TED@NAS
Kelsey Johnson: The problem of light pollution -- and 5 ridiculously easy ways to fix it
凯尔西·约翰逊: 光污染的问题——和五个极其简单的解决办法
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你在夜晚仰望过星空吗？除非我们现在就行动，不然这样的美景正危在旦夕——凯尔西·约翰逊（Kelsey Johnson）说道。在这场奇妙又风趣的演讲中，她解释了光污染是如何影响地球上的所有物种（包括我们人类），也分享了五个极其简单的方法来解决这个问题，你也可以做到。
Kelsey Johnson - Astrophysicist, writer, educator
Kelsey Johnson has spent her life in awe of the universe, and she works to inspire that awe in future generations. Full bio
Kelsey Johnson has spent her life in awe of the universe, and she works to inspire that awe in future generations. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
Unless you've spent quality time
on the International Space Station,
on the International Space Station,
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除非你在国际空间站待过些时日，
这个景色可能对你很陌生。
00:17
this is probably not a view
you are super familiar with.
you are super familiar with.
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这是美国的东海岸。
00:20
This is the east coast
of the United States.
of the United States.
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右下角就是纽约，
00:23
That's New York down there
in the lower right,
in the lower right,
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那条光带直通华盛顿哥伦比亚特区。
00:26
and it's a band of light
all the way up through Washington DC.
all the way up through Washington DC.
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这些城市像珠宝闪耀，
00:30
Those cities are shining like jewels,
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网状的光路点缀着高速公路。
00:32
highways are traced by webs of light.
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这些光看上去十分上镜。
00:36
And all of that light is super photogenic.
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但是有一个问题。
00:39
But there's a problem.
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这些光本该照亮我们的人行道、
00:41
That light is meant to be
illuminating our sidewalks,
illuminating our sidewalks,
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我们街道，和房屋。
00:45
and our streets and our houses.
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但是与此同时，
这些光也照亮了天空，
这些光也照亮了天空，
00:48
Instead, it's actually
going up into the sky
going up into the sky
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发射到宇宙中，
00:50
and out into the universe,
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而这对我们毫无利处。
00:52
where it's not doing any of us any good.
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当我看到地球的这张图片时，
00:55
When I see photos of this, of the Earth,
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我看到的是一场环境灾难。
00:59
I see environmental catastrophe.
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这些不是珠宝，
01:02
Those aren't jewels,
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而是毒瘤。
01:04
those are tumors.
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我是一名天文学家，
01:07
I'm an astronomer,
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01:09
so it's really no surprise
probably to anyone
probably to anyone
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我迷恋夜空，
这也应该不足为奇。
01:11
that I've always loved the night sky.
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我自己有点像行走的陈词滥调。
01:14
I'm kind of a walking cliché.
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但是当我在明尼苏达州长大时，
01:18
But when I was growing up in Minnesota,
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我最喜欢做的事，就是在夏夜，
01:21
one of my favorite things to do
on a summer evening
on a summer evening
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拿上我旧旧的布安妮睡袋
01:24
was grab my old Raggedy Ann sleeping bag
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到我家后面的田野里，
01:27
and take it out into a field
behind my house,
behind my house,
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整宿地观望夜空。
01:29
where I would spend hours
looking at the night sky.
looking at the night sky.
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为此，我不仅要征服黑暗，
01:32
And to do this, I had to brave
not only the darkness,
not only the darkness,
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还要忍受蜂拥而至的蚊虫，
01:36
but also swarms of mosquitoes,
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而且我睡袋的气味也不怎么好闻。
01:38
and my sleeping bag
really didn't smell very good.
really didn't smell very good.
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（笑声）
01:41
(Laughter)
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但是有那么一颗特别的星星，
01:44
But there was one particular star
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我每夜都在寻找。
01:47
that I would look for, night after night.
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然后我会自己玩这样的一个游戏：
01:49
And then I would play this game
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我会紧盯着那颗星星，
01:51
where I would try to focus
on that star so intensely,
on that star so intensely,
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直到其它的一切都
都从我的视野里渐渐淡去，
都从我的视野里渐渐淡去，
01:55
that everything else
would fade from my view
would fade from my view
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而那颗星星
是我唯一可以看到的东西。
是我唯一可以看到的东西。
01:57
and that single star
would be all that I could see.
would be all that I could see.
