TED Talks Live
Latif Nasser: You have no idea where camels really come from
拉蒂夫·納賽爾: 你絕不知道駱駝是從哪來的
Filmed:
Readability: 3.8
3,107,623 views
駱駝非常適合沙漠的氣候，很難想像牠們住在其他地方。但是如果我們大錯特錯呢？如果那些駝峰、腳掌和眼睛都是爲了不同的氣候、不同的時間而進化的呢？在這個演講中，加入廣播實驗室的拉蒂夫·納賽爾，他將為我們講述一個驚奇故事，關於一個微小奇怪的化石如何顛覆我們對駱駝以及世界的認知。
Latif Nasser - Radio researcher
Latif Nasser is the director of research at Radiolab, where he has reported on such disparate topics as culture-bound illnesses, snowflake photography, sinking islands and 16th-century automata. Full bio
Latif Nasser is the director of research at Radiolab, where he has reported on such disparate topics as culture-bound illnesses, snowflake photography, sinking islands and 16th-century automata. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
So, this is a story
0
880
2000
今天這個故事是關於
00:14
about how we know what we know.
1
2904
1929
我們如何認知我們所知道的事物。
00:17
It's a story about this woman,
2
5690
2135
這個故事是關於這位女性：
00:20
Natalia Rybczynski.
3
8611
1936
娜塔莉亞·瑞辛斯基。
00:22
She's a paleobiologist,
4
10912
2048
她是一位古生物學家。
00:24
which means she specializes
in digging up really old dead stuff.
in digging up really old dead stuff.
5
12984
3829
也就是說她的專長
就是挖掘那些古老的死東西。
就是挖掘那些古老的死東西。
00:28
(Audio) Natalia Rybczynski: Yeah,
I had someone call me "Dr. Dead Things."
I had someone call me "Dr. Dead Things."
6
16837
3502
（音頻）娜塔莉亞·瑞辛斯基：
是的，有些人就稱我為「死物博士」
是的，有些人就稱我為「死物博士」
00:32
Latif Nasser: And I think
she's particularly interesting
she's particularly interesting
7
20363
2629
拉蒂夫·納賽爾：
而且我覺得她特別有趣，
而且我覺得她特別有趣，
00:35
because of where she digs that stuff up,
8
23016
1914
因為她挖掘那些東西的地方
00:36
way above the Arctic Circle
in the remote Canadian tundra.
in the remote Canadian tundra.
9
24954
4195
都是在北極圈內，
偏遠的加拿大苔原地區。
偏遠的加拿大苔原地區。
00:41
Now, one summer day in 2006,
10
29901
3055
2006 年夏季的一天，
00:44
she was at a dig site called
the Fyles Leaf Bed,
the Fyles Leaf Bed,
11
32980
3191
她在一個叫法爾斯葉床的
岩層挖掘現場，
岩層挖掘現場，
00:48
which is less than 10 degrees latitude
away from the magnetic north pole.
away from the magnetic north pole.
12
36195
4578
距離地磁北極僅僅不到 10 緯度。
00:52
(Audio) NR: Really, it's not
going to sound very exciting,
going to sound very exciting,
13
40797
2727
（音頻）娜：說真的，
這聽起來並沒那麼有趣。
這聽起來並沒那麼有趣。
00:55
because it was a day of walking
with your backpack and your GPS
with your backpack and your GPS
14
43548
4030
因為一整天你都要
背著你的背包、GPS、
背著你的背包、GPS、
00:59
and notebook and just picking up
anything that might be a fossil.
anything that might be a fossil.
15
47602
4078
筆記本，一直長途跋涉，
去撿任何看起來可能是化石的東西。
去撿任何看起來可能是化石的東西。
01:03
LN: And at some point,
she noticed something.
she noticed something.
16
51704
2675
拉：就在某一刻，
她發現了一些東西。
她發現了一些東西。
01:06
(Audio) NR: Rusty, kind of rust-colored,
17
54403
2167
（音頻）娜：它近乎鐵鏽色，
01:08
about the size of the palm of my hand.
18
56594
1935
大概像我手掌一樣大小。
01:10
It was just lying on the surface.
