TED2019
Karen Lloyd: The mysterious microbes living deep inside the earth -- and how they could help humanity
凱倫‧勞伊德: 住在地球深處的神秘微生物能如何幫助人類
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在你腳下的地底存在著一個巨大而神秘的微生物世界，其中有些已經在地殼中存活幾十萬年。地表下的世界是什麼樣子？到哥斯大黎加的火山與溫泉看看吧。微生物學家凱倫‧勞伊德說明這些地底生物將如何深遠地影響地表上的生命。
Karen Lloyd - Marine microbiologist
Karen Lloyd studies novel groups of microbes in Earth's deep surface biosphere, collecting them from disparate remote places such as Arctic fjords, volcanoes in Costa Rica, even deep in mud in the Marianas Trench Full bio
Karen Lloyd studies novel groups of microbes in Earth's deep surface biosphere, collecting them from disparate remote places such as Arctic fjords, volcanoes in Costa Rica, even deep in mud in the Marianas Trench Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
It may seem like we're all standing
on solid earth right now,
on solid earth right now,
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我們看似腳踏在堅實的地表上，
00:15
but we're not.
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但其實並非如此。
00:17
The rocks and the dirt underneath us
are crisscrossed by tiny little fractures
are crisscrossed by tiny little fractures
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地底下的岩石與塵埃
藉著微小的碎裂物
藉著微小的碎裂物
與空間相互交錯著。
00:22
and empty spaces.
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00:23
And these empty spaces are filled
with astronomical quantities of microbes,
with astronomical quantities of microbes,
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這些空間被數不清的微生物填滿，
00:28
such as these ones.
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如同這些。
00:30
The deepest that we found microbes
so far into the earth
so far into the earth
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我們目前在地球上發現微生物
00:34
is five kilometers down.
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最深達距地面五公里。
00:36
So like, if you pointed
yourself at the ground
yourself at the ground
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就好像，若你把自己固定在地面上，
00:38
and took off running into the ground,
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然後開始往地底跑，
00:40
you could run an entire 5K race
and microbes would line your whole path.
and microbes would line your whole path.
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微生物可以排一整路，全程五公里。
00:45
So you may not have ever thought
about these microbes
about these microbes
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你可能從沒想到過這些
00:47
that are deep inside earth's crust,
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在地殼深處的微生物，
00:49
but you probably thought
about the microbes living in our guts.
about the microbes living in our guts.
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但你可能會想到
住在我們消化道中的微生物。
住在我們消化道中的微生物。
00:52
If you add up the gut microbiomes
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如果你將地球上所有人與動物
00:54
of all the people
and all the animals on the planet,
and all the animals on the planet,
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體內的微生物全部相加，
00:56
collectively, this weighs
about 100,000 tons.
about 100,000 tons.
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總共可重達十萬噸。
01:00
This is a huge biome that we carry
in our bellies every single day.
in our bellies every single day.
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我們的肚子每天都扛著
如此巨大的生物群。
如此巨大的生物群。
01:05
We should all be proud.
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我們應該都要感到自豪。
01:07
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
01:08
But it pales in comparison
to the number of microbes
to the number of microbes
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但跟覆蓋在地表的微生物數量相比，
01:12
that are covering
the entire surface of the earth,
the entire surface of the earth,
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可就相形見絀了。
01:14
like in our soils,
our rivers and our oceans.
our rivers and our oceans.
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例如在土壤中、河流中，
以及海洋中的微生物。
以及海洋中的微生物。
01:17
Collectively, these weigh
about two billion tons.
about two billion tons.
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這些地方的微生物量
總共約 20 億噸。
總共約 20 億噸。
01:22
But it turns out that the majority
of microbes on earth
of microbes on earth
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然而令人意外的是，
大多數在地球上的微生物
大多數在地球上的微生物
01:24
aren't even in oceans or our guts
or sewage treatment plants.
or sewage treatment plants.
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並不存在於海洋、
消化系統或污水處理廠中，
消化系統或污水處理廠中，
01:28
Most of them are actually
inside the earth's crust.
inside the earth's crust.
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它們大多存在於地殼中。
01:31
So collectively,
these weigh 40 billion tons.
these weigh 40 billion tons.
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這些總重達 400 億噸。
01:35
This is one of the biggest
biomes on the planet,
biomes on the planet,
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這是地球上最大的生物群之一，
01:39
and we didn't even know it existed
until a few decades ago.
until a few decades ago.