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像那样集中注意力，
02:00
I could only ever hold on to that focus
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我只能维持几个瞬间。
02:03
for a few fleeting moments.
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但每当我这么做时，
02:05
But when I did,
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我感受到了自己
和宇宙之间的深刻连接。
和宇宙之间的深刻连接。
02:06
I felt this deep sense
of connection to the universe.
of connection to the universe.
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一股眩晕感袭来，
02:10
And almost a sense of vertigo,
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我感觉自己仿佛掉入了太空中。
02:14
like I was going to fall into space.
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当这种感觉出现时——
02:18
And when this happened --
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我知道这听上去很可笑，
02:20
I know this sounds kind of ridiculous,
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但是我同时也感到
这种深不可测的渺小，
这种深不可测的渺小，
02:22
but I would simultaneously feel
unfathomably insignificant
unfathomably insignificant
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又莫名的重要。
02:28
and also kind of weirdly important.
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那颗我夜夜观望的星星叫织女星。
02:31
That star I looked to
night after night was called Vega.
night after night was called Vega.
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织女星是天琴座中最明亮的恒星，
02:35
Vega is the brightest star
in the constellation Lyra,
in the constellation Lyra,
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并非巧合，
这也是我狗狗的名字。
这也是我狗狗的名字。
02:39
which is not coincidentally
the name of one of my dogs.
the name of one of my dogs.
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（笑声）
02:42
(Laughter)
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但是这个体验正在逐渐消失。
02:44
But this experience is being lost.
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我最喜欢的星座，天琴座，
02:47
My favorite constellation, Lyra,
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在曼哈顿的夜空中看上去是这样的。
02:49
this is what it would look like
from Manhattan.
from Manhattan.
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对于住在城市和郊区中的人们，
02:52
For people who live in urban
and suburban environments,
and suburban environments,
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如果他们仰望夜空，
02:54
if they go outside at night and look up,
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他们无法对宇宙的雄伟心生敬畏，
02:57
instead of being awestruck
by the majesty of the universe,
by the majesty of the universe,
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因为他们在空中
几乎什么也看不见。
几乎什么也看不见。
03:02
they see pretty much nothing.
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这些不起眼的、看似空旷的夜空，
03:05
These unremarkable,
completely blank night skies,
completely blank night skies,
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当然都是因为
我们在夜晚产生的灯光。
我们在夜晚产生的灯光。
03:10
of course are due to all of the light
we produce at night.
we produce at night.
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正是那些我们从太空中看到的光
03:14
Those very same lights
we see all the way from space
we see all the way from space
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直射到大气层中，
03:16
are shining up into the atmosphere,
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到处反射，形成光雾。
03:18
where they bounce around
and create this featureless smog of light.
and create this featureless smog of light.
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这平淡无奇的光雾有一个名字。
03:23
And that featureless
smog of light has a name.
smog of light has a name.
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它叫光污染。
03:26
It's called light pollution.
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作为一名天文学家，
03:28
As an astronomer,
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我可以通过恒星的亮度
03:29
I can actually tell
how bad light pollution is
how bad light pollution is
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判断光污染的严重性。
03:32
by the brightness of stars
I can see in the sky.
I can see in the sky.
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事实证明，
03:35
And it turns out
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如果你想解开宇宙之谜，
03:36
that when you're trying to unlock
the secrets of the cosmos,
the secrets of the cosmos,
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首先得能看到宇宙才行。
03:39
it's really helpful
to be able to see the cosmos.
to be able to see the cosmos.
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而且——
03:43
And --
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（笑声）
03:44
[Laughs]
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03:45
Truth.
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是真的。
而且这些我们想要探测到的光
03:48
And this light that we're trying to detect
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是从几百万或数十亿光年外来的，
03:50
is coming from millions or billions
of light-years away,
of light-years away,
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所以通常都比较暗淡。
03:54
and so it's generally pretty faint.
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作为一名天文学家，
03:58
And as an astronomer,
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为了正常工作，
我每天都与光污染作斗争，
我每天都与光污染作斗争，
03:59
I fight with this every day to do my job,
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而且我必须告诉你们，
这是一个很严重的问题。
这是一个很严重的问题。
04:02
and I have to tell you,
it is a really big problem.
it is a really big problem.