19
58553
2294
它就躺在地面上。
01:12
LN: And at first she thought
it was just a splinter of wood,
it was just a splinter of wood,
20
60871
3452
拉：最初她以為這是
一小塊碎木頭而已。
一小塊碎木頭而已。
01:16
because that's the sort of thing
people had found
people had found
21
64347
2293
因為之前人們每次在法爾斯葉床
01:18
at the Fyles Leaf Bed before --
prehistoric plant parts.
prehistoric plant parts.
22
66664
3419
找到的都是這種東西
——史前植物的一部份。
——史前植物的一部份。
01:22
But that night, back at camp ...
23
70107
2468
但是那一夜，回到帳篷之後，
01:24
(Audio) NR: ... I get out the hand lens,
24
72940
1929
（音頻）娜：我拿出放大鏡，
01:26
I'm looking a little bit
more closely and realizing
more closely and realizing
25
74893
2397
我仔細地觀察，然後突然發現，
01:29
it doesn't quite look
like this has tree rings.
like this has tree rings.
26
77314
2404
它看起來好像沒有年輪啊。
01:31
Maybe it's a preservation thing,
27
79742
1564
這可能是由於保存的問題，
01:33
but it looks really like ...
28
81330
2274
但是它看起來真的像是...
01:35
bone.
29
83628
1201
骨頭。
01:36
LN: Huh. So over the next four years,
30
84853
2889
拉：所以在接下來的四年裡，
01:39
she went to that spot over and over,
31
87766
2934
她一次一次地回到那裡，
01:42
and eventually collected 30 fragments
of that exact same bone,
of that exact same bone,
32
90724
5536
最終收集到了 30 塊碎片，
都來自同一塊骨頭。
都來自同一塊骨頭。
01:48
most of them really tiny.
33
96284
1661
大多數都很小，
01:50
(Audio) NR: It's not a whole lot.
It fits in a small Ziploc bag.
It fits in a small Ziploc bag.
34
98522
4436
（音頻）娜：其實不算很多，
一個小密封袋就能裝得下。
一個小密封袋就能裝得下。
01:54
LN: And she tried to piece them
together like a jigsaw puzzle.
together like a jigsaw puzzle.
35
102982
3357
拉：然後她嘗試像拼拼圖一樣，
把碎片都拼在一起。
把碎片都拼在一起。
01:58
But it was challenging.
36
106941
1445
這非常具有挑戰性。
02:00
(Audio) NR: It's broken up
into so many little tiny pieces,
into so many little tiny pieces,
37
108410
2820
（音頻）娜：它碎成太多片了，
02:03
I'm trying to use sand and putty,
and it's not looking good.
and it's not looking good.
38
111254
4258
我們試圖用沙土和塑鋼土來復原，
但是效果並不是很好。
但是效果並不是很好。
02:07
So finally, we used a 3D surface scanner.
39
115536
5167
所以最後，我們用了一個
3D 表面掃描儀。
3D 表面掃描儀。
02:12
LN: Ooh!
NR: Yeah, right?
NR: Yeah, right?
40
120727
1589
拉：噢！
娜：沒錯！很棒吧？
娜：沒錯！很棒吧？
02:14
(Laughter)
41
122340
1440
（笑聲）
02:15
LN: It turns out it was way easier
to do it virtually.
to do it virtually.
42
123804
2743
拉：事實證明
用虛擬的方式更簡單啊。
用虛擬的方式更簡單啊。
02:18
(Audio) NR: It's kind of magical
when it all fits together.
when it all fits together.
43
126571
2770
（音頻）娜：當它們全部拼在
一起的時候，感覺就像魔法一樣！
一起的時候，感覺就像魔法一樣！
02:21
LN: How certain were you
that you had it right,
that you had it right,
44
129365
2199
拉：你怎麼確定你拼得是對的？
02:23
that you had put it together
in the right way?
in the right way?
45
131588
2145
怎麼確定是用正確的方式
把它們拼起來的？
把它們拼起來的？
02:25
Was there a potential that you'd
put it together a different way
put it together a different way
46
133757
3014
會不會有可能
當你換一種方式拼的時候，
當你換一種方式拼的時候，
02:28
and have, like, a parakeet or something?
47
136795
1942
然後得到一個，嗯，像是長尾鸚鵡
或什麽其他的東西？
或什麽其他的東西？
02:30
(Laughter)
48
138761
1365
（笑聲）
02:32
(Audio) NR: (Laughs) Um, no.
