TED2014
Deborah Gordon: What ants teach us about the brain, cancer and the Internet
黛博拉·高登: 關於大腦、癌症及網路，螞蟻教了我們什麼
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生物學家黛博拉·高登研究螞蟻，無論她在何處找到它們——在沙漠、在熱帶地區、在她的廚房裡… 她在這個精彩的演說中，解釋她對這種我們連想都不想，就很開心地拍走的昆蟲，是如何為之著迷。她主張螞蟻的生活能提供有用的模式，讓我們學習很多其他的主題，包括疾病、科技及人類的大腦。
Deborah Gordon - Ecologist
By studying how ant colonies work without any one leader, Deborah Gordon has identified striking similarities in how ant colonies, brains, cells and computer networks regulate themselves. Full bio
By studying how ant colonies work without any one leader, Deborah Gordon has identified striking similarities in how ant colonies, brains, cells and computer networks regulate themselves. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
I study ants
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我研究螞蟻，
00:14
in the desert, in the tropical forest
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在沙漠中，在熱帶雨林中，
00:18
and in my kitchen,
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還有我家的廚房，
00:19
and in the hills around Silicon Valley where I live.
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以及我住的矽谷四周的山丘上。
00:23
I've recently realized that ants
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我最近才領悟到原來螞蟻
00:25
are using interactions differently
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使用不同的互動法
00:27
in different environments,
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在不同的環境中，
00:29
and that got me thinking
that we could learn from this
that we could learn from this
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而這使我不禁去想，
我們或許能從這件事
我們或許能從這件事
00:31
about other systems,
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了解其他系統，
00:32
like brains and data networks that we engineer,
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像大腦及我們設計出的數據網路，
00:38
and even cancer.
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甚至癌症。
00:41
So what all these systems have in common
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所以這些系統的共通點
00:43
is that there's no central control.
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在於沒有中央控制。
00:45
An ant colony consists of sterile female workers --
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蟻群是由不孕的雌性工蟻——
00:49
those are the ants you see walking around —
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就是你看到四處走動的那些螞蟻——
00:52
and then one or more reproductive females
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還有一隻或多隻能生育的雌蟻組成，
00:54
who just lay the eggs.
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而這種雌蟻只下蛋。
00:56
They don't give any instructions.
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牠們不下任何指令。
00:58
Even though they're called queens,
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即使牠們被稱為蟻后，
01:00
they don't tell anybody what to do.
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牠們也不會告訴任何螞蟻要做什麼。
01:02
So in an ant colony, there's no one in charge,
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所以在蟻群內，沒有負責人。
01:05
and all systems like this without central control
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所有像這樣沒有中央控制的系統，
01:08
are regulated using very simple interactions.
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要以非常簡單的互動來規範。
01:12
Ants interact using smell.
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螞蟻以嗅覺互動。
01:15
They smell with their antennae,
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牠們以觸角聞味道，
01:17
and they interact with their antennae,
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而且牠們也以觸角互動，
01:20
so when one ant touches another with its antennae,
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所以當一隻螞蟻以觸角
碰觸另外一隻螞蟻，
碰觸另外一隻螞蟻，
01:23
it can tell, for example, if the other ant
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牠就能分辨，譬如說這一隻
01:24
is a nestmate
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是不是同窩蟻，
01:26
and what task that other ant has been doing.
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還有這隻螞蟻正在做什麼任務。
01:30
So here you see a lot of ants moving around
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所以這裡你看到很多螞蟻
01:33
and interacting in a lab arena
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在這個實驗場所四處走動及互動，
01:35
that's connected by tubes to two other arenas.
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這個場所與另外兩個以管子相連。
01:39
So when one ant meets another,
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所以當某隻螞蟻碰到另一隻，
01:41
it doesn't matter which ant it meets,
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碰到的是哪一隻螞蟻並不重要，
01:43
and they're actually not transmitting
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而且牠們其實並沒有傳送
01:45
any kind of complicated signal or message.
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任何複雜的信號或訊息。
01:49
All that matters to the ant is the rate
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對螞蟻而言最重要的是
01:51
at which it meets other ants.
