TED-Ed Weekend
Ashton Cofer: A plan to recycle the unrecyclable
艾希頓．科弗: 年輕發明家計畫回收保麗龍
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從填充用的保麗龍球到免洗咖啡杯，光是美國每年就生產了重達二十億鎊的保麗龍，而且全都無法回收。艾希頓．科弗和他的科展組員對耗費資源和掩埋場感到洩氣，因此研發了一種加熱處理過程，用來將廢棄保麗龍分解成有用的東西。他們最初的設計同時榮獲 FIRST 樂高聯賽全球創新獎和 Google 科學展的美國科學創新獎。
Ashton Cofer - Youth inventor
Ashton Cofer and his FIRST Robotics team won the Google Science Fair for developing a process to convert Styrofoam waste into activated carbon for purifying water. Full bio
Ashton Cofer and his FIRST Robotics team won the Google Science Fair for developing a process to convert Styrofoam waste into activated carbon for purifying water. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
It was just an ordinary Saturday.
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那天只是個平凡的星期六。
00:15
My dad was outside mowing the lawn,
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我爸在外面除草，
00:17
my mom was upstairs folding laundry,
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我媽在樓上摺衣服，
00:19
my sister was in her room doing homework
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我姊在她房間寫作業，
00:22
and I was in the basement
playing video games.
playing video games.
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我在地下室打電動。
00:25
And as I came upstairs
to get something to drink,
to get something to drink,
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我上樓去喝東西的時候
00:27
I looked out the window
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看向窗外，
00:28
and realized that there was something
that I was supposed to be doing,
that I was supposed to be doing,
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才意識到有件事我應該要做，
這就是我看到的。
00:32
and this is what I saw.
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00:35
No, this wasn't
my family's dinner on fire.
my family's dinner on fire.
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喔不，這不是我家的晚餐著火了，
00:39
This was my science project.
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這是我的科展計畫。
00:42
Flames were pouring out,
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火焰滾滾冒出，
00:43
smoke was in the air
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煙散在空氣中，
00:44
and it looked like our wooden deck
was about to catch fire.
was about to catch fire.
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看起來就像
我家的木頭露臺快著火了。
我家的木頭露臺快著火了。
00:48
I immediately started yelling.
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我馬上開始大叫。
00:50
My mom was freaking out,
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我媽快瘋了，
00:51
my dad ran around to put out the fire
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我爸為了滅火跑來跑去，
00:53
and of course my sister
started recording a Snapchat video.
started recording a Snapchat video.
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當然我姊也開始用 Snapchat
錄影做記錄。
錄影做記錄。
00:57
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
00:59
This was just the beginning
of my team's science project.
of my team's science project.
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這是我的小組一開始的科展計畫。
01:03
My team is composed of me
and three other students
and three other students
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小組有我和另外三個學生，
01:06
who are here in the audience today.
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他們今天也都在觀眾席。
01:08
We competed in FIRST LEGO League
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我們參加過 FIRST 樂高聯賽，
01:10
which is an international
LEGO robotics competition for kids,
LEGO robotics competition for kids,
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那是專設給兒童的
世界級樂高機器人比賽，
世界級樂高機器人比賽，
01:13
and in addition to a robotics game,
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而且除了機器人比賽，
01:15
we also worked
on a separate science project,
on a separate science project,
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我們也做了另一個科學實驗，
01:18
and this was the project
that we were working on.
that we were working on.
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這就是我們一直在做的計畫。
01:20
So the idea for this project all started
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這個計畫的點子
是在那之前幾個月前開始，
01:22
when a few months earlier,
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01:24
a couple of my teammates
took a trip to Central America
took a trip to Central America
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我的幾個組員到中美洲去玩，
01:27
and saw beaches littered with Styrofoam,
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看到海灘上到處是保麗龍，
01:29
or expanded polystyrene foam.
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或是其他聚苯乙烯塑料。
01:32
And when they came back
and told us about it,
and told us about it,
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他們回來之後告訴我這件事，
01:34
we really started thinking about the ways
in which we see Styrofoam every day.
in which we see Styrofoam every day.
