ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jae Rhim Lee - Artist
Artist and TED Fellow Jae Rhim Lee re-imagines the relationships between the body and the world.

Why you should listen

Jae Rhim Lee is a visual artist and mushroom lover. In her early work, as a grad student at MIT, she built systems that reworked basic human processes: sleeping (check out her it-just-might-work vertical bed from 2004), urinating and eating (and the relationship between the two). Now she's working on a compelling new plan for the final human process: decomposition.

Her Infinity Burial Project explores the choices we face after death, and how our choices reflect our denial or acceptance of death’s physical implications. She's been developing a new strain of fungus, the Infinity Mushroom, that feeds on and remediates the industrial toxins we store in our bodies and convert our unused bodies efficiently into nutrients. Her Infinity Burial System converts corpses into clean compost. And if this vision of life after death appeals to you, explore the resources at Lee's company, Coeio.

More profile about the speaker
Jae Rhim Lee | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2011

Jae Rhim Lee: My mushroom burial suit

Jae Rhim Lee: 我的专属蘑菇寿衣

Filmed:
1,706,700 views

艺术家Jae Rhim Lee提出了一个大胆创意。我们能否在死后用自己的身体让地球变得更清洁环保呢?使用植满吞食污染物的蘑菇寿衣就水到渠成了。没错,这可能是你所见过最骇人听闻的TED演讲。
- Artist
Artist and TED Fellow Jae Rhim Lee re-imagines the relationships between the body and the world. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:15
So I'm here to explain说明
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我来解释一下
00:17
why I'm wearing穿着 these ninja忍者 pajamas睡衣.
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为什么我穿着这样一套忍者睡衣
00:19
And to do that, I'd like to talk first
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我想首先谈谈我们体内含有的
00:21
about environmental环境的 toxins毒素 in our bodies身体.
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对环境有害的毒素
00:24
So some of you may可能 know
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你们可能有人知道
00:26
about the chemical化学 Bisphenol双酚 A, BPABPA.
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一种叫双酚A或BPA的化学物质
00:28
It's a material材料 hardener固化剂 and synthetic合成的 estrogen雌激素
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这是一种存在于罐装食品保护膜
00:31
that's found发现 in the lining of canned听装 foods食品
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和某些塑料制品中的
00:33
and some plastics塑料.
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材料硬化剂和合成雌性激素
00:35
So BPABPA mimics模仿 the body's身体的 own拥有 hormones激素
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BPA模仿人体内激素
00:38
and causes原因 neurological神经 and reproductive生殖 problems问题.
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造成神经和生育方面的问题
00:41
And it's everywhere到处.
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到处都是这种物质
00:43
A recent最近 study研究 found发现 BPABPA
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近期一项研究表明
00:45
in 93 percent百分 of people six and older旧的.
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在6岁和6岁以上的人群有93%体内都含有BPA
00:49
But it's just one chemical化学.
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这还只是一种化学物质
00:51
The Center中央 for Disease疾病 Control控制 in the U.S.
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美国疾病控制中心公布
00:54
says we have 219 toxic有毒的 pollutants污染物 in our bodies身体,
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人们体内存在219种有毒物质
00:58
and this includes包括 preservatives防腐剂, pesticides农药
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其中包括防腐剂 杀虫剂
01:01
and heavy metals金属 like lead and mercury.
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以及铅和汞等重金属
01:04
To me, this says three things.
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在我看来 这说明了三点
01:06
First, don't become成为 a cannibal食人族.
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第一 千万别吃人肉
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Second第二, we are both responsible主管 for and the victims受害者 of
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第二 我们既是污染制造者
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our own拥有 pollution污染.
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又是污染的受害者
01:15
And third第三,
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第三
01:17
our bodies身体 are filters过滤器 and storehouses仓库
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我们的身体成为了环境毒素的
01:19
for environmental环境的 toxins毒素.
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过滤器和储藏室
01:22
So what happens发生 to all these toxins毒素 when we die?
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那么我们死后 这些毒素怎么办呢
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The short answer回答 is:
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简单地说
01:27
They return返回 to the environment环境 in one way or another另一个,
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这些毒素会通过各种途径回到环境
01:29
continuing继续 the cycle周期 of toxicity毒性.
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持续循环
01:31
But our current当前 funeral葬礼 practices做法
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然而 我们所进行的丧礼仪式
01:33
make the situation情况 much worse更差.
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却加剧了形势的恶化
01:35
If you're cremated火化,
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如果你被火化
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all those toxins毒素 I mentioned提到 are released发布 into the atmosphere大气层.
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我所提到的所有有毒物质都会被释放到大气中
01:40
And this includes包括 5,000 pounds英镑 of mercury
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其中包括每年用于补牙的