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牠們碰到其他螞蟻的頻率。
01:54
And all of these interactions, taken together,
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而所有的互動，全部一起看，
01:56
produce a network.
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會產生一種網路。
01:59
So this is the network of the ants
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那麼這就是螞蟻的網路，
02:01
that you just saw moving around in the arena,
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由你剛剛看到的那個場所
裡面的移動所形成。
裡面的移動所形成。
02:04
and it's this constantly shifting network
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就是這個不斷移位的網路，
02:07
that produces the behavior of the colony,
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產生蟻群的行為，
02:10
like whether all the ants are hiding inside the nest,
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像是不是所有的螞蟻都躲在窩裡，
02:12
or how many are going out to forage.
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或有多少在外面覓食。
02:15
A brain actually works in the same way,
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大腦其實也以同樣的方法運作，
02:17
but what's great about ants is
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但研究螞蟻最棒的地方，
02:18
that you can see the whole network as it happens.
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在於你能親眼目睹整個網路形成。
02:23
There are more than 12,000 species of ants,
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有超過一萬兩千種螞蟻，
02:26
in every conceivable environment,
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存在於每一種可想到的環境中，
02:29
and they're using interactions differently
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而牠們互動的方法也不同，
02:31
to meet different environmental challenges.
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以因應不同的環境挑戰。
02:34
So one important environmental challenge
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所以有一種很重要的環境挑戰，
02:36
that every system has to deal with
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是每一種系統都必須面對的，
02:38
is operating costs, just what it takes
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就是營業成本，就是到底要花多少
02:40
to run the system.
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來經營系統。
02:42
And another environmental challenge is resources,
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而另一種環境挑戰則是資源，
02:45
finding them and collecting them.
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要找尋及收集資源。
02:47
In the desert, operating costs are high
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在沙漠裡，營業成本很高，
02:50
because water is scarce,
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因為水很稀少，
02:52
and the seed-eating ants that I study in the desert
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而且我在沙漠中研究的
一種吃種子的螞蟻，
一種吃種子的螞蟻，
02:54
have to spend water to get water.
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必須先用掉水才能得到水。
02:57
So an ant outside foraging,
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所以一隻螞蟻在外面覓食，
02:59
searching for seeds in the hot sun,
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在烈日下尋找種子，
03:01
just loses water into the air.
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就會失去水分，釋放到空氣中。
03:03
But the colony gets its water
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但這個蟻群會因此得到水份，
03:05
by metabolizing the fats out of the seeds
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也就是從代謝牠們所吃的種子
03:07
that they eat.
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所含的脂肪以得到水份，
03:09
So in this environment, interactions are used
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所以在這樣的環境下，互動是要
03:12
to activate foraging.
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動員覓食行為。
03:14
An outgoing forager doesn't go out unless
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指派為覓食者的螞蟻，
03:16
it gets enough interactions with returning foragers,
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在與回來的覓食蟻
得到足夠的互動前不會出去，
得到足夠的互動前不會出去，
03:18
and what you see are the returning foragers
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而你現在看到的是回來的覓食蟻，
03:20
going into the tunnel, into the nest,
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進入隧道中，進入窩裡，
03:22
and meeting outgoing foragers on their way out.
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與正要出去的覓食蟻互動。
03:25
This makes sense for the ant colony,
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這種方法對蟻群而言很有道理，
03:26
because the more food there is out there,
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因為外面的食物愈多，
03:29
the more quickly the foragers find it,
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覓食蟻就能愈快找到食物，
03:31
the faster they come back,
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牠們也就愈快回來，
03:32
and the more foragers they send out.
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所以就會送更多的覓食蟻出去。
03:35
The system works to stay stopped,
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這個系統的原理是保持不動，
03:37
unless something positive happens.
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直到有好事發生。
03:39
So interactions function to activate foragers.
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所以互動的功用
在促使覓食蟻開始活動。
在促使覓食蟻開始活動。
03:43
And we've been studying
the evolution of this system.
the evolution of this system.