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我們就開始去想
日常生活中看到的保麗龍，
日常生活中看到的保麗龍，
01:37
Get a new flat-screen TV?
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收到一臺新的平板電視嗎？
01:39
You end up with a block of Styrofoam
bigger than the TV itself.
bigger than the TV itself.
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你收到的保麗龍會比那臺電視大。
01:43
Drink a cup of coffee?
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喝咖啡嗎？
01:44
Well, those Styrofoam coffee cups
are sure going to add up.
are sure going to add up.
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嗯，保麗龍咖啡杯
當然會越積越多。
當然會越積越多。
01:47
And where do all these items go
after their one-time use?
after their one-time use?
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這些東西被用過一次之後
會跑哪去？
會跑哪去？
01:51
Since there aren't any good
existing solutions for used Styrofoam,
existing solutions for used Styrofoam,
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既然目前沒有處理
廢棄保麗龍的好方式，
廢棄保麗龍的好方式，
01:54
almost all of them
end up right in the landfill,
end up right in the landfill,
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幾乎所有保麗龍
最後都會直接到掩埋場，
最後都會直接到掩埋場，
01:57
or the oceans and beaches,
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或是海洋裡、沙灘上，
01:58
taking over 500 years to degrade.
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要花超過五百年時間分解。
02:01
And in fact, every year, the US alone
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而且事實上，光是美國一整年
02:03
produces over two billion
pounds of Styrofoam,
pounds of Styrofoam,
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就生產 20 億磅的保麗龍，
02:06
filling up a staggering
25 percent of landfills.
25 percent of landfills.
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足足可以填滿 25% 的掩埋場。
02:09
So why do we have these ghost
accumulations of Styrofoam waste?
accumulations of Styrofoam waste?
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為什麼我們會有這些幽靈
囤積廢棄的保麗龍？
囤積廢棄的保麗龍？
02:13
Why can't we just recycle them
like many plastics?
like many plastics?
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為什麼不能像很多塑膠一樣
回收保麗龍？
回收保麗龍？
02:16
Well, simply put, recycled
polystyrene is too expensive
polystyrene is too expensive
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簡而言之，回收保麗龍太貴，
02:19
and potentially contaminated,
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而且保麗龍本身有可能受汙染，
02:21
so there is very little market demand
for Styrofoam that has to be recycled.
for Styrofoam that has to be recycled.
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所以回收保麗龍的市場需求非常小。
02:25
And as a result, Styrofoam
is considered a nonrenewable material,
is considered a nonrenewable material,
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結果是保麗龍被當成是
非再生材料，
非再生材料，
02:29
because it is neither feasible
nor viable to recycle polystyrene.
nor viable to recycle polystyrene.
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因為回收保麗龍既不可行也不可能。
02:33
And in fact, many cities across the US
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事實上很多美國城市
02:36
have even passed ordinances
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甚至已經通過法令
02:37
that simply ban the production
of many products containing polystyrene,
of many products containing polystyrene,
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禁止很多含有聚苯乙烯的產品生產，
02:41
which includes disposable utensils,
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包括了免洗餐具、
02:43
packing peanuts, takeout containers
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填充用的保麗龍球、外帶餐盒，
02:45
and even plastic beach toys,
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甚至是塑膠製的海灘玩具，
02:47
all products that are very useful
in today's society.
in today's society.
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所有產品在當代社會都很實用。
02:50
And now France
has become the first country
has become the first country
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現在法國也成為第一個
02:52
to completely ban all plastic utensils,
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完全禁止塑膠餐具
02:55
cups and plates.
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和杯盤的國家。
02:57
But what if we could keep using Styrofoam
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但有沒有可能
我們可以繼續用保麗龍，
我們可以繼續用保麗龍，
02:59
and keep benefiting
from its cheap, lightweight, insulating
from its cheap, lightweight, insulating
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保有它便宜、輕量、絕緣
03:03
and excellent packing ability,
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和絕佳的包裝特性，
03:05
while not having to suffer
from the repercussions
from the repercussions
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而不必苦於必須丟棄的下場？
03:07
of having to dispose of it?