No, we got this.
No, we got this.
49
140150
3640
（音頻）娜：（大笑）
呃不會，我們肯定是拼對了。
呃不會，我們肯定是拼對了。
02:36
LN: What she had, she discovered,
was a tibia, a leg bone,
was a tibia, a leg bone,
50
144242
3841
拉：她發現她拼出來的，
是一根脛骨，也就是一根腿骨。
是一根脛骨，也就是一根腿骨。
02:40
and specifically, one that belonged
to a cloven-hoofed mammal,
to a cloven-hoofed mammal,
51
148107
4000
更具體一點說，這是一根
偶蹄類哺乳動物的脛骨。
偶蹄類哺乳動物的脛骨。
02:44
so something like a cow or a sheep.
52
152131
2849
像是牛、羊之類的動物。
02:47
But it couldn't have been either of those.
53
155004
2460
但是它不可能是牛或羊的。
02:49
It was just too big.
54
157488
1783
它實在是太大了。
02:51
(Audio) NR: The size of this thing,
it was huge. It's a really big animal.
it was huge. It's a really big animal.
55
159822
4064
（音頻）娜：這個東西的尺寸
確實很大，這是個大型動物。
確實很大，這是個大型動物。
02:55
LN: So what animal could it be?
56
163910
2858
拉：所以這可能是什麽動物呢？
02:59
Having hit a wall, she showed
one of the fragments
one of the fragments
57
167291
2580
她遇到了瓶頸。
她把其中一小片碎片
她把其中一小片碎片
03:01
to some colleagues of hers in Colorado,
58
169895
2572
拿給了科羅拉多州的一些同事看，
03:04
and they had an idea.
59
172491
1260
他們產生了一個想法。
03:06
(Audio) NR: We took a saw,
and we nicked just the edge of it,
and we nicked just the edge of it,
60
174244
5047
（音頻）娜：我們用一把小鋸子，
在碎片邊緣切了個小切口，
在碎片邊緣切了個小切口，
03:11
and there was this really interesting
smell that comes from it.
smell that comes from it.
61
179315
6391
它產生了一種引起我們興趣的氣味。
03:18
LN: It smelled kind of like singed flesh.
62
186521
2763
拉：它聞起來像是燒焦了的肉。
03:21
It was a smell that Natalia recognized
63
189308
2633
娜塔莉亞分辨出了這種氣味。
03:23
from cutting up skulls
in her gross anatomy lab:
in her gross anatomy lab:
64
191965
3943
她在噁心的大體解剖實驗室
切割骨頭的時候聞到過：
切割骨頭的時候聞到過：
03:27
collagen.
65
195932
1164
膠原蛋白。
03:29
Collagen is what gives
structure to our bones.
structure to our bones.
66
197120
2657
膠原蛋白是構成我們
骨頭結構的物質。
骨頭結構的物質。
03:31
And usually, after so many years,
67
199801
2158
通常，在很多年後，
03:33
it breaks down.
68
201983
1151
它會自然分解。
03:35
But in this case, the Arctic had acted
like a natural freezer and preserved it.
like a natural freezer and preserved it.
69
203158
4348
但是這一次，北極圈就像是一個
天然的冷凍箱將它保存了下來。
天然的冷凍箱將它保存了下來。
03:40
Then a year or two later,
Natalia was at a conference in Bristol,
Natalia was at a conference in Bristol,
70
208190
3623
一兩年後，娜塔莉亞
去布里斯托參加一個研討會，
去布里斯托參加一個研討會，
03:43
and she saw that a colleague
of hers named Mike Buckley
of hers named Mike Buckley
71
211837
3194
她遇到一個同行，叫麥克·巴克利。
03:47
was demoing this new process
that he called "collagen fingerprinting."
that he called "collagen fingerprinting."
72
215055
5840
他正在演示一種新技術，
他稱之為「膠原蛋白指紋技術」。
他稱之為「膠原蛋白指紋技術」。
03:53
It turns out that different species
have slightly different structures
have slightly different structures
73
221284
3643
事實上，不同物種的膠原蛋白
03:56
of collagen,
74
224951
1152
在結構上是有著微小差異的。
03:58
so if you get a collagen profile
of an unknown bone,
of an unknown bone,
75
226127
2816
所以如果你有一塊未知骨頭的
膠原蛋白分析圖，
膠原蛋白分析圖，
04:00
you can compare it
to those of known species,
to those of known species,
76
228967
2194
你可以將它與已知物種的
膠原蛋白進行比對。
膠原蛋白進行比對。
04:03
and, who knows, maybe you get a match.