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我們一直在研究這個系統的演化。
03:46
First of all, there's variation.
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首先，這系統裡有變數。
03:47
It turns out that colonies are different.
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結果證明每一種蟻群都不一樣。
03:50
On dry days, some colonies forage less,
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在乾燥的日子，
某些蟻群的覓食行為會少一點，
某些蟻群的覓食行為會少一點，
03:52
so colonies are different in how
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所以每個蟻群的不同點在於
03:54
they manage this trade-off
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牠們如何權衡
03:55
between spending water to search for seeds
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是要花掉水分以尋找種子，
03:58
and getting water back in the form of seeds.
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還是要找種子回來以取得裡面的水。
04:02
And we're trying to understand why
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我們試圖瞭解為什麼
04:03
some colonies forage less than others
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某些蟻群的覓食行為較少，
04:05
by thinking about ants as neurons,
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透過將螞蟻視為神經元的方法，
04:08
using models from neuroscience.
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並使用神經科學的模式。
04:10
So just as a neuron adds up its stimulation
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所以就像神經元會累積
04:13
from other neurons to decide whether to fire,
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從別的神經元送來的刺激，
以決定是否發射，
以決定是否發射，
04:15
an ant adds up its stimulation from other ants
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螞蟻也會累積
從別的螞蟻傳來的刺激，
從別的螞蟻傳來的刺激，
04:18
to decide whether to forage.
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以決定是否出去覓食。
04:20
And what we're looking for is whether there might be
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我們在找的是，是否在
04:21
small differences among colonies
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各個蟻群間有微小的差異，
04:23
in how many interactions each ant needs
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也就是螞蟻需要多少互動
04:27
before it's willing to go out and forage,
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牠才願意出去覓食，
04:29
because a colony like that would forage less.
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因為像那樣的蟻群可能較少覓食。
04:32
And this raises an analogous question about brains.
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這也引發大家對大腦
產生類似的問題。
產生類似的問題。
04:35
We talk about the brain,
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我們談論大腦，
04:37
but of course every brain is slightly different,
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但當然每個大腦都有少許不同，
04:40
and maybe there are some individuals
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而或許有某些人，
04:41
or some conditions
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或在某些情況下，
04:42
in which the electrical properties of neurons are such
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神經元的電性質也像這樣，
04:46
that they require more stimulus to fire,
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需要更多的刺激才能發射，
04:50
and that would lead to differences in brain function.
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而那會導致大腦功能產生差異。
04:53
So in order to ask evolutionary questions,
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所以為了要問進化的問題，
04:56
we need to know about reproductive success.
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我們必須瞭解生殖成功率。
04:58
This is a map of the study site
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這是研究地點的地圖，
05:01
where I have been tracking this population
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我已經在那裡追蹤這種
05:03
of harvester ant colonies for 28 years,
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收割蟻群 28 年了，
05:06
which is about as long as a colony lives.
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這大約就是一個蟻群的壽命。
05:09
Each symbol is a colony,
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每一個符號代表一個蟻群，
05:11
and the size of the symbol is
how many offspring it had,
how many offspring it had,
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而符號的大小代表
這個蟻群有多少後代，
這個蟻群有多少後代，
05:14
because we were able to use genetic variation
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因為我們能用遺傳變異
05:16
to match up parent and offspring colonies,
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去匹配親子蟻群，
05:19
that is, to figure out which colonies
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也就是說，去找出哪個蟻群
05:22
were founded by a daughter queen
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是哪一隻蟻后的女兒
05:24
produced by which parent colony.
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所產生的。
05:26
And this was amazing for me, after all these years,
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這對我而言很奇妙，在這些年之後，
05:28
to find out, for example, that colony 154,
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能發現到，舉個例，蟻群 154，
05:31
whom I've known well for many years,
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多年來我非常瞭解的一個蟻群，
05:33
is a great-grandmother.
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居然是曾祖母。
05:35
Here's her daughter colony,
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這是牠的女兒的蟻群，
05:37
here's her granddaughter colony,
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這是牠的孫女的蟻群，
05:40
and these are her great-granddaughter colonies.
