统, and you know, the Earth地球 itself本身 --
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你知道,地球本身——
18:59
CACA: Partly部分地 caused造成 by us, inadvertently不经意间.
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CA:部分原因是我们造成的,并且是无意的。
19:02
RPRP: Caused造成 by humans人类. Caused造成 by the movement运动 of humans人类.
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RP:因人类而起,因人类的行为而起。
19:05
You can think of the Earth's地球 biosphere生物圈 as a palace,
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你可以联想一下,地球的生物圈是一个宫殿,
19:10
and the continents大陆 are rooms客房 in the palace,
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而各大陆是宫殿里的房间,
19:13
and the islands岛屿 are small rooms客房.
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岛屿则是其中小房间。
19:15
But lately最近, the doors of the palace have been flung甩到 open打开,
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可是最近,这个宫殿内的门被猛然甩开,
19:19
and the walls墙壁 are coming未来 down.
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里面的墙也正在坍塌。
19:22
CACA: Richard理查德 Preston普雷斯顿, thank you very much, I think.
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CA:理查德·雷斯顿,非常感谢。
19:24
RPRP: Thank you.
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RP:谢谢。
Translated by Eugene Yang
Reviewed by Zhu Jie

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Richard Preston - Writer
Richard Preston wrote The Hot Zone, a classic look at the Ebola virus and the scientists who fight it. His wide-ranging curiosity about science and people has led him to cover a dizzying list of topics, with a lapidary attention to detail and an ear for the human voice.

Why you should listen

Richard Preston is one of the only humans to have climbed Hyperion, a nearly 380-foot redwood tree that is the tallest living thing on Earth. Hyperion was discovered by explorer Michael Taylor while Preston was writing his latest full-length book, The Wild Trees. 

His earlier book The Hot Zone sold millions of copies, spawned a movie, and made the Ebola virus horrifyingly familiar. The book is part of his Dark Biology trilogy, which includes the novel The Cobra Event and The Demon in the Freezer, a look at the bioterror implications of smallpox. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker. His latest book, Panic in Level Four, is a collection of reportage on a wonderful range of topics, from mathematical geniuses to trees to one of the most shocking medical conditions you can imagine. (This is the book that was passed around the TED offices with the note, "Don't read the final chapter while eating.")

More profile about the speaker
Richard Preston | Speaker | TED.com