TEDYouth 2014
Nizar Ibrahim: How we unearthed the Spinosaurus
尼扎爾．伊布拉欣: 我們是如何挖掘出棘龍的
Filmed:
Readability: 4.3
1,044,658 views
九千七百萬年前，五十呎長的肉食動物棘龍在河流中追捕獵物，牠又被稱為「遠古時代的龍」。古生物學家尼扎爾．伊布拉欣和他的團隊發現了新的化石，化石藏於摩洛哥撒哈拉沙漠的懸崖下，這有助於我們對首隻懂游泳的恐龍了解更多——或許這也是體型最龐大的肉食恐龍。
Nizar Ibrahim - Paleontologist
Nizar Ibrahim scours Northern Africa for clues to what things were like there in the Cretaceous period. A 2015 TED Fellow, he has spearheaded the recent search for the semi-aquatic dinosaur Spinosaurus. Full bio
Nizar Ibrahim scours Northern Africa for clues to what things were like there in the Cretaceous period. A 2015 TED Fellow, he has spearheaded the recent search for the semi-aquatic dinosaur Spinosaurus. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
這些來自遠古時代的恐龍
真是不可思議的生物，
真是不可思議的生物，
00:12
These dragons from deep time
are incredible creatures.
are incredible creatures.
0
988
4713
00:17
They're bizzarre,
1
5701
1445
牠們樣貌奇異，
00:19
they're beautiful,
2
7146
1710
卻又美麗，
00:20
and there's very little
we know about them.
we know about them.
3
8856
2985
而我們對牠們知之甚少。
00:23
These thoughts were going
through my head
through my head
4
11841
2290
當我翻開人生中
第一本與恐龍有關的書籍時，
第一本與恐龍有關的書籍時，
00:26
when I looked at the pages of
my first dinosaur book.
my first dinosaur book.
5
14131
4443
這些想法早在我腦海中不斷盤旋，
00:30
I was about five years old at the time,
6
18574
2504
儘管那時我才五歲，
00:33
and I decided there and then
7
21078
1953
而當時我已決定了
00:35
that I would become a paleontologist.
8
23031
2845
未來要成為一名古生物學者，
00:37
Paleontology allowed me
to combine my love for animals
to combine my love for animals
9
25876
3337
因為古生物學者能將熱愛動物
00:41
with my desire to travel to
far-flung corners of the world.
far-flung corners of the world.
10
29213
4728
與周遊列國的願望結合。
00:45
And now, a few years later,
I've led several expeditions
I've led several expeditions
11
33941
3023
幾年後，現在我已經帶領過
數次考察工作，
數次考察工作，
00:48
to the ultimate far-flung corner
on this planet, the Sahara.
on this planet, the Sahara.
12
36964
5182
曾到過地球上最遙遠的角落—
撒哈拉大沙漠，
撒哈拉大沙漠，
00:54
I've worked in the Sahara because
I've been on a quest
I've been on a quest
13
42146
4049
到撒哈拉的原因是我要尋找
00:58
to uncover new remains of
a bizarre, giant predatory dinosaur
a bizarre, giant predatory dinosaur
14
46195
5105
一種奇特而巨大的遠古恐龍的遺骸，
01:03
called Spinosaurus.
15
51300
3151
名叫棘龍。
01:06
A few bones of this animal
have been found
have been found
16
54451
3353
一名德國古生物學家
曾於約一百年前在埃及沙漠中
01:09
in the deserts of Egypt
17
57804
1380
01:11
and were described about 100 years ago
by a German paleontologist.
by a German paleontologist.
18
59184
5353
發現牠的骨骼。
01:16
Unfortunately, all his Spinosaurus bones
were destroyed in World War II.
were destroyed in World War II.
19
64537
4948
不幸的是，這些棘龍骨骸
在第二次世界大戰中被毀壞，
在第二次世界大戰中被毀壞，
01:21
So all we're left with are just
a few drawings and notes.
a few drawings and notes.
20
69485
4304
現在只保留著一些繪畫和筆記。
01:25
From these drawings,
21
73789
1261
從這些圖畫中，
01:27
we know that this creature, which lived
about 100 million years ago,
about 100 million years ago,
22
75050
3411
我們發現這個活在一億年前的生物
01:30
was very big,
23
78461
1551
體型十分巨大，
01:32
it had tall spines on its back,
forming a magnificent sail,
forming a magnificent sail,
24
80012
3413
背上有著明顯的長刺，
形成一個帆狀物，
形成一個帆狀物，
01:35
and it had long, slender jaws,
a bit like a crocodile,
a bit like a crocodile,
25
83425
4747
牠的頜骨又細又長，有點像鱷魚，
01:41
with conical teeth,
26
89542
2218
牙齒呈圓錐狀，
01:43
that may have been used
to catch slippery prey, like fish.
to catch slippery prey, like fish.