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而我們直到幾十年前才知道它的存在。
01:42
So the possibilities
for what life is like down there,
for what life is like down there,
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因此在地表下的生活如何，
01:45
or what it might do for humans,
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或它會如何影響人類，
01:48
are limitless.
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是無限的。
01:50
This is a map showing a red dot
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這是個地圖，地圖上的紅點代表
01:52
for every place where we've gotten
pretty good deep subsurface samples
pretty good deep subsurface samples
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每一個我們藉現代微生物研究法
01:55
with modern microbiological methods,
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已取得不錯的地底樣本的地方，
01:57
and you may be impressed
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你可能會欽佩我們
01:58
that we're getting a pretty good
global coverage,
global coverage,
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受到全球報導關注，
02:01
but actually, if you remember
that these are the only places
that these are the only places
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但事實上，如果你記得這些點是
我們唯一能找到樣本的地方，
這看起來就會有點糟糕。
這看起來就會有點糟糕。
02:04
that we have samples from,
it looks a little worse.
it looks a little worse.
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如果我們現在在一個外星船上，
02:06
If we were all in an alien spaceship,
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02:08
trying to reconstruct a map of the globe
from only these samples,
from only these samples,
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想靠這些樣本重建地球的地圖，
02:12
we'd never be able to do it.
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是辦不到的。
02:15
So people sometimes say to me,
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因此有時候會有人跟我說：
02:17
"Yeah, there's a lot of microbes
in the subsurface, but ...
in the subsurface, but ...
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「對，地表下有很多微生物，可是...
02:21
aren't they just kind of dormant?"
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它們不都在休眠狀態嗎？」
02:23
This is a good point.
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這是一個很好的論點。
02:25
Relative to a ficus plant or the measles
or my kid's guinea pigs,
or my kid's guinea pigs,
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相對於榕屬植物、麻疹，
或我的孩子養的天竺鼠，
或我的孩子養的天竺鼠，
02:30
these microbes probably
aren't doing much of anything at all.
aren't doing much of anything at all.
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這些微生物看似
對我們沒有什麼影響。
對我們沒有什麼影響。
02:33
We know that they have to be slow,
because there's so many of them.
because there's so many of them.
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我們知道它們的影響必是緩慢的，
因為它們數量很大。
因為它們數量很大。
02:37
If they all started dividing
at the rate of E. coli,
at the rate of E. coli,
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如果它們他們開始
以大腸桿菌的速率分裂，
以大腸桿菌的速率分裂，
02:39
then they would double the entire
weight of the earth, rocks included,
weight of the earth, rocks included,
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它們會在一夜之間使地球，
包含岩石的重量加倍。
02:43
over a single night.
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02:45
In fact, many of them probably haven't
even undergone a single cell division
even undergone a single cell division
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事實上，很多微生物
甚至自古埃及時期以來，
甚至自古埃及時期以來，
尚未經歷任何細胞分裂活動，
02:49
since the time of ancient Egypt.
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02:52
Which is just crazy.
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非常不可思議。
02:53
Like, how do you wrap your head
around things that are so long-lived?
around things that are so long-lived?
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該如何理解這種如此長壽的東西？
02:59
But I thought of an analogy
that I really love,
that I really love,
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但我想到了一個我很愛的比擬，
03:02
but it's weird and it's complicated.
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但它很怪也很複雜。
03:04
So I hope that you can all
go there with me.
go there with me.
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我希望你們可以跟著我。
03:06
Alright, let's try it.
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好，我們來試試看。
03:08
It's like trying to figure out
the life cycle of a tree ...
the life cycle of a tree ...
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這就好像你只活一天，
03:11
if you only lived for a day.
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但你卻想弄清楚
一棵樹的生命週期一樣。
一棵樹的生命週期一樣。
03:13
So like if human life span was only a day,
and we lived in winter,
and we lived in winter,
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所以如果人的壽命只有一天，
而且我們活著的時候是冬天，
而且我們活著的時候是冬天，
03:17
then you would go your entire life
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那麼你將一輩子
03:19
without ever seeing a tree
with a leaf on it.
with a leaf on it.