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而這些是牠的曾孫女的蟻群。
05:42
And by doing this, I was able to learn
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經由這麼做，我學到
05:44
that offspring colonies resemble parent colonies
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後代蟻群與親代蟻群，
05:47
in their decisions about which days are so hot
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在決定哪一天太熱，
05:49
that they don't forage,
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不出去覓食這方面很相似，
05:51
and the offspring of parent colonies
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而親代蟻群的後代，
05:53
live so far from each other that the ants never meet,
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兩者住得很遠，
這些螞蟻從來沒有見過面，
這些螞蟻從來沒有見過面，
05:56
so the ants of the offspring colony
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所以後代蟻群的螞蟻，
05:58
can't be learning this from the parent colony.
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不可能從牠們的親代蟻群學到這個。
06:00
And so our next step is to look
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因此我們下一步要去找
06:02
for the genetic variation
underlying this resemblance.
underlying this resemblance.
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產生這種相似度的遺傳變異。
06:07
So then I was able to ask, okay, who's doing better?
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所以我才能問，好，誰做得比較好？
06:11
Over the time of the study,
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在做研究的這段時間，
06:12
and especially in the past 10 years,
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特別是過去十年，
06:14
there's been a very severe and deepening drought
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曾有非常嚴重且日益加深的乾旱，
06:17
in the Southwestern U.S.,
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發生在美國西南部，
06:19
and it turns out that the
colonies that conserve water,
colonies that conserve water,
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結果是這些節約用水的蟻群，
06:22
that stay in when it's really hot outside,
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就是在外面真的
很熱的時候還留在窩裡，
很熱的時候還留在窩裡，
06:27
and thus sacrifice getting as much food as possible,
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從而犧牲盡可能找最多食物的蟻群，
06:29
are the ones more likely to have offspring colonies.
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愈有可能產生後代蟻群。
06:32
So all this time, I thought that colony 154
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所以這些時間，我以為蟻群 154
06:35
was a loser, because on really dry days,
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是輸家，因為在很乾燥的日子，
06:37
there'd be just this trickle of foraging,
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牠們只有稀稀落落的覓食行為，
06:39
while the other colonies were out
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而其他的蟻群都跑出去
06:41
foraging, getting lots of food,
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覓食，獲得大量的食物，
06:43
but in fact, colony 154 is a huge success.
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但其實，蟻群 154 非常成功。
06:46
She's a matriarch.
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她是女族長。
06:47
She's one of the rare great-grandmothers on the site.
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她是當地少有的曾祖母輩之一。
06:50
To my knowledge, this is the first time
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據我所知，這也是第一次
06:53
that we've been able to track
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我們能追蹤
06:55
the ongoing evolution of collective behavior
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在自然的動物族群中
06:58
in a natural population of animals
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持續進行的集體行為演化，
07:00
and find out what's actually working best.
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並找出什麼是最佳的運作方式。
07:04
Now, the Internet uses an algorithm
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2421
那麼，網際網路使用一種演算法
07:07
to regulate the flow of data
167
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以管理資料流，
07:10
that's very similar to the one
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2227
與這個非常相似，
07:12
that the harvester ants are using to regulate
169
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就是收獲蟻在使用以管理
07:14
the flow of foragers.
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覓食蟻的流程。
07:16
And guess what we call this analogy?
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你猜我們怎麼叫這種類比？
07:19
The anternet is coming.
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蟻際網路來了！
07:21
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
07:23
So data doesn't leave the source computer
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所以資料不會從源計算機輸出，
07:26
unless it gets a signal that there's enough bandwidth
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直到它得到信號，有足夠的頻寬
07:29
for it to travel on.
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讓資料傳出去。
07:32
In the early days of the Internet,
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在網際網路發展早期，
07:33
when operating costs were really high
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當營業成本還很高，
07:35
and it was really important not to lose any data,
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而且很重要
不能失去任何資料的時期，
不能失去任何資料的時期，
07:38
then the system was set up for interactions
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系統被設成互動
07:41
to activate the flow of data.