77
231185
2538
也許，誰知道呢，
有可能就配對成功了。
有可能就配對成功了。
04:06
So she shipped him one of the fragments,
78
234546
3279
然後她就給麥克寄了一塊碎片，
04:09
FedEx.
79
237849
1294
用聯邦快遞。
04:11
(Audio) NR: Yeah, you want to track it.
It's kind of important.
It's kind of important.
80
239167
3810
（音頻）娜：對啊，你想追蹤貨件
到了哪啊，這很重要的。
到了哪啊，這很重要的。
04:15
(Laughter)
81
243001
1253
（笑聲）
04:16
LN: And he processed it,
82
244278
1191
拉：然後他處理了樣本，
04:17
and compared it to 37 known
and modern-day mammal species.
and modern-day mammal species.
83
245493
4362
將它與 37 種已知現代哺乳動物
物種進行比對，
物種進行比對，
04:22
And he found a match.
84
250674
1277
然後他配對成功了。
04:24
It turns out that
the 3.5 million-year-old bone
the 3.5 million-year-old bone
85
252824
4612
實驗顯示，
娜塔莉亞在北極圈裡
娜塔莉亞在北極圈裡
04:29
that Natalia had dug
out of the High Arctic
out of the High Arctic
86
257460
3630
發現的這塊 350 萬歲的骨頭
04:33
belonged to ...
87
261729
1194
屬於...
04:36
a camel.
88
264031
1317
一匹駱駝。
04:37
(Laughter)
89
265372
1731
（笑聲）
04:39
(Audio) NR: And I'm thinking, what?
That's amazing -- if it's true.
That's amazing -- if it's true.
90
267127
4298
（音頻）娜：我想，什麽？
如果這是真的，那就太神奇了！
如果這是真的，那就太神奇了！
04:43
LN: So they tested
a bunch of the fragments,
a bunch of the fragments,
91
271449
2052
拉：所以她們測試了一大堆碎片，
04:45
and they got the same result for each one.
92
273525
2244
每一塊都得到了相同的結果。
04:48
However, based on the size
of the bone that they found,
of the bone that they found,
93
276197
5420
然而，根據她們發現的
那塊骨頭的尺寸，
那塊骨頭的尺寸，
04:53
it meant that this camel was 30 percent
larger than modern-day camels.
larger than modern-day camels.
94
281641
6363
這個駱駝比現代駱駝大概大 30%。
05:00
So this camel would have been
about nine feet tall,
about nine feet tall,
95
288028
3190
所以這個駱駝大概有 9 英尺高，
05:03
weighed around a ton.
96
291242
1198
大概 1 噸重。
05:04
(Audience reacts)
97
292464
1051
（觀眾驚呼）
05:05
Yeah.
98
293539
1049
是的。
05:06
Natalia had found a Giant Arctic camel.
99
294612
3493
娜塔莉亞發現了一種巨型北極駱駝。
05:10
(Laughter)
100
298129
2142
（笑聲）
05:14
Now, when you hear the word "camel,"
101
302396
2318
現在，當你聽到
「駱駝」一詞的時候，
「駱駝」一詞的時候，
05:16
what may come to mind is one of these,
102
304738
3925
腦海裡出現的可能是這種：
05:21
the Bactrian camel
of East and Central Asia.
of East and Central Asia.
103
309507
3364
東亞或者中亞地區的雙峰駱駝，
05:24
But chances are the postcard image
you have in your brain
you have in your brain
104
312895
3485
但很有可能你腦海裡出現的圖片
05:28
is one of these, the dromedary,
105
316404
3555
其實是這種，單峰駱駝。
05:31
quintessential desert creature --
106
319983
2428
典型的沙漠動物——
05:34
hangs out in sandy, hot places
like the Middle East and the Sahara,
like the Middle East and the Sahara,
107
322435
4319
常常出現在炎熱的沙漠地帶，
像是中東或者撒哈拉地區，
像是中東或者撒哈拉地區，
05:38
has a big old hump on its back
108
326778
1480
背上有一個巨大的駝峰。
05:40
for storing water
for those long desert treks,
for those long desert treks,
109
328282
2517
用來為沙漠中的長途跋涉儲存水分；
05:42
has big, broad feet to help it
tromp over sand dunes.
tromp over sand dunes.