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看不到樹上長葉子。
03:21
And there would be so many
human generations
human generations
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而一個冬天就會有好幾個
03:23
that would pass by within a single winter
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人類的世代輪替，
03:25
that you may not even have access
to a history book
to a history book
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甚至你沒有機會
看到歷史書上寫著：
03:28
that says anything other than the fact
that trees are always lifeless sticks
that trees are always lifeless sticks
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樹就是沒有生命也沒有功用的棍子。
03:32
that don't do anything.
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03:33
Of course, this is ridiculous.
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當然，這很荒謬。
03:35
We know that trees
are just waiting for summer
are just waiting for summer
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我們知道樹只是在等待夏天，
03:37
so they can reactivate.
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夏天一到他們就能恢復活動。
03:38
But if the human life span
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但如果人類的生命週期
03:41
were significantly shorter
than that of trees,
than that of trees,
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遠比樹木們來得短，
03:44
we might be completely oblivious
to this totally mundane fact.
to this totally mundane fact.
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我們可能不會知道
這個平凡無奇的事實。
這個平凡無奇的事實。
03:48
So when we say that these deep
subsurface microbes are just dormant,
subsurface microbes are just dormant,
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所以當我們說這些
地底深層的微生物在休眠，
地底深層的微生物在休眠，
03:53
are we like people who die after a day,
trying to figure out how trees work?
trying to figure out how trees work?
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我們是不是就如同那些一天就死，
卻想研究樹木生命的人呢？
卻想研究樹木生命的人呢？
03:58
What if these deep subsurface organisms
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會不會這些地底深處的微生物
04:00
are just waiting
for their version of summer,
for their version of summer,
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只是在等待它們的夏天，
04:02
but our lives are too short
for us to see it?
for us to see it?
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而我們的壽命短得
不足以見證這件事呢？
不足以見證這件事呢？
04:06
If you take E. coli
and seal it up in a test tube,
and seal it up in a test tube,
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如果你把大腸桿菌放進密閉的試管中，
04:10
with no food or nutrients,
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不提供食物或養分，
04:11
and leave it there for months to years,
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就這樣放好幾個月或好幾年，
04:14
most of the cells die off, of course,
because they're starving.
because they're starving.
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當然，大多數的細胞
會因為飢餓而死亡，
會因為飢餓而死亡，
04:17
But a few of the cells survive.
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但有一些細胞存活。
04:19
If you take these old surviving cells
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若你拿這些舊有生存下來的細胞
04:21
and compete them,
also under starvation conditions,
also under starvation conditions,
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與新培養出來
成長快速的大腸桿菌相比，
成長快速的大腸桿菌相比，
04:24
against a new, fast-growing
culture of E. coli,
culture of E. coli,
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同樣在飢餓的情境下，
04:27
the grizzled old tough guys
beat out the squeaky clean upstarts
beat out the squeaky clean upstarts
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這些老細胞每一次都戰勝
04:31
every single time.
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那些新細胞。
04:33
So this is evidence there's actually
an evolutionary payoff
an evolutionary payoff
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這就是它們演化如此緩慢
04:37
to being extraordinarily slow.
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但有成果的證據。
04:40
So it's possible
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因此可能我們不該
04:42
that maybe we should not equate
being slow with being unimportant.
being slow with being unimportant.
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將緩慢與不重要劃上等號。
04:50
Maybe these out-of-sight,
out-of-mind microbes
out-of-mind microbes
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這些我們看不見、想不到的微生物
04:53
could actually be helpful to humanity.
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可能對人類有實質幫助。
04:56
OK, so as far as we know,
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就我們目前所知道的，
04:57
there are two ways to do
subsurface living.
subsurface living.
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有兩種在地底下生活的方式：
04:59
The first is to wait for food
to trickle down from the surface world,
to trickle down from the surface world,
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第一種是等待食物從地表上往下滴，
05:03
like trying to eat the leftovers
of a picnic that happened 1,000 years ago.
of a picnic that happened 1,000 years ago.
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就好像試著吃一千年前的
野餐剩餘的碎屑。
野餐剩餘的碎屑。
05:08
Which is a crazy way to live,
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這是個很瘋狂的生活方法，
05:10
but shockingly seems to work out
for a lot of microbes in earth.
for a lot of microbes in earth.