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from our dental牙齿 fillings馅料 alone单独 every一切 year.
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5000磅的汞
01:46
And in a traditional传统 American美国 funeral葬礼,
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传统的美国葬礼上
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a dead body身体 is covered覆盖 with fillers填料 and cosmetics化妆品
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人们往往会给遗体化妆打蜡
01:52
to make it look alive.
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让遗体看起来有栩栩如生
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It's then pumped with toxic有毒的 formaldehyde甲醛
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接着遗体被浸泡在有毒的福尔马林中
01:57
to slow decomposition分解 --
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以防止腐败
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a practice实践 which哪一个 causes原因 respiratory呼吸 problems问题 and cancer癌症
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这一做法会使殡仪人员的呼吸系统出现问题
02:02
in funeral葬礼 personnel人员.
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并导致癌症
02:05
So by trying to preserve保留 our dead bodies身体,
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我们为保存遗体做了重重工作
02:08
we deny拒绝 death死亡, poison the living活的
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结果只是粉饰死亡 毒害生灵
02:11
and further进一步 harm危害 the environment环境.
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进而破坏了环境
02:13
Green绿色 or natural自然 burials墓葬, which哪一个 don't use embalming防腐,
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无遗体防腐处理的绿色自然埋葬
02:16
are a step in the right direction方向,
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方向是对的
02:18
but they don't address地址 the existing现有 toxins毒素 in our bodies身体.
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但是这种方法并不能解决我们体内毒素的问题
02:22
I think there's a better solution.
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我想到了一个更好的方法
02:24
I'm an artist艺术家,
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我是一个艺术家
02:26
so I'd like to offer提供 a modest谦虚 proposal提案
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我把艺术 科学 文化结合在一起
02:28
at the intersection路口
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提出一个
02:30
of art艺术, science科学 and culture文化.
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谦卑的建议
02:32
The Infinity无穷 Burial葬礼 Project项目,
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无极入葬计划
02:34
an alternative替代 burial葬礼 system系统
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这是一种采用蘑菇
02:36
that uses使用 mushrooms蘑菇
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来分解并清除
02:38
to decompose分解 and clean清洁 toxins毒素 in bodies身体.
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遗体内有毒物质的入葬方法
02:40
The Infinity无穷 Burial葬礼 Project项目
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无限入葬计划
02:42
began开始 a few少数 years年份 ago with a fantasy幻想
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始于几年前
02:44
to create创建 the Infinity无穷 Mushroom蘑菇 --
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创造无极蘑菇的设想
02:46
a new hybrid混合动力 mushroom蘑菇
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这是一种新型杂交蘑菇
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that would decompose分解 bodies身体, clean清洁 the toxins毒素
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它能够分解尸体 清除毒素
02:51
and deliver交付 nutrients营养成分 to plant roots,
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并将养分输送给植物的根系
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leaving离开 clean清洁 compost堆肥.
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只留下无害的降解物
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But I learned学到了 it's nearly几乎 impossible不可能
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可惜 我后来知道
02:57
to create创建 a new hybrid混合动力 mushroom蘑菇.
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创造这样的蘑菇几乎是不可能的
02:59
I also learned学到了
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我还得知
03:01
that some of our tastiest美味 mushrooms蘑菇
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一些最可口的蘑菇
03:03
can clean清洁 environmental环境的 toxins毒素 in soil.
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能够清洁土壤中的毒素
03:05
So I thought maybe I could train培养 an army军队
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于是我想 或许我能够训练
03:08
of toxin-cleaning毒素清洗 edible食用 mushrooms蘑菇
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一支清除毒素的食用蘑菇军团
03:11
to eat my body身体.
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来吃掉我的遗体
03:13
So today今天, I'm collecting搜集 what I shed or slough泥沼 off --
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现在 我把身上褪掉的物质收集起来
03:16
my hair头发, skin皮肤 and nails钉子 --
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比如我的毛发 皮 指甲
03:19
and I'm feeding馈送 these to edible食用 mushrooms蘑菇.
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喂给我这些食用蘑菇
03:22
As the mushrooms蘑菇 grow增长,
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等它们长大了
03:24
I pick the best最好 feeders馈线
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我会挑出最能吃的蘑菇
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to become成为 Infinity无穷 Mushrooms蘑菇.
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来做我的无极蘑菇
03:28
It's a kind of imprinting印记 and selective可选择的 breeding配种 process处理
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这是一种为来生所做的
03:31
for the afterlife来世.
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胚教和选择性培育过程
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So when I die,
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我死后
03:35
the Infinity无穷 Mushrooms蘑菇 will recognize认识 my body身体