110
330823
3381
有著寬大的腳掌幫助牠們踏過沙丘，
05:46
So how on earth would one of these guys
end up in the High Arctic?
end up in the High Arctic?
111
334918
6012
所以這些駱駝中的一頭
到底是如何跑到北極圈呢？
到底是如何跑到北極圈呢？
05:53
Well, scientists have known
for a long time, turns out,
for a long time, turns out,
112
341719
2787
其實科學家們早就知道，
05:56
even before Natalia's discovery,
113
344530
2562
甚至在娜塔莉亞的發現之前，
05:59
that camels are actually
originally American.
originally American.
114
347116
5618
駱駝其實是起源於美國。
06:04
(Music: The Star-Spangled Banner)
115
352758
5700
（音樂：《星條旗之歌》美國國歌）
06:10
(Laughter)
116
358482
1459
（笑聲）
06:11
They started here.
117
359965
1531
牠們從這起源，
06:13
For nearly 40 of the 45 million years
that camels have been around,
that camels have been around,
118
361520
4834
在駱駝存在的 4500 萬年間，
大概有 4000 萬年的時間，
大概有 4000 萬年的時間，
06:18
you could only find them in North America,
119
366378
3159
你只能在北美發現牠們。
06:21
around 20 different species, maybe more.
120
369561
3253
大概 20 種不同的物種，
或許更多。
或許更多。
06:24
(Audio) LN: If I put them all in a lineup,
would they look different?
would they look different?
121
372838
3245
拉：如果讓牠們站一排，
看起來會有區別嗎？
看起來會有區別嗎？
06:28
NR: Yeah, you're going to have
different body sizes.
different body sizes.
122
376107
2435
（音頻）娜：會啊，
牠們的體積差別很大。
牠們的體積差別很大。
06:30
You'll have some with really long necks,
123
378566
1912
有些的脖子會特別長。
06:32
so they're actually
functionally like giraffes.
functionally like giraffes.
124
380502
2245
所以牠們實際上
從功能來說更像是長頸鹿。
從功能來說更像是長頸鹿。
06:35
LN: Some had snouts, like crocodiles.
125
383345
3072
拉：有些有鼻子，像鱷魚一樣。
06:38
(Audio) NR: The really primitive,
early ones would have been really small,
early ones would have been really small,
126
386441
3584
（音頻）娜：那些非常原始的
早期駱駝可能非常小；
早期駱駝可能非常小；
06:42
almost like rabbits.
127
390049
2503
幾乎是一隻兔子的大小。
06:44
LN: What? Rabbit-sized camels?
128
392576
2847
拉：什麽？兔子大小的駱駝？
06:47
(Audio) NR: The earliest ones.
129
395447
1437
（音頻）娜：最早的那些是。
06:48
So those ones you probably
would not recognize.
would not recognize.
130
396908
2235
所以那些駱駝你可能都認不出來。
06:51
LN: Oh my God, I want a pet rabbit-camel.
131
399167
2190
拉：天哪！
我好想要隻「兔駱駝」寵物啊！
我好想要隻「兔駱駝」寵物啊！
06:53
(Audio) NR: I know,
wouldn't that be great?
wouldn't that be great?
132
401381
2044
（音頻）娜：我知道，
聽起來很棒不是嗎？
聽起來很棒不是嗎？
06:55
(Laughter)
133
403449
1172
（笑聲）
06:56
LN: And then about three
to seven million years ago,
to seven million years ago,
134
404645
2659
拉：然後大約
300 萬至 700 萬年前，
300 萬至 700 萬年前，
06:59
one branch of camels
went down to South America,
went down to South America,
135
407328
2808
駱駝的一個分支
向南遷徙到了南美洲。
向南遷徙到了南美洲。
07:02
where they became llamas and alpacas,
136
410160
2954
在那裡牠們進化成了美洲駝和羊駝。
07:05
and another branch crossed over
the Bering Land Bridge
the Bering Land Bridge
137
413138
2922
另外一個分支跨過了白令陸橋，
07:08
into Asia and Africa.