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但令人吃驚的是，似乎很多地球上的
微生物是這樣生活的。
微生物是這樣生活的。
05:13
The other possibility
is for a microbe to just say,
is for a microbe to just say,
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另一個可能性是微生物説：
05:17
"Nah, I don't need the surface world.
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「吶，我不需要地表世界的東西，
05:19
I'm good down here."
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我在下面活得很好。」
05:21
For microbes that go this route,
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對於這一類的微生物，
05:22
they have to get everything
that they need in order to survive
that they need in order to survive
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它們必須從地球的內部
收集它們生活所需的一切。
05:26
from inside the earth.
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05:30
Some things are actually
easier for them to get.
easier for them to get.
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有些東西反而在地底容易取得，
05:32
They're more abundant inside the earth,
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這些資源在地球內部充足——
05:34
like water or nutrients,
like nitrogen and iron and phosphorus,
like nitrogen and iron and phosphorus,
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像水或養分，如氮、鐵和磷——
是宜居之處。
05:38
or places to live.
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05:39
These are things that we literally
kill each other to get ahold of
kill each other to get ahold of
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這些東西在地表上
是生物互相殘殺才能取得的。
05:42
up at the surface world.
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05:44
But in the subsurface,
the problem is finding enough energy.
the problem is finding enough energy.
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但在地底下最大的問題
是尋找足夠的能量。
是尋找足夠的能量。
05:48
Up at the surface,
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在地表上，
05:49
plants can chemically knit together
carbon dioxide molecules into yummy sugars
carbon dioxide molecules into yummy sugars
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植物可以在陽光的光子
碰到葉子的同時
碰到葉子的同時
05:53
as fast as the sun's photons
hit their leaves.
hit their leaves.
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就能藉由化學反應
將二氧化碳分子轉換成美味的糖。
將二氧化碳分子轉換成美味的糖。
05:56
But in the subsurface, of course,
there's no sunlight,
there's no sunlight,
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但在地底下沒有陽光，
05:58
so this ecosystem has to solve the problem
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所以這裡的生態系就必須解決
06:01
of who is going to make the food
for everybody else.
for everybody else.
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誰要為大家提供食物的問題。
06:05
The subsurface needs something
that's like a plant
that's like a plant
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地底下需要類似植物
但藉著石頭呼吸的東西。
06:09
but it breathes rocks.
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06:11
Luckily, such a thing exists,
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幸運的是，這樣的東西確實存在，
06:14
and it's called a chemolithoautotroph.
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叫作「化能自養生物」。
（chemolithoautotroph）
（chemolithoautotroph）
06:17
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
06:18
Which is a microbe
that uses chemicals -- "chemo,"
that uses chemicals -- "chemo,"
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也就是使用化學物質——chemo
06:22
from rocks -- "litho,"
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來源是岩石——lithos
06:24
to make food -- "autotroph."
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來製造養分——autotroph。
它們可以利用很多種
不同的元素來進行，
不同的元素來進行，
06:27
And they can do this
with a ton of different elements.
with a ton of different elements.
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06:29
They can do this with sulphur,
iron, manganese, nitrogen, carbon,
iron, manganese, nitrogen, carbon,
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可以使用硫磺、鐵、錳、氮、碳，
06:33
some of them can use
pure electrons, straight up.
pure electrons, straight up.
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有些還可以使用純電子。
06:37
Like, if you cut the end
off of an electrical cord,
off of an electrical cord,
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比方說，你把電線的尾端剪掉，
06:39
they could breathe it like a snorkel.
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它們可以把它當潛水呼吸管吸。
06:41
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
06:43
These chemolithoautotrophs
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這些化能自養生物
06:44
take the energy that they get
from these processes
from these processes
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利用從這些步驟取得的能量
06:47
and use it to make food, like plants do.
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來製造養分，就像植物一樣。
06:49
But we know that plants do more
than just make food.
than just make food.
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但我們知道植物不只製造養分，
06:53
They also make a waste product, oxygen,
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它們還製造對它無用的
副產品——氧氣，
副產品——氧氣，
06:55
which we are 100 percent dependent upon.
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也就是我們百分之百依賴著的氧氣。
06:57
But the waste product
that these chemolithoautotrophs make
that these chemolithoautotrophs make
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但這些化能自養生物
所製造出來無用的副產品
所製造出來無用的副產品
07:01
is often in the form of minerals,
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大多以礦物質的形式存在，
07:03
like rust or pyrite, like fool's gold,
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像是鏽或硫化礦，像是愚人金，
07:07
or carminites, like limestone.