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这个问题的严重性
远远超过了
远远超过了
04:08
But the problem is far worse
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失去观赏星空的异想天开的能力。
04:12
than just losing some
whimsical ability to gaze at the stars.
whimsical ability to gaze at the stars.
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比方说，
04:17
For example,
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无数的动植物也受到了影响。
04:18
countless plant and animal
species are affected.
species are affected.
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我们可以说说海龟，
04:21
So we could talk about sea turtles
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或传粉昆虫，
04:24
or pollinators
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或任何这些非常重要的，
04:27
or any of these super important species
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同时也很可爱的物种。
04:30
that are also cute.
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但是，我想要讲的
04:32
Instead, I want to talk
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是这些不起眼的犬峨螺。
04:33
about these quietly unassuming dog whelks.
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你们可能见过它们，
04:37
You may have seen them around
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但并没有多加留意。
04:38
and not given them
really a whole lot of thought.
really a whole lot of thought.
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但是它们其实挺特别。
04:41
But they're pretty cool.
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在一整年中，
04:42
So in an entire year
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一只犬峨螺移动很少超过十米。
04:44
a dog whelk will rarely move
more than about 10 meters.
more than about 10 meters.
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这意味着当它们攻击猎物时，
04:48
That means that when
they are attacking their prey
they are attacking their prey
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它们会以每小时一毫米的速度冲刺，
04:52
they can hit this brisk pace
of about a millimeter an hour.
of about a millimeter an hour.
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而且——
04:56
And --
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（笑声）
04:58
(Laughter)
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这其实还凑合，
05:01
This works out OK,
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因为它们攻击的是藤壶。
05:02
because they attack things like barnacles.
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（笑声）
05:05
(Laughter)
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这些犬峨螺生活在海岸区的潮间带，
05:10
So these dog whelks live
in the intertidal area of coasts,
in the intertidal area of coasts,
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在这里，
05:14
where, it turns out,
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它们是生态系统中关键的组成部分。
05:16
they're a pretty key part
of the ecosystem.
of the ecosystem.
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它们不仅是重要的
无脊柱动物的捕食者，
无脊柱动物的捕食者，
05:18
Not only are they one of the most
dominant invertebrate predators,
dominant invertebrate predators,
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对于螃蟹和鸟类来说，它们也很可口。
05:23
but other animals, like crabs and birds,
think they're pretty tasty.
think they're pretty tasty.
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所以对这些可怜的螺来说，
它们处于岌岌可危之地，
它们处于岌岌可危之地，
05:28
So that leaves these poor snails
in a kind of precarious situation,
in a kind of precarious situation,
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因为如果它们到浅水区，
05:31
because if they go too low in the water,
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就会受到螃蟹的威胁，
05:34
then crabs are a threat,
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但是如果进到深水区，
05:35
but if they come out of the water too far,
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就会成为鸟类的美餐。
05:38
birds are going to have a feast.
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一名天文学家
为什么要和你们讲犬峨螺？
为什么要和你们讲犬峨螺？
05:41
Why is an astronomer
telling you about dog whelks?
telling you about dog whelks?
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我也在自问。
05:45
I ask that myself.
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因为它们的行为
会受到光污染的影响。
会受到光污染的影响。
05:47
Because their behavior
is impacted by light pollution.
is impacted by light pollution.
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举例来说，
05:51
For example,
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如果犬峨螺在夜晚
遭受人造光源的影响，
遭受人造光源的影响，
05:52
if dog whelks are subjected
to artificial light at night
to artificial light at night
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它们可能有成倍的几率
会和捕食者一同待在水下。
会和捕食者一同待在水下。
05:55
they're about twice as likely
to stay under the water with a predator.
to stay under the water with a predator.
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这会把它们置于更大的险地，
05:59
And that puts them at increased risk.
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而它们又无法迅速脱身。
06:01
And it's not like they can make
a speedy escape.
a speedy escape.
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所以这些——
06:04
And so these --
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（笑声）
06:05
(Laughter)
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另一个问题是它们移动得真的：
06:07
And the other issue
is because they literally move
is because they literally move
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慢如蜗牛。
06:09
at a snail's pace.
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如果一个种群被消灭，
06:11
If a population is wiped out,
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需要数十年才能慢慢恢复。
06:14
it can take decades to replenish.