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03:09
What if we could turn it into
something else that's actually useful?
something else that's actually useful?
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我們有沒有可能
把它變成有用的東西？
把它變成有用的東西？
03:12
What if we could make
the impossible possible?
the impossible possible?
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我們有沒有可能
讓不可能變成可能？
讓不可能變成可能？
03:16
My team hypothesized that we could use
the carbon that's already in Styrofoam
the carbon that's already in Styrofoam
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我的小組假設我們能
用存在保麗龍裡的碳
用存在保麗龍裡的碳
03:21
to create activated carbon,
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製造活性碳，
03:22
which is used in almost
every water filter today.
every water filter today.
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現在過濾水都用這個。
03:25
And activated carbon works
by using very small micropores
by using very small micropores
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而且活性碳用非常小的微孔
03:29
to filter out contaminants
from water or even air.
from water or even air.
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過濾出水，甚至是空氣中的汙染物。
03:32
So we started out
by doing a variety of heating tests,
by doing a variety of heating tests,
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所以我們開始各種加熱測試，
03:36
and unfortunately, we had many failures.
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不幸的是我們失敗很多次。
03:39
Literally, nothing worked.
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說真的，沒有成功過。
03:42
Besides my dad's grill catching on fire,
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除了我爸的烤肉架著火，
03:44
most of our samples
vaporized into nothing,
vaporized into nothing,
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我們大部分的樣品也都人間蒸發，
03:47
or exploded inside expensive furnaces,
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或是在昂貴的火爐裡爆炸，
03:49
leaving a horribly sticky mess.
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留下一團黏黏的東西。
03:52
In fact, we were so saddened
by our failures that we almost gave up.
by our failures that we almost gave up.
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其實我們大受失敗打擊
到幾乎想要放棄。
到幾乎想要放棄。
03:57
So why did we keep trying
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那為什麼我們還繼續試，
03:58
when all the adults
said it was impossible?
said it was impossible?
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即使所有大人
都跟我們說不可能？
都跟我們說不可能？
04:01
Well, maybe it's because we're kids.
We don't know any better.
We don't know any better.
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嗯，可能因為我們是小孩，
我們什麼也不懂。
我們什麼也不懂。
04:04
But the truth is, we kept trying
because we thought it was still possible.
because we thought it was still possible.
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但真相是我們繼續嘗試
是因為我們認為還有可能。
是因為我們認為還有可能。
04:08
We knew that if we were successful,
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我們知道如果成功，
04:10
we would be helping the environment
and making the world a better place.
and making the world a better place.
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就可以幫助環境、
讓地球變成更好的地方。
讓地球變成更好的地方。
04:13
So we kept trying
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所以我們繼續嘗試、
04:15
and failing
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繼續失敗、
04:16
and trying
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繼續嘗試、
04:18
and failing.
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繼續失敗。
04:20
We were so ready to give up.
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我們都已經準備好要放棄了。
04:22
But then it happened.
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但後來成功了。
04:24
With the right temperatures,
times and chemicals,
times and chemicals,
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有了對的溫度、時間和化學物質，
04:26
we finally got that successful test result
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我們終於測試成功，
04:29
showing us that we had created
activated carbon from Styrofoam waste.
activated carbon from Styrofoam waste.
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看到廢棄保麗龍變成活性碳。
04:33
And at that moment,
the thing that had been impossible
the thing that had been impossible
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在那當下，
那個一直以來不可能的事情
那個一直以來不可能的事情
04:35
all of a sudden wasn't.
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瞬間都變可能了。
04:37
It showed us that although we had
many failures at the beginning,
many failures at the beginning,
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我們看見雖然一開始失敗很多次，
04:40
we were able to persevere through them
to get the test results that we wanted.
to get the test results that we wanted.