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无极蘑菇能够识别我的身体
03:37
and be able能够 to eat it.
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并把它吃掉
03:39
All right, so for some of you,
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对于大家有些人
03:41
this may可能 be really, really out there.
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这可能非常骇人听闻
03:43
(Laughter笑声)
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(众人笑)
03:45
Just a little.
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有一点吧
03:47
I realize实现 this is not the kind of relationship关系
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我意识到 我们一般不会热衷于
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that we usually平时 aspire立志 to have with our food餐饮.
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与我们的食物建立这样的关系
03:53
We want to eat, not be eaten吃过 by, our food餐饮.
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我们吃食物 而不是被食物吃掉
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But as I watch the mushrooms蘑菇 grow增长
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然而 但我看着这些蘑菇长大
03:58
and digest消化 my body身体,
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分解我的身体
04:00
I imagine想像 the Infinity无穷 Mushroom蘑菇
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我把这无极蘑菇
04:02
as a symbol符号 of a new way of thinking思维 about death死亡
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想像成看待死亡的一种新方式
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and the relationship关系 between之间 my body身体 and the environment环境.
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以及我的身体与环境的关系
04:08
See for me,
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对于我而言
04:10
cultivating培育 the Infinity无穷 Mushroom蘑菇
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培育无极蘑菇
04:12
is more than just scientific科学 experimentation实验
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并不仅仅只是科学试验
04:14
or gardening园艺 or raising提高 a pet宠物,
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或是养植物养宠物
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it's a step towards accepting验收 the fact事实
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而是直面现实
04:19
that someday日后 I will die and decay衰变.
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承认我总有一天会死去并腐烂
04:22
It's also a step
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这也是
04:24
towards taking服用 responsibility责任
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我为地球
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for my own拥有 burden负担 on the planet行星.
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承担起自己应尽的一部分义务
04:29
Growing生长 a mushroom蘑菇 is also part部分 of a larger practice实践
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种植蘑菇也是
04:31
of cultivating培育 decomposing分解 organisms生物
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以培育拥有分解能力的有机体
04:33
called decompiculturedecompiculture,
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即“分解种植术” 的手段之一
04:35
a concept概念 that was developed发达 by an entomologist昆虫学者,
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这一概念是由昆虫学家
04:38
Timothy蒂莫西 Myles迈尔斯.
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Timothy Myles提出的
04:40
The Infinity无穷 Mushroom蘑菇 is a subset子集 of decompiculturedecompiculture
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无极蘑菇是分解种植的一个子集
04:43
I'm calling调用 body身体 decompiculturedecompiculture and toxin毒素 remediation整治 --
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人体分解种植和毒素清除法
04:47
the cultivation养殖 of organisms生物 that decompose分解
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就是培育能够分解并清除
04:49
and clean清洁 toxins毒素 in bodies身体.
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遗体中毒素的有机生物
04:52
And now about these ninja忍者 pajamas睡衣.
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现在我们看看这些忍者睡衣
04:54
Once一旦 it's completed完成,
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一旦完成这些睡衣
04:56
I plan计划 to integrate整合 the Infinity无穷 Mushrooms蘑菇 into a number of objects对象.
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我打算用无极蘑菇达到许多目的
04:59
First, a burial葬礼 suit适合
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首先 一套
05:01
infused输注 with mushroom蘑菇 spores孢子,
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布满蘑菇孢子的寿衣
05:03
the Mushroom蘑菇 Death死亡 Suit适合.
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即“蘑菇寿衣”
05:05
(Laughter笑声)
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(众人笑)
05:07
I'm wearing穿着 the second第二 prototype原型
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我所穿的 是这种寿衣
05:09
of this burial葬礼 suit适合.
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第二阶段的雏形
05:11
It's covered覆盖 with a crocheted钩编 netting
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衣服上覆盖着钩制的网
05:14
that is embedded嵌入式 with mushroom蘑菇 spores孢子.
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蘑菇孢子就嵌在这些网丝中
05:16
The dendritic树突 pattern模式 you see
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这树状图形
05:18
mimics模仿 the growth发展 of mushroom蘑菇 mycelia菌丝体,
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仿照菌丝的形态
05:21
which哪一个 are the equivalent当量 of plant roots.
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相当于植物的根部
05:23
I'm also making制造 a decompiculturedecompiculture kit套件,
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我还在制作一个
05:25
a cocktail鸡尾酒 of capsules胶囊
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分解种植服
05:27
that contain包含 Infinity无穷 Mushroom蘑菇 spores孢子
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将装有蘑菇孢子
05:29
and other elements分子
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和加速分解化毒元素的胶囊