138
416084
1436
來到亞洲和非洲。
07:09
And then around the end
of the last ice age,
of the last ice age,
139
417544
2421
然後在上一次冰河紀末，
07:11
North American camels went extinct.
140
419989
3099
北美駱駝滅絕了。
07:15
So, scientists knew all of that already,
141
423893
2420
所以科學家早就知道了這些，
07:18
but it still doesn't fully explain
how Natalia found one so far north.
how Natalia found one so far north.
142
426337
6076
但是這並不能完全解釋娜塔莉亞
是怎麼在那麼北的地方發現駱駝的。
是怎麼在那麼北的地方發現駱駝的。
07:24
Like, this is, temperature-wise,
the polar opposite of the Sahara.
the polar opposite of the Sahara.
143
432437
4674
這裡從溫度的角度來說，
簡直就是撒哈拉的反義詞。
簡直就是撒哈拉的反義詞。
07:29
Now to be fair,
144
437135
2501
平心而論，
07:31
three and a half million years ago,
145
439660
1683
350 萬年前，
07:33
it was on average 22 degrees Celsius
warmer than it is now.
warmer than it is now.
146
441367
4099
平均溫度比現在大約
高攝氏 22 度。
高攝氏 22 度。
07:37
So it would have been boreal forest,
147
445490
2935
所以那裡可以算是一個寒帶森林，
07:40
so more like the Yukon or Siberia today.
148
448449
3914
就像如今的育空或西伯利亞一樣。
07:44
But still, like, they would have
six-month-long winters
six-month-long winters
149
452853
3706
但是那兒仍有六個月長的冬季。
07:48
where the ponds would freeze over.
150
456583
2223
池塘凍結成冰，
07:50
You'd have blizzards.
151
458830
1468
暴風雪肆虐，
07:52
You'd have 24 hours a day
of straight darkness.
of straight darkness.
152
460322
3611
以及一天 24 小時的永夜；
07:55
Like, how ... How?
153
463957
2981
那麼...到底是怎麼回事？
07:58
How is it that one of these
Saharan superstars
Saharan superstars
154
466962
4158
這些撒哈拉沙漠的超級巨星
08:03
could ever have survived
those arctic conditions?
those arctic conditions?
155
471144
3231
是怎麼在這種極地條件下存活的？
08:06
(Laughter)
156
474399
2976
（笑聲）
08:09
Natalia and her colleagues
think they have an answer.
think they have an answer.
157
477399
3688
娜塔莉亞和她的同事認為
她們找到了答案。
她們找到了答案。
08:13
And it's kind of brilliant.
158
481632
2010
相當絕妙，
08:16
What if the very features that we imagine
make the camel so well-suited
make the camel so well-suited
159
484700
6533
假如駱駝的這些特性
並不如我們所想，
並不如我們所想，
08:23
to places like the Sahara,
160
491257
1968
是爲了適應撒哈拉沙漠
那樣的環境而產生，
那樣的環境而產生，
08:25
actually evolved to help it
get through the winter?
get through the winter?
161
493249
3412
其實是爲了幫助牠們
度過嚴寒才演化出來的呢？
度過嚴寒才演化出來的呢？
08:29
What if those broad feet were meant
to tromp not over sand,
to tromp not over sand,
162
497448
4697
如果那些寬大的腳掌
不是爲了踏過沙丘，
不是爲了踏過沙丘，
08:34
but over snow, like a pair of snowshoes?
163
502169
3020
而是爲了踏過雪原，像雪鞋一樣呢？
08:37
What if that hump --
which, huge news to me,
which, huge news to me,
164
505792
2801
如果那些駝峰——
對我來說，真是天大的新聞！
對我來說，真是天大的新聞！
08:40
does not contain water, it contains fat --
165
508617
2374
不是儲存水分，而是儲存脂肪——
08:43
(Laughter)
166
511015
1579
（笑聲）
08:44
was there to help the camel
get through that six-month-long winter,
get through that six-month-long winter,
167
512618
3601
來幫助駱駝度過食物稀缺的
08:48
when food was scarce?
168
516243
1677
六個月長的嚴冬呢？
08:49
And then, only later, long after
it crossed over the land bridge
it crossed over the land bridge
169
517944
3713
然後，遠在牠們跨越大陸橋之後，
08:53
did it retrofit those winter features
for a hot desert environment?
for a hot desert environment?