27
91760
4887
可能是用於捕獵表面光滑的獵物，
例如魚類。
例如魚類。
01:48
But that was pretty much
all we knew
all we knew
28
96647
2057
但是我們對棘龍的認識
01:50
about this animal for the next 100 years.
29
98704
3599
在後來的一百年幾乎毫無進展。
01:58
My fieldwork took me to the border region
between Morocco and Algeria,
between Morocco and Algeria,
30
106563
4802
我們曾前往摩洛哥和
阿爾及利亞的邊界附近，
阿爾及利亞的邊界附近，
02:03
a place called the Kem Kem.
31
111365
2573
一個名為卡瑪卡瑪的地方
進行實地考察，
進行實地考察，
02:05
It's a difficult place to work in.
32
113938
2313
那裡的工作環境十分惡劣，
02:08
You have to deal with sandstorms
and snakes and scorpions,
and snakes and scorpions,
33
116251
3689
你需要應付沙塵暴、蛇及蝎子，
02:11
and it's very difficult to find
good fossils there.
good fossils there.
34
119940
3144
也很困難地才找到保存完善的化石。
02:15
But our hard work paid off.
35
123084
2816
但是我們所做的努力並沒有白費，
02:17
We discovered many incredible specimens.
36
125900
2215
我們發現許多非常棒的標本，
02:20
There's the largest dinosaur bone
37
128115
1752
包括在撒哈拉沙漠中從未發現過
體積如此龐大的恐龍骨骸化石，
體積如此龐大的恐龍骨骸化石，
02:21
that had ever been found
in this part of the Sahara.
in this part of the Sahara.
38
129867
2508
我們發現了體型龐大的掠奪性恐龍、
02:25
We found remains of giant
predatory dinosaurs,
predatory dinosaurs,
39
133475
3494
中型的掠奪性恐龍、
02:28
medium-sized predatory dinosaurs,
40
136969
2663
02:31
and seven or eight different kinds
of crocodile-like hunters.
of crocodile-like hunters.
41
139632
5599
以及七或八種類似鱷魚的獵手。
02:37
These fossils were deposited
in a river system.
in a river system.
42
145231
3002
這些化石沉積在某一河流系統中，
02:40
The river system was also home
to a giant, car-sized coelacanth,
to a giant, car-sized coelacanth,
43
148233
4170
而且它還是一種有如汽車般大的巨型鋸瑤、
像怪獸的腔棘魚的棲息地。
02:44
a monster sawfish,
44
152403
3460
02:47
and the skies over the river system
were filled with pterosaurs,
were filled with pterosaurs,
45
155863
3700
這片河流系統的上空還佈滿翼龍，
02:51
flying reptiles.
46
159563
2028
一種懂飛行的爬行動物，
02:53
It was a pretty dangerous place,
47
161591
1619
真是一塊極危險的區域，
02:55
not the kind of place where you'd want
to travel to if you had a time machine.
to travel to if you had a time machine.
48
163210
3719
如果你有時光機，也不會想去遊覽一番。
03:00
So we're finding all these
incredible fossils of animals
incredible fossils of animals
49
168159
2920
我們找到所有這些與棘龍
共同生存過的動物的化石，
共同生存過的動物的化石，
03:03
that lived alongside Spinosaurus,
50
171079
2690
但棘龍本身蹤跡卻難以尋找，
03:05
but Spinosaurus itself proved
to be very elusive.
to be very elusive.
51
173769
2769
03:08
We were just finding bits and pieces
52
176538
1747
我們只找到一些化石碎片，
03:10
and I was hoping that we'd find
a partial skeleton at some point.
a partial skeleton at some point.
53
178285
4415
我期待著有一天終能找到
一副局部的骨骼。
一副局部的骨骼。
03:15
Finally, very recently,
54
183640
1717
直到最近，
03:17
we were able to track down a dig site
55
185357
3110
我們終於追尋到一個挖掘場，
03:20
where a local fossil hunter found
several bones of Spinosaurus.
several bones of Spinosaurus.