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而这又会影响它们其余的生态系统
06:17
And that, in turn, affects
the rest of their ecosystem
the rest of their ecosystem
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和其它的物种，
比如鸟类，藤壶和螃蟹。
比如鸟类，藤壶和螃蟹。
06:19
and the other species, like the birds
and the barnacles and the crabs.
and the barnacles and the crabs.
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这只是一个又小又黏的例子，
06:23
So this is just one
small and slimy example
small and slimy example
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来展示光污染是如何
对整个生态系统
对整个生态系统
06:27
of how light pollution
can unleash a cascade effect
can unleash a cascade effect
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产生级联效应的。
06:30
on an entire ecosystem.
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几乎每一个至今被研究过的物种
06:32
Virtually every species
that has been studied to date
that has been studied to date
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都受到了光污染的影响，
06:37
is impacted by light pollution.
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其中也包括人类。
06:39
And that includes humans.
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接下来讲讲我们自己。
06:40
So let's talk about us.
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你们可能已经听说过
06:42
You are probably not surprised to hear
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光污染会影响我们夜间的睡眠质量。
06:45
that light pollution can affect
your ability to sleep well at night.
your ability to sleep well at night.
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但是你们可能会
惊讶于光污染和肥胖症的关联。
惊讶于光污染和肥胖症的关联。
06:48
But you might be surprised to hear
that light pollution is linked to obesity.
that light pollution is linked to obesity.
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事实上，最近的研究发现，
06:54
In fact, in a recent study
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光污染在 80 个国家中
06:55
they found that light pollution
contributed to over 70 percent
contributed to over 70 percent
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促成了超过 70% 的肥胖率。
06:58
of the obesity rates in 80 countries.
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不仅如此，
07:02
More than that,
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光污染对肥胖的贡献度
07:03
light pollution actually contributed
about the same amount to excess weight
about the same amount to excess weight
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等同于吃垃圾食品。
07:07
as eating junk food.
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而且更糟的是，
07:10
And it gets worse.
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对于经常在夜晚
07:12
For people who are subjected
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受到大量人工光源影响的人们来说，
07:14
to significant amounts
of artificial light at night
of artificial light at night
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他们患上乳腺癌的几率要高 50%。
07:17
they're about 50 percent more likely
to get breast cancer.
to get breast cancer.
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其实，光污染和各种癌症
07:21
And in fact, light pollution
is correlated with types of cancer
is correlated with types of cancer
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都息息相关。
07:24
across the board.
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在受控制的实验室环境中，
07:25
And in controlled lab experiments
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夜间人工光源的增加和
肿瘤的生长速度
肿瘤的生长速度
07:27
there's a direct link between
increased artificial light at night
increased artificial light at night
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有直接关系。
07:31
and a rate of tumor growth.
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你们可能在想，正常的光线
07:34
You might be wondering how normal light
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怎么可能影响癌症发病率。
07:37
could possibly impact cancer rates.
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这要归结到一个超级重要的荷尔蒙：
07:40
It likely all comes down
to the super important hormone
to the super important hormone
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褪黑素。
07:43
called melatonin,
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经过通过几百万年的进化，
07:45
which we have evolved
over millions of years
over millions of years
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人体已经产生了一个昼夜周期，
也称昼夜节律。
也称昼夜节律。
07:47
to produce on a day-night cycle,
or a circadian rhythm.
or a circadian rhythm.
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其中的原理是，当光线在夜间
07:51
What happens is that when light impacts
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渗透到我们眼后的视网膜时，
07:54
the retina at the back of our eye at night
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这会打乱褪黑素的生成，
07:56
it can disrupt melatonin production,
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而当褪黑素的生成被打乱时，
07:59
and when melatonin
production is disrupted,
production is disrupted,
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一系列其它的化学过程
也会接连受到影响，
也会接连受到影响，
08:01
a whole chain of other
chemical processes are affected,
chemical processes are affected,
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其中就包括雌激素生成。
08:04
and that includes estrogen production.
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当这样的化学平衡被打破时，
08:06
And when we throw
this chemical balance out of whack,
this chemical balance out of whack,
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很糟糕的事情就会发生。
08:09
really bad things can happen.