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以啟動資料流。
07:44
It's interesting that the ants are using an algorithm
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有趣的是螞蟻會使用一種演算法，
07:46
that's so similar to the one that we recently invented,
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與我們最近發明的非常相似，
07:50
but this is only one of a handful of ant algorithms
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但這只是我們所知的
07:53
that we know about,
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螞蟻演算法之一罷了，
07:54
and ants have had 130 million years
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螞蟻有一億三千萬年的時間
07:58
to evolve a lot of good ones,
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發展很多很好的演算法，
08:00
and I think it's very likely
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我想非常有可能
08:01
that some of the other 12,000 species
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在其他一萬二千種螞蟻中，
08:04
are going to have interesting algorithms
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能找到有趣的演算法
08:06
for data networks
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1024
給資料網路使用，
08:07
that we haven't even thought of yet.
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是我們想都沒想過的。
08:10
So what happens when operating costs are low?
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所以，營業成本低的時候
會發生什麼？
會發生什麼？
08:13
Operating costs are low in the tropics,
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1787
熱帶地方的營業成本低，
08:15
because it's very humid, and it's easy for the ants
195
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2096
因為那裡很濕，螞蟻很容易
08:17
to be outside walking around.
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在外面走來走去。
08:20
But the ants are so abundant
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但在熱帶地方，
08:22
and diverse in the tropics
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螞蟻量很大，種類極多，
08:23
that there's a lot of competition.
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因此競爭也很激烈。
08:26
Whatever resource one species is using,
200
494419
1952
某種螞蟻在使用的資源，
08:28
another species is likely to be using that
201
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3172
別的螞蟻可能在同時間
08:31
at the same time.
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也需要使用。
08:33
So in this environment, interactions are used
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所以在這種環境，互動的使用法
08:36
in the opposite way.
204
504530
1945
恰好相反。
08:38
The system keeps going
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1395
系統要持續運轉，
08:39
unless something negative happens,
206
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1554
直到負面事件發生。
08:41
and one species that I study makes circuits
207
509424
2167
而我在研究的某種螞蟻
還會形成迴路，
還會形成迴路，
08:43
in the trees of foraging ants
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2159
覓食蟻在蟻窩到食物源
08:45
going from the nest to a food source and back,
209
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2981
往來的樹上
08:48
just round and round,
210
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1329
不斷繞圈圈，
08:50
unless something negative happens,
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1442
直到某件負面事件發生為止，
08:51
like an interaction
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像是與別種螞蟻
08:53
with ants of another species.
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2739
有了互動。
08:55
So here's an example of ant security.
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2937
所以這是螞蟻的保全案例。
08:58
In the middle, there's an ant
215
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1858
在中間有一隻螞蟻
09:00
plugging the nest entrance with its head
216
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2463
正以牠的頭堵住窩的入口，
09:03
in response to interactions with another species.
217
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2993
回應牠與另一種螞蟻互動的結果。
09:06
Those are the little ones running around
218
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1659
這些小東西跑來跑去
09:07
with their abdomens up in the air.
219
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2751
腹部朝上。
09:10
But as soon as the threat is passed,
220
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2046
一但威脅消失，
09:12
the entrance is open again,
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入口就又打開了，
09:15
and maybe there are situations
222
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也許在某些情況下，
09:17
in computer security
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1089
電腦的安全性
09:18
where operating costs are low enough
224
546191
2206
在營運成本夠低時，
09:20
that we could just block access temporarily
225
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3375
我們只要暫時把存取擋住，
09:23
in response to an immediate threat,
226
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2193
以回應立即性的威脅，
09:25
and then open it again,
227
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2026
然後再把它打開就好，
09:27
instead of trying to build
228
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1269
而不用試著建立
09:29
a permanent firewall or fortress.
229
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一個永久性的防火牆或要塞。
09:33
So another environmental challenge
230
561240
1940
那麼另一種環境挑戰，
09:35
that all systems have to deal with
231
563180
1695
所有系統都要面對的，
09:36
is resources, finding and collecting them.