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或砷鉛鐵礦，像石灰岩。
07:10
So what we have are microbes
that are really, really slow, like rocks,
that are really, really slow, like rocks,
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所以這些微生物很緩慢、
很緩慢地，如同石頭一般，
很緩慢地，如同石頭一般，
07:18
that get their energy from rocks,
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從岩石取得能量，
07:21
that make as their waste
product other rocks.
product other rocks.
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再將無用的副產品變成其他岩石。
07:25
So am I talking about biology,
or am I talking about geology?
or am I talking about geology?
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那我到底是在討論生物學
還是地理學呢？
還是地理學呢？
07:29
This stuff really blurs the lines.
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這界線實在很模糊。
07:31
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
07:32
So if I'm going to do this thing,
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我如果要做，
07:34
and I'm going to be a biologist
who studies microbes
who studies microbes
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就得是生物學家，
研究行為像岩石的微生物，
07:38
that kind of act like rocks,
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07:40
then I should probably
start studying geology.
start studying geology.
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我也應該研讀地理學。
07:43
And what's the coolest part of geology?
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地理學最酷的部份是什麼？
07:47
Volcanoes.
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火山。
07:48
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
07:49
This is looking inside the crater
of Poás Volcano in Costa Rica.
of Poás Volcano in Costa Rica.
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這是向哥斯大黎加的波阿斯
（Poás Volcano）火山口往看的樣子。
（Poás Volcano）火山口往看的樣子。
07:53
Many volcanoes on earth arise
because an oceanic tectonic plate
because an oceanic tectonic plate
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許多地球上火山的形成都是因為
海洋板塊衝撞大陸板塊。
07:57
crashes into a continental plate.
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07:59
As this oceanic plate subducts
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當這個海洋板塊隱沒，
08:01
or gets moved underneath
this continental plate,
this continental plate,
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或被移動到這個大陸板塊下方時，
08:03
things like water and carbon dioxide
and other materials
and other materials
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水、二氧化碳或其他物質
08:06
get squeezed out of it,
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就會被擠壓出來，
08:07
like ringing a wet washcloth.
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就像擰乾濕毛巾一樣。
08:10
So in this way, subduction zones
are like portals into the deep earth,
are like portals into the deep earth,
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如此一來，隱沒帶就像
通往地底深處的門戶，
通往地底深處的門戶，
08:14
where materials are exchanged between
the surface and the subsurface world.
the surface and the subsurface world.
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地表與地底的物質在此交換。
08:17
So I was recently invited
by some of my colleagues in Costa Rica
by some of my colleagues in Costa Rica
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我最近受哥斯大黎加同事之邀，
08:20
to come and work with them
on some of the volcanoes.
on some of the volcanoes.
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去跟他們一起研究火山。
08:24
And of course I said yes,
because, I mean, Costa Rica is beautiful,
because, I mean, Costa Rica is beautiful,
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我當然答應了，
因為哥斯大黎加很美，
因為哥斯大黎加很美，
08:28
but also because it sits on top
of one of these subduction zones.
of one of these subduction zones.
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也因為這個國家座落於
其中一個隱沒帶之上。
其中一個隱沒帶之上。
08:32
We wanted to ask
the very specific question:
the very specific question:
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我們想問這個特定的具體問題：
08:35
Why is it that the carbon dioxide
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為什麽從這個深埋的海洋板塊
08:37
that comes out of this deeply buried
oceanic tectonic plate
oceanic tectonic plate
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釋放出來的二氧化碳
08:40
is only coming out of the volcanoes?
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只從火山口排放出來呢？
08:42
Why don't we see it distributed
throughout the entire subduction zone?
throughout the entire subduction zone?
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為什麼不是一整個隱沒帶
都有排放二氧化碳的蹤跡呢？
都有排放二氧化碳的蹤跡呢？
08:46
Do the microbes have something
to do with that?
to do with that?
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微生物跟這件事有什麼關聯嗎？
08:48
So this is a picture of me
inside Poás Volcano,
inside Poás Volcano,
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這是我在波阿斯火山裡面的照片，
08:52
along with my colleague
Donato Giovannelli.
Donato Giovannelli.