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事情的严重性在于，
08:11
In fact, things are so bad,
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国际癌症研究机提出，
08:12
that the International Agency
for Cancer Research
for Cancer Research
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打乱昼夜节律
08:15
has said that disrupting
the human circadian rhythm
the human circadian rhythm
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非常可能致癌。
08:18
is a probable carcinogen.
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除此之外，我也想要让各位了解，
08:22
Also, for fun, I want to let you know
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光污染还是许多其它疾病的起因，
08:24
that light pollution has been linked to,
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比如头疼、焦虑症、
抑郁症、糖尿病，
抑郁症、糖尿病，
08:26
let's see -- headaches, anxiety,
depression, diabetes,
depression, diabetes,
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以及心血管病等许多其它疾病。
08:29
cardiovascular disease
and the list goes on.
and the list goes on.
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但是或许你不在意自己的健康。
08:31
But maybe you don't care
about your health.
about your health.
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反正每个人都会离开，
08:33
We're all going to die anyway,
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不如在一个灯火通明的地方离开。
08:35
you might as well die
in a brightly lit room.
in a brightly lit room.
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（笑声）
08:37
(Laughter)
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你们拥有嘲笑死亡的能力
还蛮令人惊讶的。
还蛮令人惊讶的。
08:40
The fact that you're laughing
about death is kind of amazing.
about death is kind of amazing.
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（笑声）
08:43
(Laughter)
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08:45
You might still care about money.
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你们可能仍旧会在意钱。
这些花费在浪费了的光源上的钱，
08:48
The money that's spent
on that wasted light,
on that wasted light,
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我只是指射向宇宙的光，
08:50
and I mean just the light
that's going out into the universe,
that's going out into the universe,
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对我们无用的光，
08:53
and not doing us any good,
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一年就耗费 30 亿美元。
08:54
is three billion dollars a year.
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这些钱足够建造，例如
08:56
That's enough money to build, like,
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1000 台公用供电级风车，
08:58
1,000 utility-grade windmills,
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或资助整个华盛顿特区的公校
足足两年，
足足两年，
09:01
or fund the entire DC public-school
system for over two years,
system for over two years,
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或者——这是我最喜欢的，
因为我特别想要，
因为我特别想要，
09:05
or -- this is my favorite,
because I really want one
because I really want one
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但是买不起——
09:07
but I can't afford one --
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3 万台特斯拉 X 型越野车。
09:09
buy 30,000 Tesla Model X SUVs.
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（笑声）
09:12
(Laughter)
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而且还包括电动汽车税收抵免，
09:14
And that includes
the electric car tax credit.
the electric car tax credit.
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以及存在成本。
09:18
And then there are the existential costs.
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我没有具体数据
09:22
I don't have any data
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证明若我们不再在意
我们在宇宙中的地位，
我们在宇宙中的地位，
09:24
on how losing touch
with our place in the cosmos
with our place in the cosmos
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会对我们有怎样的影响。
09:27
impacts us.
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但是我相信
09:29
But I believe
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这对人类的影响
09:32
that this probably impacts our humanity
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远超过任何我能和各位
分享的骇人数据。
分享的骇人数据。
09:34
more than any of the other
scary statistics I can share with you.
scary statistics I can share with you.
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而且随着时间推移，
这个问题会越来越糟。
这个问题会越来越糟。
09:38
And it's getting worse with time.
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09:39
The amount of light pollution
is doubling roughly every 35 years.
is doubling roughly every 35 years.
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光污染程度每 35 年就会翻倍。
这意味着在接下来的 10 年中，
09:45
That means that within the next decade
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几乎整个美国的东半部
09:48
virtually the entire eastern half
of the United States
of the United States
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会永久的比黄昏更明亮。
09:52
will be perpetually brighter
than twilight.
than twilight.
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光污染还带来了另一个问题。
09:56
And there's another issue
with light pollution.
with light pollution.
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这问题比我们能看到的更加严重。
09:59
The problem is way worse
than we can see with our own eyes.
than we can see with our own eyes.
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人类的肉眼只能看到整个光谱中
10:02
Our eyes have evolved
to just detect this tiny range
to just detect this tiny range
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很小范围的光。
10:05
of the full spectrum of light.
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其它我们看不见的光，
10:07
All of this other light that we can't see,
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这些不可见光，
10:09
this invisible light,
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也有污染问题。
10:11
also has a pollution problem.