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564875
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是資源，要找尋及收集資源。
09:42
And to do this, ants solve the problem
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1673
要做這個，螞蟻解決了
09:44
of collective search,
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1258
集體搜尋的問題，
09:45
and this is a problem that's of great interest
235
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1576
而這在機器人科學
09:46
right now in robotics,
236
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1484
是目前極感興趣的問題，
09:48
because we've understood that,
237
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1732
因為我們已經瞭解，
09:50
rather than sending a single,
238
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1614
與其送出一個單獨操作、
09:51
sophisticated, expensive robot out
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579664
3495
複雜又很貴的機器人出去
09:55
to explore another planet
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1417
探險另一個星球，
09:56
or to search a burning building,
241
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2567
或去搜索一棟燃燒的建築物，
09:59
that instead, it may be more effective
242
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2600
還不如這樣可能更有效，
10:01
to get a group of cheaper robots
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589743
4377
就是找一組便宜的機器人
10:06
exchanging only minimal information,
244
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2545
只交換最少的資訊，
10:08
and that's the way that ants do it.
245
596665
2799
而那正是螞蟻做的方式。
10:11
So the invasive Argentine ant
246
599464
1765
所以入侵種阿根廷蟻
10:13
makes expandable search networks.
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601229
2330
建造可擴充的搜尋網路。
10:15
They're good at dealing with the main problem
248
603559
2273
牠們對解決集體搜尋的
10:17
of collective search,
249
605832
1331
主要問題很在行，
10:19
which is the trade-off between
250
607163
2566
那是權衡了
10:21
searching very thoroughly
251
609729
1336
要完全徹底的搜尋，
10:23
and covering a lot of ground.
252
611065
1997
還是要涵蓋大片土地的結果。
10:25
And what they do is,
253
613062
895
牠們所做的是，
10:25
when there are many ants in a small space,
254
613957
2387
如果在一個小空間裡有很多螞蟻，
10:28
then each one can search very thoroughly
255
616344
2213
那麼每一隻都可以徹底搜尋，
10:30
because there will be another ant nearby
256
618557
1624
因為附近一定會有另一隻螞蟻
10:32
searching over there,
257
620181
1357
在另一邊搜尋，
10:33
but when there are a few ants
258
621538
1647
但當在一塊很大的空間裡，
10:35
in a large space,
259
623185
2055
只有少數的螞蟻的時候，
10:37
then they need to stretch out their paths
260
625240
2414
那麼牠們需要延伸牠們的路徑
10:39
to cover more ground.
261
627654
1803
以涵蓋更多的地面。
10:41
I think they use interactions to assess density,
262
629457
2954
我想牠們使用互動以評估密度，
10:44
so when they're really crowded,
263
632411
1229
所以當牠們真的很擠的時候，
10:45
they meet more often,
264
633640
1102
牠們就更常碰到彼此，
10:46
and they search more thoroughly.
265
634742
2465
牠們就更徹底搜尋。
10:49
Different ant species must use different algorithms,
266
637207
3400
不同的螞蟻物種
必須使用不同的演算法，
必須使用不同的演算法，
10:52
because they've evolved to deal with
267
640607
2522
因為牠們已進化以面對
10:55
different resources,
268
643129
1671
不同的資源，
10:56
and it could be really useful to know about this,
269
644800
2559
而知道這一點可能非常有用，
10:59
and so we recently asked ants
270
647359
1642
所以我們最近要求螞蟻
11:01
to solve the collective search problem
271
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2450
解決集體搜尋問題，
11:03
in the extreme environment
272
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1368
在極端環境下，
11:04
of microgravity
273
652819
1558
即微重力狀態，
11:06
in the International Space Station.
274
654377
1976
在國際太空站裡。
11:08
When I first saw this picture, I thought,
275
656353
1545
當我第一次看到這張照片，我在想，
11:09
Oh no, they've mounted the habitat vertically,
276
657898
2857
不會吧，他們居然把棲地裝成垂直的，
11:12
but then I realized that, of course, it doesn't matter.