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與我同行的是
同事 Donato Giovannelli。
同事 Donato Giovannelli。
08:54
That lake that we're standing next to
is made of pure battery acid.
is made of pure battery acid.
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我們站立處旁邊的湖
完全像是由電池裡的酸所組成。
完全像是由電池裡的酸所組成。
08:58
I know this because we were measuring
the pH when this picture was taken.
the pH when this picture was taken.
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我會知道是因為我們拍照當時
正在測量其酸鹼值。
正在測量其酸鹼值。
09:02
And at some point while
we were working inside the crater,
we were working inside the crater,
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在火山口裡工作的某個時刻，
09:05
I turned to my Costa Rican colleague
Carlos Ramírez and I said,
Carlos Ramírez and I said,
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我轉向我的哥斯大黎加同事
Carlos Ramírez，問他：
Carlos Ramírez，問他：
09:09
"Alright, if this thing
starts erupting right now,
starts erupting right now,
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「好，如果現在這個東西開始噴發，
09:13
what's our exit strategy?"
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我們的逃生策略是什麼？」
09:15
And he said, "Oh, yeah,
great question, it's totally easy.
great question, it's totally easy.
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他回答：「喔，
很好的問題，這非常簡單，
很好的問題，這非常簡單，
09:18
Just turn around and enjoy the view."
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就轉過身欣賞風景吧。」
09:21
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
09:22
"Because it will be your last."
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「因為那會是你的最後一眼。」
09:24
(Laughter)
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（笑聲）
09:25
And it may sound like
he was being overly dramatic,
he was being overly dramatic,
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他的話聽起來似乎過於戲劇化，
09:29
but 54 days after I was standing
next to that lake,
next to that lake,
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但自我們站在那湖邊的 54 天之後，
09:33
this happened.
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發生了這件事。
09:35
Audience: Oh!
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觀眾：噢！
09:37
Freaking terrifying, right?
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超級可怕，對吧？
09:38
(Laughs)
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（笑）
09:40
This was the biggest eruption
this volcano had had in 60-some-odd years,
this volcano had had in 60-some-odd years,
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這是這座火山六十餘年來
最大的一次噴發；
最大的一次噴發；
09:45
and not long after this video ends,
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在這影片結束的不久後，
09:47
the camera that was taking
the video is obliterated
the video is obliterated
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拍攝這支影片的攝影機被淹沒；
09:50
and the entire lake
that we had been sampling
that we had been sampling
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而我們一直在調查的湖
09:52
vaporizes completely.
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完全蒸發了。
09:54
But I also want to be clear
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但我必須聲明，
09:56
that we were pretty sure
this was not going to happen
this was not going to happen
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我們在火山裡工作的那天，
09:59
on the day that we were
actually in the volcano,
actually in the volcano,
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是非常確定這樣的事情不會發生的，
10:01
because Costa Rica monitors
its volcanoes very carefully
its volcanoes very carefully
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因為哥斯大黎加透過
OVISICORI 機構
OVISICORI 機構
10:04
through the OVSICORI Institute,
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嚴密地監控火山動態，
10:05
and we had scientists from that institute
with us on that day.
with us on that day.
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當時也有幾位該機構的科學家陪同。
10:08
But the fact that it erupted
illustrates perfectly
illustrates perfectly
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而這個它噴發的事實完美地說明了
10:12
that if you want to look
for where carbon dioxide gas
for where carbon dioxide gas
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如果你要找尋二氧化碳氣體
10:14
is coming out of this oceanic plate,
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是從這個海洋板塊的何處釋放，
10:16
then you should look no further
than the volcanoes themselves.
than the volcanoes themselves.
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那你應該從火山本身找尋。
10:19
But if you go to Costa Rica,
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但如果你到哥斯大黎加，
10:21
you may notice that in addition
to these volcanoes
to these volcanoes
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你可能會注意到除了這些火山之外，
10:24
there are tons of cozy little hot springs
all over the place.
all over the place.
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還有非常多小型溫泉。
10:28
Some of the water in these hot springs
is actually bubbling up
is actually bubbling up
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實際上有些溫泉水是從
10:31
from this deeply buried oceanic plate.
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這個深埋的海洋板塊冒上來的。
10:33
And our hypothesis was
that there should be carbon dioxide
that there should be carbon dioxide
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而我們提出的假說是二氧化碳
應該也跟著一起冒上來，
10:37
bubbling up with it,
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10:38
but something deep underground
was filtering it out.
was filtering it out.