56
188467
4964
一位當地的化石獵人在那裡
發現了幾塊棘龍的骨骸化石，
發現了幾塊棘龍的骨骸化石，
03:25
We returned to the site,
we collected more bones.
we collected more bones.
57
193431
2860
我們再度造訪那發掘地時，
也收集到更多的骨骸化石，
也收集到更多的骨骸化石，
03:28
And so after 100 years we finally
had another partial skeleton
had another partial skeleton
58
196291
4073
一百多年後，我們終於發現另一塊
屬於此奇異生物的局部骨骸。
屬於此奇異生物的局部骨骸。
03:32
of this bizarre creature.
59
200364
2161
我們隨後對骨骸進行修復，
03:34
And we were able to reconstruct it.
60
202525
1671
03:36
We now know that
Spinosaurus had a head
Spinosaurus had a head
61
204196
1894
我們現在知道
03:38
a little bit like a crocodile,
62
206090
1796
棘龍的頭部有點像鱷魚，
03:39
very different from other
predatory dinosaurs,
predatory dinosaurs,
63
207886
2195
有異於其他食肉恐龍，
03:42
very different from the T. rex.
64
210081
2737
也有異於雷克斯霸王龍。
03:44
But the really interesting information
came from the rest of the skeleton.
came from the rest of the skeleton.
65
212818
4853
然而真正令人感興趣的是
骨架的其餘部分。
骨架的其餘部分。
03:49
We had long spines,
66
217671
1333
牠們背脊上的長刺
03:51
the spines forming the big sail.
67
219004
2628
形成一個巨大帆狀物，
03:53
We had leg bones, we had skull bones,
68
221632
2245
我們發現腿骨和頭蓋骨，
03:55
we had paddle-shaped feet, wide feet --
69
223877
3448
還有寬大的槳狀腳掌，
03:59
again, very unusual, no other
dinosaur has feet like this --
dinosaur has feet like this --
70
227325
2815
同樣的，這腳掌是極不尋常的，
從未在其他恐龍身上發現過，
從未在其他恐龍身上發現過，
04:02
and we think they may have been
used to walk on soft sediment,
used to walk on soft sediment,
71
230140
3111
我們認為這有助於
在鬆軟的沉澱物上行走，
在鬆軟的沉澱物上行走，
04:05
or maybe for paddling in the water.
72
233251
2692
或者在水中划動。
04:07
We also looked at the fine
microstructure of the bone,
microstructure of the bone,
73
235943
3438
我們還研究了骨骼的顯微組織，
04:11
the inside structure of Spinosaurus bones,
74
239381
1996
即是棘龍骨頭的內部結構，
04:13
and it turns out that they're
very dense and compact.
very dense and compact.
75
241377
2759
研究發現其骨骼的密度很高
且十分緊實，
且十分緊實，
04:16
Again, this is something we see in animals
that spend a lot of time in the water,
that spend a lot of time in the water,
76
244136
3858
這個特徵對長時間居住在水中的
生物來說很常見，
生物來說很常見，
04:19
it's useful for buoyancy
control in the water.
control in the water.
77
247994
3192
以便更好地控制水中浮力。
04:23
We C.T.-scanned all of our bones
and built a digital Spinosaurus skeleton.
and built a digital Spinosaurus skeleton.
78
251186
5373
我們用電腦斷層掃描檢測所有骨骸，
並建立一副棘龍的數位化骨架，
並建立一副棘龍的數位化骨架，
04:28
And when we looked
at the digital skeleton,
at the digital skeleton,
79
256559
2211
當我們觀察這副數位化骨架時，
我們發現這真是一種與眾不同的恐龍，
04:30
we realized that yes, this was
a dinosaur unlike any other.
a dinosaur unlike any other.
80
258770
4436
04:35
It's bigger than a T. rex,
81
263206
1599
牠比雷克斯霸王龍巨型，
04:36
and yes, the head has "fish-eating"
written all over it,
written all over it,
82
264805
2725
而且頭部顯示牠是一種
喜好捕魚的恐龍，
喜好捕魚的恐龍，
04:39
but really the entire skeleton has
"water-loving" written all over it --
"water-loving" written all over it --
83
267530
4099
整副骨架也證明牠是種親水動物—
04:43
dense bone, paddle-like feet,
and the hind limbs are reduced in size,
and the hind limbs are reduced in size,
84
271629
4835
緊實的骨質、漿狀的腳掌、
後肢的尺寸減小，
後肢的尺寸減小，
04:48
and again, this is something
we see in animals
we see in animals
85
276464
2208
這些確實是
04:50
that spend a substantial amount
of time in the water.
of time in the water.