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大多来自现代科技，
10:13
Mostly it's from modern technology,
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比如手机，电子狗，
10:15
things like cell phones
or car-to-car radar,
or car-to-car radar,
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还有现在我们必需的通信设备。
10:17
or now apparently we need appliances
that can talk to each other.
that can talk to each other.
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所有这些现代技术发出的强烈信号
10:21
All of this modern technology
is putting out strong signals
is putting out strong signals
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可以完全淹没
10:24
that can completely swamp
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我们试图从地球之外的宇宙中
10:27
this exceedingly faint light
we're trying to detect
we're trying to detect
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探测到的极度微弱的光，
10:30
from the rest of the universe
outside Earth,
outside Earth,
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也就是来自绝大部分宇宙的光。
10:32
which just for the record,
is most of the universe.
is most of the universe.
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（笑声）
10:36
(Laughter)
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接着，还有卫星。
10:42
And then, there are satellites.
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卫星在可见光和不可见光的
波长范围中都是一个问题。
波长范围中都是一个问题。
10:44
Satellites are a problem at both
visible and invisible wavelengths.
visible and invisible wavelengths.
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许多私人企业都计划在地球轨道上
10:48
A host of private companies have plans
to deploy tens of thousands of satellites
to deploy tens of thousands of satellites
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配置几万颗卫星，
10:52
into Earth orbit,
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这个数量不仅会远超
10:54
where they will not only outnumber,
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天空中可见的恒星，
10:56
literally outnumber
the visible stars in the sky,
the visible stars in the sky,
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同时也会将不可见光波送回地球。
11:00
while also beaming
invisible light back to Earth.
invisible light back to Earth.
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所以对于我们这些
11:04
So for astronomers like me,
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利用不可见光
去研究宇宙的天文学家，
去研究宇宙的天文学家，
11:06
who use invisible light
to study the universe,
to study the universe,
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就如同凝视烈日，
11:08
it's going to be like staring at the Sun
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还要尝试在其身后寻找一束烛光。
11:11
and trying to see
a birthday candle behind it.
a birthday candle behind it.
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我想强调，
11:15
Alright, I want to be clear
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这些现代科技本身没有什么问题。
11:17
that there's nothing inherently wrong
with any of this modern technology.
with any of this modern technology.
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4143
比如手机，卫星，和电子狗。
11:22
With cell phones
or satellites or car radar.
or satellites or car radar.
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至于厨房电器，我不是很清楚。
11:25
I'm not sure about kitchen appliances.
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（笑声）
11:27
(Laughter)
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我还不至于需要
11:29
I haven't broken down
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一个能和我手机交流的烤箱。
11:30
and gotten an oven
that talks to my cell phone yet.
that talks to my cell phone yet.
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而且，我和大家一样也在晚上用灯。
11:32
And I use lights at night
like everybody else.
like everybody else.
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但要注意的是，
11:37
But here's the thing.
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1726
我们面临的有些问题，
11:39
Some problems in the world,
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比如我们今天讲到的，
还有将来你们还会听到的，
还有将来你们还会听到的，
11:41
like we've heard about today
and you'll hear more about,
and you'll hear more about,
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往往十分棘手，让我们不知所措。
11:44
are overwhelming
and they seem intractable.
and they seem intractable.
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然而可见光污染并不属于这种问题。
11:47
Visible light pollution
is not one of these problems.
is not one of these problems.
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3726
它其实极其的简单。
11:51
This is actually stupidly simple, OK?
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有五件很简单的事，
是你们可以做到的。
是你们可以做到的。
11:54
So here are five
super simple things you can do.
super simple things you can do.
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不要用过亮的光。
11:58
Don't use lights
brighter than you need to.
brighter than you need to.
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当你们不需要的时候，
就不要用。
就不要用。
12:01
Don't use lights when you don't need them.
249
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2435
你们需要用的那些光，
12:04
Those lights you're using,
250
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确保它们的上方是有屏障的，
12:05
make sure they're shielded down,
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尽量不直接朝天空发光。
12:06
so they're not shining up into the sky.
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我们来讲讲发光二极管（LED）。
12:09
And let's talk about LED lights.
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如果可以，尽量避免购买蓝色的。
12:11
If you have a choice,
don't buy the blue ones.
don't buy the blue ones.