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但地底下的某個東西把它過濾掉了。
10:41
So we spent two weeks
driving all around Costa Rica,
driving all around Costa Rica,
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於是我們花兩週的時間
在哥斯大黎加到處繞，
在哥斯大黎加到處繞，
10:45
sampling every hot spring we could find --
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調查我們所能找到的每一座溫泉——
10:48
it was awful, let me tell you.
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我跟你說，這經驗很糟。
10:50
And then we spent the next two years
measuring and analyzing data.
measuring and analyzing data.
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接著我們花兩年的時間
測量和分析這些資料。
測量和分析這些資料。
10:56
And if you're not a scientist, I'll just
let you know that the big discoveries
let you know that the big discoveries
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若你不是科學家，我就直接告訴你，
重大的發現通常不會發生在
10:59
don't really happen
when you're at a beautiful hot spring
when you're at a beautiful hot spring
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你身處美麗的溫泉或站在講台上時；
11:02
or on a public stage;
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而通常發生在
你弓著背在雜亂的電腦前，
你弓著背在雜亂的電腦前，
11:03
they happen when you're hunched
over a messy computer
over a messy computer
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2523
11:06
or you're troubleshooting
a difficult instrument,
a difficult instrument,
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2317
在檢修一個複雜儀器中，
11:08
or you're Skyping your colleagues
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或因對資料毫無頭緒
11:10
because you are completely
confused about your data.
confused about your data.
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而和同事視訊時。
11:13
Scientific discoveries,
kind of like deep subsurface microbes,
kind of like deep subsurface microbes,
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就好像地表深層的微生物，
科學發現可能進展得非常、非常慢。
11:16
can be very, very slow.
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11:19
But in our case,
this really paid off this one time.
this really paid off this one time.
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但就我們的經驗來說，
這次真的有所斬獲。
這次真的有所斬獲。
11:22
We discovered that literally
tons of carbon dioxide
tons of carbon dioxide
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我們發現真的有好幾噸的二氧化碳
11:26
were coming out of this
deeply buried oceanic plate.
deeply buried oceanic plate.
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從這個深埋的海洋板塊排放出來。
11:30
And the thing that was keeping
them underground
them underground
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而讓它們留在地底下，
11:32
and keeping it from being released
out into the atmosphere
out into the atmosphere
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不讓它們釋放到大氣層的，
11:35
was that deep underground,
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位於地底深處的東西，
11:37
underneath all the adorable sloths
and toucans of Costa Rica,
and toucans of Costa Rica,
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在所有哥斯大黎加的
可愛樹懶與巨嘴鳥之下，
可愛樹懶與巨嘴鳥之下，
11:41
were chemolithoautotrophs.
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是化能自養生物。
11:43
These microbes and the chemical processes
that were happening around them
that were happening around them
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這些微生物與周遭進行化學反應，
11:46
were converting this carbon dioxide
into carbonate mineral
into carbonate mineral
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將二氧化碳轉換成碳酸鹽，
11:49
and locking it up underground.
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並將它們固定在地底。
11:51
Which makes you wonder:
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這讓你思考：
11:53
If these subsurface processes
are so good at sucking up
are so good at sucking up
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3501
如果這些地底下進行的反應
如此擅長吸收
所有在其底下的二氧化碳，
所有在其底下的二氧化碳，
11:57
all the carbon dioxide
coming from below them,
coming from below them,
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12:00
could they also help us
with a little carbon problem
with a little carbon problem
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它們能不能幫助我們解決
12:02
we've got going on up at the surface?
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地表上的碳排放問題？
12:05
Humans are releasing enough
carbon dioxide into our atmosphere
carbon dioxide into our atmosphere
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人類已釋放太多二氧化碳到大氣層，
12:09
that we are decreasing
the ability of our planet
the ability of our planet
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以致削弱了地球
12:12
to support life as we know it.
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支持生命的能力。
12:14
And scientists and engineers
and entrepreneurs
and entrepreneurs
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科學家、工程師、和企業家
12:17
are working on methods
to pull carbon dioxide
to pull carbon dioxide
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在想辦法將二氧化碳
從這些直接來源抽出，
12:19
out of these point sources,
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12:21
so that they're not released
into the atmosphere.
into the atmosphere.