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我們還是堅持到底，
從中得到想要的結果。
從中得到想要的結果。
04:44
And moreover, not only were we able
to create activated carbon
to create activated carbon
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而且，不只是我們可以製造活性碳
04:47
for purifying water,
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來過濾水，
04:48
but we were also able
to reduce Styrofoam waste,
to reduce Styrofoam waste,
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我們還可以減少廢棄保麗龍，
04:51
solving two global problems
with just one solution.
with just one solution.
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只用一個方法
解決全球的兩個麻煩。
解決全球的兩個麻煩。
04:54
So from then on, we were inspired
to take our project further,
to take our project further,
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從那之後，我們受到鼓舞，
讓計畫更進一步
讓計畫更進一步
04:57
performing more tests
to make it more effective
to make it more effective
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做更多測試，讓它更有效益，
04:59
and testing it in real world situations.
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並用在真實生活之中。
05:01
We then proceeded to receive funding
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我們開始收到資金，
05:03
from the NSTA's eCYBERMISSION
STEM-in-Action program
STEM-in-Action program
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來自全美科學教師協會的
E 網路科學競賽 STEM 行動計畫，
E 網路科學競賽 STEM 行動計畫，
05:06
sponsored by the US Army,
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由美軍贊助，
05:08
as well as FIRST Global Innovation Awards
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以及第一全球創新獎，
05:10
sponsored by XPRIZE.
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由 XPRIZE 基金會贊助。
05:12
And we were also honored
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我們也很榮幸
05:13
with the Scientific American
Innovator Award
Innovator Award
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得到美國科學創新獎，
05:16
from Google Science Fair.
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由 Google 科學展頒發。
05:18
And using these funds, we plan
to file a full patent on our process
to file a full patent on our process
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運用這些資金，我們預計為
這個程序申請完全專利，
這個程序申請完全專利，
05:21
and to continue to work on our project.
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並繼續我們的計畫。
05:24
So yes, although we started
with catching my dad's grill on fire
with catching my dad's grill on fire
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沒錯，雖然我們
是從燒了我爸的烤架開始，
是從燒了我爸的烤架開始，
05:28
and failing so many times
that we almost quit,
that we almost quit,
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而且失敗無數次到幾乎要放棄，
05:31
it was well worth it
when we look back at it now.
when we look back at it now.
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現在回頭看都還是覺得
非常值得，
非常值得，
05:33
We took a problem
that many people said was impossible
that many people said was impossible
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我們把每個人都認為
不可能解決的麻煩
不可能解決的麻煩
05:36
and we made it possible,
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變成可能，
05:38
and we persevered when it looked
like nothing that we did would work.
like nothing that we did would work.
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我們堅持到底，
即使我們做的事看起來毫無希望。
即使我們做的事看起來毫無希望。
05:41
We learned that you can't have success
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我們學到了你不可能成功，
05:43
without a little,
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卻沒經歷過一些
05:45
or a lot, of failure.
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或是非常多失敗。
05:47
So in the future, don't be afraid
if your grill goes up in flames,
if your grill goes up in flames,
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所以未來你的烤架著火時，
不要害怕，
不要害怕，
05:51
because you never know
when your idea might just catch fire.
when your idea might just catch fire.
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因為你永遠不知道
你的點子什麼時候可能點燃。
你的點子什麼時候可能點燃。
05:55
Thank you.
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謝謝。
05:57
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Ashton Cofer - Youth inventorAshton Cofer and his FIRST Robotics team won the Google Science Fair for developing a process to convert Styrofoam waste into activated carbon for purifying water.
Why you should listen
Ashton Cofer has several patents pending, including a method to convert polystyrene foam waste into activated carbon for purifying water. He and his teammates recently won the 2016 Google Science Fair’s Scientific American Innovator Award. Ashton has a passion for science and technology, and in addition to inventing, he also competed in FIRST LEGO League robotics and teaches robotics workshops to local area youth in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
Ashton Cofer | Speaker | TED.com