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可以寻找带有“暖白光”字眼的灯泡。
12:15
Look for words like "warm white."
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如果你购买的 LED 上有
“自然光”或“日光”的标签，
“自然光”或“日光”的标签，
12:18
If you buy LEDs with words like
"natural light" or "daylight,"
"natural light" or "daylight,"
256
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就等于说你讨厌太空。
12:22
that's like saying you hate space.
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（笑声）
12:24
(Laughter)
258
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6267
最后一点，
12:30
And finally,
259
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2518
你可以四处提倡这些“诀窍”。
12:33
you could advocate for this.
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1934
即使在你的社区中，
12:35
Even in your local community,
261
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1435
也可以试着找找有没有照明规范，
12:36
find out if there's a lighting code
262
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若有的话，我们怎样能做得更好。
12:38
and whether it could be made
more night-sky friendly.
more night-sky friendly.
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我敢说你们甚至可以
把问题提升到联邦级别，
把问题提升到联邦级别，
12:41
Or dare I say, you could even advocate
at the federal level,
at the federal level,
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礼貌地问问我们的联邦官员，
12:44
by politely asking our federal officials,
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2518
他们中的某些人可能就在这里，
12:47
some of whom may be here,
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12:48
to please not auction off
our view of the invisible universe
our view of the invisible universe
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请不要拍卖掉我们
无形宇宙的景色，
无形宇宙的景色，
而让最高出价者随意污染，
12:53
to the highest bidder to pollute at will,
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1976
这其实也就是现在的情形。
12:55
which is actually what happens.
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2434
现在，就像一个优秀的教授一样，
12:57
Now, like a good professor,
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我要给你们留个功课。
13:00
I have homework for you.
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如果你们从来没有见过
一个真正黑暗的夜空，
一个真正黑暗的夜空，
13:02
If you have never seen
a truly dark night sky,
a truly dark night sky,
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我想让你们出去亲自体验一下。
13:07
I want you to go out
and experience one for yourself.
and experience one for yourself.
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因为如果没有过这样的体验，
13:11
Because if you don't,
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你就不知道你错过了什么，
13:13
you don't know what you're missing,
275
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3017
更不知道人类正在失去什么。
13:16
and you don't know
what humanity is losing.
what humanity is losing.
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谢谢！
13:19
Thank you.
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（掌声）
13:21
(Applause)
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Reviewed by Jiasi Hao
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kelsey Johnson - Astrophysicist, writer, educatorKelsey Johnson has spent her life in awe of the universe, and she works to inspire that awe in future generations.
Why you should listen
Kelsey Johnson teaches students both inside and outside of the classroom, using astronomy as a "gateway" science to nurture curiosity and support science literacy. Raised by a single mom, Johnson spent countless nights outside under the stars, where she developed a love for "big picture" questions about the nature of reality and the universe. Influenced by her own experience, she founded the Dark Skies, Bright Kids program in 2009 to enhance science education in under-served areas.
Johnson's curiosity about the cosmos -- and everything in it -- has been the primary driver of her career, leading her to devote her life to learning, exploration and teaching. Her research has tackled questions ranging from "How were the most ancient objects in the universe formed?" to "What can the smallest galaxies tell us about the evolution of the universe?" She has also broken new ground teaching, developing nontraditional courses such as "Unsolved Mysteries in the Universe" and "Math and Beauty in the Cosmos." Johnson is a professor at the University of Virginia and the president of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
In 2016, Johnson was appointed by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to the Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee, and in 2017 she was elected to the board of the American Astronomical Society. Her research has received awards including the NSF CAREER Award, a Packard Fellowship and an NSF Distinguished lectureship, as well as being a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow. Johnson has also won several teaching awards, and she was recently named as one of four “ACC Distinguished Professors” in the Atlantic Coast Conference of universities. She received an inaugural "Public Service" award from UVA for her work promoting science literacy
Johnson's writing has appeared in Scientific American, Washington Post, the New York Times, Ms. Magazine and The Chronical of Higher Education. She earned her BA in physics from Carleton College, and her MS and PhD in astrophysics from the University of Colorado. She lives in rural Virginia with her family, including three cats and two very large dogs.
Kelsey Johnson | Speaker | TED.com