86
278672
2879
常常生活於水中的動物所具有的特徵。
04:54
So, as we fleshed out our Spinosaurus --
87
282711
3393
因此，當我們還原棘龍的形態時—
04:58
I'm looking at muscle attachments
and wrapping our dinosaur in skin --
and wrapping our dinosaur in skin --
88
286104
4164
我觀察到牠的肌腱附著點
以及還原其皮膚時—
以及還原其皮膚時—
05:02
we realize that we're dealing
with a river monster,
with a river monster,
89
290268
3880
我們認為正在研究著一隻河中巨獸，
05:06
a predatory dinosaur, bigger than T. rex,
90
294148
2329
一隻掠奪性恐龍，
比雷克斯霸王龍還巨型，
比雷克斯霸王龍還巨型，
05:08
the ruler of this ancient river of giants,
91
296477
2776
古代河流的統治者，
05:11
feeding on the many aquatic animals
I showed you earlier on.
I showed you earlier on.
92
299253
3250
牠們進食早前在此介紹過的各樣水中動物。
05:14
So that's really what makes this
an incredible discovery.
an incredible discovery.
93
302503
2866
這真是一項驚人的發現，
05:17
It's a dinosaur like no other.
94
305369
1505
因為這隻恐龍跟其他的不同，
05:18
And some people told me, "Wow,
this is a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
this is a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
95
306874
3567
有些人對我說：「嘩，
這真是一輩子只有一次的發現，
這真是一輩子只有一次的發現，
05:22
There are not many things left
to discover in the world."
to discover in the world."
96
310441
3262
世上還未被發現的事情已經不多了。」
05:26
Well, I think nothing could be
further from the truth.
further from the truth.
97
314803
3172
嗯，我認為事實並非如此，
05:29
I think the Sahara's
still full of treasures,
still full of treasures,
98
317975
2271
我認為撒哈拉大沙漠
仍隱藏著很多寶藏，
仍隱藏著很多寶藏，
05:32
and when people tell me there are
no places left to explore,
no places left to explore,
99
320246
3185
當其他人告訴我，
這世上已再沒有地方可被探索時，
這世上已再沒有地方可被探索時，
05:35
I like to quote a famous dinosaur hunter,
Roy Chapman Andrews,
Roy Chapman Andrews,
100
323431
4037
我會引用羅伊·查普曼·安德魯斯，
一位著名的恐龍探索家的名言，
一位著名的恐龍探索家的名言，
05:39
and he said, "Always, there has been
an adventure just around the corner --
an adventure just around the corner --
101
327468
5616
他說：「每個轉角處都會遇上奇遇，
而世上轉角處仍無處不在。」
而世上轉角處仍無處不在。」
05:45
and the world is still full of corners."
102
333084
2812
05:47
That was true many decades ago
103
335896
1919
數十年前，羅伊·查普曼·安德魯斯
寫下這句說話時，
寫下這句說話時，
05:49
when Roy Chapman Andrews
wrote these lines.
wrote these lines.
104
337815
2042
這是事實，
05:51
And it is still true today.
105
339857
1982
到了今天，也依舊如此。
05:53
Thank you.
106
341839
888
謝謝大家
05:54
(Applause)
107
342727
2694
(鼓掌)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nizar Ibrahim - PaleontologistNizar Ibrahim scours Northern Africa for clues to what things were like there in the Cretaceous period. A 2015 TED Fellow, he has spearheaded the recent search for the semi-aquatic dinosaur Spinosaurus.
Why you should listen
Paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim, a postdoc at the University of Chicago, wanted to uncover the mystery of the Spinosaurus, a gigantic predatory dinosaur whose only known remains were lost during World War II. After identifying a new skeleton at a dig in North Africa, Ibrahim made the landmark conclusion that the Spinosaurus may have been the largest carnivorous dinosaur to ever live. Its crocodile-like head, dense bones, short legs, and wide, paddle feet suggest it was a water dweller unlike any other. “The entire skeleton has water-loving river monster written all over it,” he says.
Ibrahim is a TED Fellow and a National Geographic Emerging Explorer.
Nizar Ibrahim | Speaker | TED.com