277
660755
2618
但隨後我意識到，當然，那無所謂。
11:15
So the idea here is that the ants
278
663373
2637
所以這個想法就是，螞蟻
11:18
are working so hard to hang on
279
666010
1970
要非常努力地緊緊抓住
11:19
to the wall or the floor or whatever you call it
280
667980
3057
牆壁或地板，隨便你怎麼叫，
11:23
that they're less likely to interact,
281
671037
3009
所以牠們就不太可能互動，
11:26
and so the relationship between
282
674046
1244
如此一來這兩者之間的關係，
11:27
how crowded they are and how often they meet
283
675290
2120
就是有多擠及多常碰到
11:29
would be messed up.
284
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1725
就會被搞亂。
11:31
We're still analyzing the data.
285
679135
1395
我們仍在分析那些數據。
11:32
I don't have the results yet.
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1964
我還沒拿到結果。
11:34
But it would be interesting to know
287
682494
1694
但這應該滿有趣的，如果你知道
11:36
how other species solve this problem
288
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2459
其他物種在地球上不同的環境裡，
11:38
in different environments on Earth,
289
686647
2564
如何解決這個問題，
11:41
and so we're setting up a program
290
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1266
所以我們辦了一個計劃，
11:42
to encourage kids around the world
291
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2160
鼓勵全世界各地的孩子，
11:44
to try this experiment with different species.
292
692637
2536
以不同的物種試做這個實驗。
11:47
It's very simple.
293
695173
1767
這很簡單。
11:48
It can be done with cheap materials.
294
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2090
用很便宜的材料就能做。
11:51
And that way, we could make a global map
295
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2833
這樣一來，我們或許可以
做一張全球地圖，
做一張全球地圖，
11:53
of ant collective search algorithms.
296
701863
3347
畫著螞蟻的集體搜尋演算法。
11:57
And I think it's pretty likely that the invasive species,
297
705210
2483
而我想入侵物種很有可能，
11:59
the ones that come into our buildings,
298
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2149
就是跑進我們房屋裡的那些，
12:01
are going to be really good at this,
299
709842
1742
在這方面的表現會非常好，
12:03
because they're in your kitchen
300
711584
1848
因為牠們在你的廚房裡，
12:05
because they're really good
at finding food and water.
at finding food and water.
301
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3907
因為牠們真的很會找食物及水。
12:09
So the most familiar resource for ants
302
717339
3265
所以對螞蟻最熟悉的資源
12:12
is a picnic,
303
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1315
就是野餐。
12:13
and this is a clustered resource.
304
721919
2145
而且這還是叢集資源。
12:16
When there's one piece of fruit,
305
724064
999
有一片水果出現在這裡，
12:17
there's likely to be another piece of fruit nearby,
306
725063
2515
有另一片在附近的可能性就很大。
12:19
and the ants that specialize on clustered resources
307
727578
3432
而那些專做叢集資源的螞蟻
12:23
use interactions for recruitment.
308
731010
1942
就會用互動招募螞蟻大軍。
12:24
So when one ant meets another,
309
732952
1277
所以當某隻螞蟻碰到另一隻螞蟻，
12:26
or when it meets a chemical deposited
310
734229
1625
或當這隻螞蟻碰到另一隻螞蟻
12:27
on the ground by another,
311
735854
1736
留在地面的某種化學物品，
12:29
then it changes direction to follow
312
737590
1833
那牠就會改變方向，
12:31
in the direction of the interaction,
313
739423
1573
依照互動的指示，
12:32
and that's how you get the trail of ants
314
740996
1977
而這就是你如何得到一條螞蟻線
12:34
sharing your picnic.
315
742973
1413
來分享你的野餐。
12:36
Now this is a place where I think we might be able
316
744386
1695
那這是我認為我們或許可以
12:38
to learn something from ants about cancer.