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如此它們就不會被排放到大氣層中。
12:23
And they need to put it somewhere.
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而它們必須被存放在某個地方。
12:25
So for this reason,
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基於這個原因，
12:26
we need to keep studying places
where this carbon might be stored,
where this carbon might be stored,
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我們必須繼續研究
這些碳可能存放的地方，
這些碳可能存放的地方，
12:29
possibly in the subsurface,
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可能是地底，
12:31
to know what's going to happen to it
when it goes there.
when it goes there.
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我們必須知道把它存在那裡會怎樣。
12:34
Will these deep subsurface microbes
be a problem because they're too slow
be a problem because they're too slow
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會因為這些地表深層的微生物
長得太慢，無法實際存放，
長得太慢，無法實際存放，
12:38
to actually keep anything down there?
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而變成問題嗎？
12:39
Or will they be helpful
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還是會因為它們幫忙轉換這東西
12:41
because they'll help convert this stuff
to solid carbonate minerals?
to solid carbonate minerals?
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成為固態的碳酸鹽而有用呢？
12:45
If we can make such a big breakthrough
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如果我們藉著
12:48
just from one study
that we did in Costa Rica,
that we did in Costa Rica,
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在哥斯大黎加的研究而有所突破，
12:50
then imagine what else
is waiting to be discovered down there.
is waiting to be discovered down there.
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想像一下還有什麼
在地底下等著被發現。
在地底下等著被發現。
12:53
This new field of geo-bio-chemistry,
or deep subsurface biology,
or deep subsurface biology,
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這個全新的地理—生物—化學
或地底深層生物學，
或地底深層生物學，
12:59
or whatever you want to call it,
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隨便你怎麼稱呼它，
13:01
is going to have huge implications,
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即將帶來新的啟示，
13:03
not just for mitigating climate change,
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不光是減緩全球暖化，
13:05
but possibly for understanding
how life and earth have coevolved,
how life and earth have coevolved,
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也可能讓我們了解
生命與地球是如何一起演化的，
生命與地球是如何一起演化的，
13:09
or finding new products that are useful
for industrial or medical applications.
for industrial or medical applications.
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或許發現工業、醫學上
有用的全新物質，
有用的全新物質，
13:14
Maybe even predicting earthquakes
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甚至還可能預測地震、
13:16
or finding life outside our planet.
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找尋外星生命。
13:18
It could even help us understand
the origin of life itself.
the origin of life itself.
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它還能幫助我們了解生命的起源。
13:22
Fortunately, I don't have
to do this by myself.
to do this by myself.
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幸運的是，我不需要自己完成這件事。
13:25
I have amazing colleagues
all over the world
all over the world
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我在世界各地都有很棒的同事們，
13:29
who are cracking into the mysteries
of this deep subsurface world.
of this deep subsurface world.
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他們解開地底深處世界的謎。
13:33
And it may seem like life
buried deep within the earth's crust
buried deep within the earth's crust
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深埋在地殼底下的生命看似
13:38
is so far away from our daily experiences
that it's kind of irrelevant.
that it's kind of irrelevant.
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離我們的日常生活遙遠而不相關，
13:43
But the truth is
that this weird, slow life
that this weird, slow life
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但事實上這些奇異緩慢的生命
13:47
may actually have the answers
to some of the greatest mysteries
to some of the greatest mysteries
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可能會是解開
地球上一些生命之謎的關鍵。
13:50
of life on earth.
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13:52
Thank you.
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謝謝。
13:53
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Karen Lloyd - Marine microbiologistKaren Lloyd studies novel groups of microbes in Earth's deep surface biosphere, collecting them from disparate remote places such as Arctic fjords, volcanoes in Costa Rica, even deep in mud in the Marianas Trench
Why you should listen
Karen G. Lloyd applies molecular biological techniques to environmental samples to learn more about microbes that have thus far evaded attempts to be cultured in a laboratory. She has adapted novel techniques to quantify and characterize these mysterious microbes while requiring minimal changes to their natural conditions. Her work centers on deep oceanic subsurface sediments, deep-sea mud volcanoes and cold seeps, terrestrial volcanoes and hot springs, serpentinizing springs, Arctic marine fjord sediments and ancient permafrost. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee.
Karen Lloyd | Speaker | TED.com