170
521681
4418
才把這些冬季特性
改進成適應炎熱的沙漠環境的呢？
改進成適應炎熱的沙漠環境的呢？
08:58
Like, for instance, the hump
may be helpful to camels in hotter climes
may be helpful to camels in hotter climes
171
526123
4074
就比如說，那些駝峰
在炎熱的氣候下可能非常有用，
在炎熱的氣候下可能非常有用，
09:02
because having all your fat in one place,
172
530221
2472
因為把脂肪都存儲在一個地方，
09:04
like a, you know, fat backpack,
173
532717
2741
像，你知道的，脂肪背包一樣，
09:07
means that you don't have
to have that insulation
to have that insulation
174
535482
2528
意味著你身體的隔熱層
09:10
all over the rest of your body.
175
538034
1759
不需要覆蓋全身。
09:11
So it helps heat dissipate easier.
176
539817
2250
這樣，散熱就變得容易了。
09:14
It's this crazy idea,
177
542555
2841
這是一個瘋狂的想法，
09:17
that what seems like proof of the camel's
quintessential desert nature
quintessential desert nature
178
545420
5547
這些看起來像是證明
駱駝典型的沙漠特性的證據，
駱駝典型的沙漠特性的證據，
09:22
could actually be proof
of its High Arctic past.
of its High Arctic past.
179
550991
3700
實際也是證明牠們過去
生活在北極圈裡的證據。
生活在北極圈裡的證據。
09:27
Now, I'm not the first person
to tell this story.
to tell this story.
180
555832
3710
我並不是第一個講述這個故事的人，
09:31
Others have told it as a way
to marvel at evolutionary biology
to marvel at evolutionary biology
181
559566
4950
其他人早已講過
以此讚歎生物進化的神奇，
以此讚歎生物進化的神奇，
09:36
or as a keyhole into the future
of climate change.
of climate change.
182
564540
3353
或著見微知著，
以此來看未來的氣候變化。
以此來看未來的氣候變化。
09:40
But I love it for a totally
different reason.
different reason.
183
568855
2237
但是我愛這個故事，
有一個完全不同的原因。
有一個完全不同的原因。
09:43
For me, it's a story about us,
184
571751
2762
對我來說，這是關於我們的故事，
09:46
about how we see the world
185
574537
1968
關於我們如何看待這個世界，
09:48
and about how that changes.
186
576529
2304
以及這種認知如何改變的。
09:51
So I was trained as a historian.
187
579658
3372
我的職業是歷史學家，
09:55
And I've learned that, actually,
a lot of scientists are historians, too.
a lot of scientists are historians, too.
188
583054
4253
我發現，實際上很多科學家
同時也是歷史學家。
同時也是歷史學家。
09:59
They make sense of the past.
189
587331
1549
他們讓過去有意義，
10:00
They tell the history of our universe,
of our planet, of life on this planet.
of our planet, of life on this planet.
190
588904
5325
他們講述我們的
宇宙、星球、地球生命的歷史。
宇宙、星球、地球生命的歷史。
10:06
And as a historian,
191
594741
1477
作為一個歷史學家，
10:08
you start with an idea in your mind
of how the story goes.
of how the story goes.
192
596242
4371
你開始於腦海中的一個想法，
關於故事是如何發展的。
關於故事是如何發展的。
10:13
(Audio) NR: We make up stories
and we stick with it,
and we stick with it,
193
601196
2485
（音頻）娜：我們編故事，
然後以此繼續講下去。
然後以此繼續講下去。
10:15
like the camel in the desert, right?
194
603705
1722
就像沙漠裡的駱駝，是吧？
10:17
That's a great story!
It's totally adapted for that.
It's totally adapted for that.
195
605451
2446
這是個非常棒的故事！
駱駝非常適應沙漠環境，
駱駝非常適應沙漠環境，
10:19
Clearly, it always lived there.
196
607921
2229
很明顯，牠一直住在那裡。
10:22
LN: But at any moment, you could
uncover some tiny bit of evidence.
uncover some tiny bit of evidence.