317
746081
3741
從螞蟻身上學到關於癌症的地方。
12:41
I mean, first, it's obvious that we could do a lot
318
749822
1981
我是說第一，很明顯我們能做很多事
12:43
to prevent cancer
319
751803
1610
以避免癌症，
12:45
by not allowing people to spread around
320
753413
2577
藉著不讓人們傳播
12:47
or sell the toxins that promote
321
755990
1944
或販賣會在我們
12:49
the evolution of cancer in our bodies,
322
757934
2780
體內致癌的毒素，
12:52
but I don't think the ants can help us much with this
323
760714
2346
但我不認為螞蟻在這方面
能幫我們多少，
能幫我們多少，
12:55
because ants never poison their own colonies.
324
763060
3358
因為螞蟻從不毒化自己的蟻群。
12:58
But we might be able to learn something from ants
325
766418
1332
但我們或許能從螞蟻學到
12:59
about treating cancer.
326
767750
1763
與治療癌症有關的事。
13:01
There are many different kinds of cancer.
327
769513
2225
癌症有許多不同的類型。
13:03
Each one originates in a particular part of the body,
328
771738
2978
每一種都源自身體的特定部位，
13:06
and then some kinds of cancer will spread
329
774716
2966
然後某些癌症會擴散
13:09
or metastasize to particular other tissues
330
777682
2830
或轉移到某些特定的組織，
13:12
where they must be getting
resources that they need.
resources that they need.
331
780512
2880
這些癌細胞一定是在那裡
得到它們所需的資源。
得到它們所需的資源。
13:15
So if you think from the perspective
332
783392
1808
所以如果你從
13:17
of early metastatic cancer cells
333
785200
1950
癌細胞早期轉移的角度想，
13:19
as they're out searching around
334
787150
1623
好像它們是去外面四處尋找
13:20
for the resources that they need,
335
788773
2317
它們所需的資源，
13:23
if those resources are clustered,
336
791090
1983
假如這些資源是叢集的，
13:25
they're likely to use interactions for recruitment,
337
793073
3013
它們就很有可能使用互動
來招募其它細胞，
來招募其它細胞，
13:28
and if we can figure out how
cancer cells are recruiting,
cancer cells are recruiting,
338
796086
3093
如果我們能找出癌細胞
如何招兵買馬，
如何招兵買馬，
13:31
then maybe we could set traps
339
799179
2347
那也許我們可以設下陷阱，
13:33
to catch them before they become established.
340
801526
4049
在它們變得穩定前捕捉它們。
13:37
So ants are using interactions in different ways
341
805575
3235
所以螞蟻在大不同的各種環境下，
13:40
in a huge variety of environments,
342
808810
2602
以不同的方法互動，
13:43
and we could learn from this
343
811412
1821
而我們可以從中學到
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about other systems that operate
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其他系統如何運作，
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without central control.
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不靠中央控制。
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Using only simple interactions,
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僅僅使用簡單的互動，
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ant colonies have been performing
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蟻群已經執行
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amazing feats for more than 130 million years.
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驚人壯舉超過一億三千萬年。
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We have a lot to learn from them.
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我們還有很多要向牠們學習。
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Thank you.
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謝謝。
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(Applause)
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（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Deborah Gordon - EcologistBy studying how ant colonies work without any one leader, Deborah Gordon has identified striking similarities in how ant colonies, brains, cells and computer networks regulate themselves.
Why you should listen
Ecologist Deborah M. Gordon has learned that ant colonies can work without central control by using simple interactions like how often the insects touch antennae. Contrary to the notion that colonies are organized by efficient ants, she has instead discovered that evolution has produced “noisy” systems that tolerate accident and respond flexibly to the environment. When conditions are tough, natural selection favors colonies that conserve resources.
Her studies of ant colonies have led her and her Stanford colleagues to the discovery of the “Anternet,” which regulates foraging in ants in the same way the internet regulates data traffic. But as she said to Wired in 2013, "Insect behavior mimicking human networks ... is actually not what’s most interesting about ant networks. What’s far more interesting are the parallels in the other direction: What have the ants worked out that we humans haven’t thought of yet?" Her latest exploration: How do ants behave in space?
Deborah Gordon | Speaker | TED.com