197
610174
4302
拉：但是你隨時會
發現一些細小的線索，
發現一些細小的線索，
10:26
You could learn some tiny thing
198
614500
2199
你會發現一些細小的東西，
10:28
that forces you to reframe
everything you thought you knew.
everything you thought you knew.
199
616723
3959
迫使你重新定義
你自以為知道的一切。
你自以為知道的一切。
10:32
Like, in this case, this one scientist
finds this one shard
finds this one shard
200
620706
3778
就像這個例子，一個科學家發現了
10:36
of what she thought was wood,
201
624508
1747
這一個她以為是木頭的碎片，
10:38
and because of that, science has a totally
new and totally counterintuitive theory
new and totally counterintuitive theory
202
626279
5038
由此，科學誕生了一個全新的、
反直覺的理論，
反直覺的理論，
10:43
about why this absurd
Dr. Seuss-looking creature
Dr. Seuss-looking creature
203
631341
3615
來解釋爲什麽這個可笑、
像極了蘇斯博士筆下的生物，
像極了蘇斯博士筆下的生物，
10:46
looks the way it does.
204
634980
1532
看起來像這樣。
10:48
And for me, it completely upended
the way I think of the camel.
the way I think of the camel.
205
636536
5404
對於我來說，
它完全顛覆了我對駱駝的認知，
它完全顛覆了我對駱駝的認知，
10:53
It went from being
this ridiculously niche creature
this ridiculously niche creature
206
641964
4382
牠從只適合這一特定環境
10:58
suited only to this
one specific environment,
one specific environment,
207
646370
2349
而存在的生物，
11:00
to being this world traveler
that just happens to be in the Sahara,
that just happens to be in the Sahara,
208
648743
5288
變成了世界旅行家，
只是恰好出現在撒哈拉沙漠。
只是恰好出現在撒哈拉沙漠。
11:06
and could end up virtually anywhere.
209
654055
3125
並且可能到達幾乎任何地方。
11:09
(Applause)
210
657880
5975
（掌聲）
11:26
This is Azuri.
211
674396
1458
這是阿祖力。
11:28
Azuri, hi, how are you doing?
212
676589
2880
嗨，阿祖力，你好嗎？
11:31
OK, here, I've got
one of these for you here.
one of these for you here.
213
679493
2548
來，我給你帶了一些吃的。
11:34
(Laughter)
214
682065
2046
（掌聲）
11:36
So Azuri is on a break
from her regular gig
from her regular gig
215
684135
4183
阿祖力剛剛完成她的特約演出，
11:40
at the Radio City Music Hall.
216
688342
2223
從紐約無線電城音樂廳來，
11:42
(Laughter)
217
690589
2149
（笑聲）
11:44
That's not even a joke.
218
692762
1582
這不是開玩笑。
11:46
Anyway --
219
694717
1737
不過——
11:48
But really, Azuri is here
as a living reminder
as a living reminder
220
696478
4357
真的，阿祖力在這裡
作為一個鮮活的例子，
作為一個鮮活的例子，
11:52
that the story of our world
is a dynamic one.
is a dynamic one.
221
700859
4247
說明這個世界的故事是
瞬息萬變的。
瞬息萬變的。
11:57
It requires our willingness
to readjust, to reimagine.
to readjust, to reimagine.
222
705130
4707
需要我們主動重新調整，
大膽想像。
大膽想像。
12:01
(Laughter)
223
709861
4277
（笑聲）
12:06
Right, Azuri?
224
714162
1451
對吧？阿祖力。
12:07
And, really, that we're all
just one shard of bone away
just one shard of bone away
225
715637
6416
真的，我們與看待世界的全新視角
12:14
from seeing the world anew.
226
722077
2230
只有一片碎骨頭的距離罷了。
12:16
Thank you very much.
227
724926
1160
非常感謝！
12:18
(Applause)
228
726110
6421
（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Latif Nasser - Radio researcherLatif Nasser is the director of research at Radiolab, where he has reported on such disparate topics as culture-bound illnesses, snowflake photography, sinking islands and 16th-century automata.
Why you should listen
The history of science is "brimming with tales stranger than fiction," says Latif Nasser, who wrote his PhD dissertation on the Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic of 1962. A writer and researcher, Nasser is now the research director at Radiolab, a job that allows him to dive into archives, talk to interesting people and tell stories as a way to think about science and society.
Latif Nasser | Speaker | TED.com