05:31
that speed速度 decomposition分解 and toxin毒素 remediation整治.
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嵌在一起
05:34
These capsules胶囊 are embedded嵌入式 in a nutrient-rich营养丰富 jelly果冻,
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这些胶囊被嵌在一层富有养料的凝胶物中
05:37
a kind of second第二 skin皮肤,
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相当于第二层皮肤
05:39
which哪一个 dissolves溶解 quickly很快
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它会很快被分解
05:41
and becomes baby宝宝 food餐饮 for the growing生长 mushrooms蘑菇.
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成为蘑菇生长的养料
05:44
So I plan计划 to finish the mushroom蘑菇 and decompiculturedecompiculture kit套件
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我计划在一到两年内完成蘑菇的种植
05:47
in the next下一个 year or two,
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以及分解种植服
05:49
and then I'd like to begin开始 testing测试 them,
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接着我会进行测试
05:52
first with expired过期 meat from the market市场
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首先用过期的肉来试验
05:54
and then with human人的 subjects主题.
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然后再用人体部分
05:56
And believe it or not,
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信不信由你
05:58
a few少数 people have offered提供 to donate their bodies身体 to the project项目
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已经有不少人志愿为这个项目
06:01
to be eaten吃过 by mushrooms蘑菇.
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把遗体捐出来让蘑菇吃掉
06:04
(Laughter笑声)
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(众人笑)
06:07
What I've learned学到了 from talking to these folks乡亲
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在与这些人交谈的过程中
06:09
is that we share分享 a common共同 desire欲望
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我得知我们都渴望
06:11
to understand理解 and accept接受 death死亡
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了解并接受死亡
06:14
and to minimize最小化 the impact碰撞 of our death死亡 on the environment环境.
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最大程度降低我们的死给环境带来的影响
06:17
I wanted to cultivate培育 this perspective透视
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我希望能够像培植蘑菇一样
06:20
just like the mushrooms蘑菇,
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培植这种理念
06:22
so I formed形成 the DecompicultureDecompiculture Society社会,
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所以我建立了分解种植术社团
06:24
a group of people called decompinautsdecompinauts
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这个组织的成员被称为“分解先锋”
06:27
who actively积极地 explore探索 their postmortem事后 options选项,
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他们大胆进行后现代行动
06:30
seek寻求 death死亡 acceptance验收
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力求接受死亡
06:32
and cultivate培育 decomposing分解 organisms生物
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种植有分解能力的有机物
06:34
like the Infinity无穷 Mushroom蘑菇.
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比如无极蘑菇
06:37
The DecompicultureDecompiculture Society社会 shares分享 a vision视力
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分解种植社团
06:39
of a cultural文化 shift转移,
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改变了现有的态度
06:41
from our current当前 culture文化 of death死亡 denial否认 and body身体 preservation保存
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摒弃对死亡的否认或对人体进行防腐处理
06:44
to one of decompiculturedecompiculture,
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赞同分解种植术
06:46
a radical激进 acceptance验收 of death死亡 and decomposition分解.
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理智地接受死亡和遗体分解
06:50
Accepting验收 death死亡 means手段 accepting验收
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接受死亡意味着
06:52
that we are physical物理 beings众生
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承认我们的身体是有物质组成的
06:54
who are intimately密切 connected连接的 to the environment环境,
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与环境密切相关
06:56
as the research研究 on environmental环境的 toxins毒素 confirms确认.
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环境毒素研究证实了这一点
06:59
And the saying goes,
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有句话说得好
07:01
we came来了 from dust灰尘 and will return返回 to dust灰尘.
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我们来于尘土 归于尘土
07:04
And once一旦 we understand理解 that we're connected连接的 to the environment环境,
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一旦明白了我们与环境紧密相关
07:07
we see that the survival生存 of our species种类
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我们就能明白人类的存亡
07:09
depends依靠 on the survival生存 of the planet行星.
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取决于地球的存亡
07:11
I believe this is the beginning开始
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我相信这是
07:14
of true真正 environmental环境的 responsibility责任.
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对环境切实负责的第一步
07:16
Thank you.
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感谢大家
07:18
(Applause掌声)
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(众人鼓掌)
Translated by Lili Liang
Reviewed by Chunxiang Qian

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jae Rhim Lee - Artist
Artist and TED Fellow Jae Rhim Lee re-imagines the relationships between the body and the world.

Why you should listen

Jae Rhim Lee is a visual artist and mushroom lover. In her early work, as a grad student at MIT, she built systems that reworked basic human processes: sleeping (check out her it-just-might-work vertical bed from 2004), urinating and eating (and the relationship between the two). Now she's working on a compelling new plan for the final human process: decomposition.

Her Infinity Burial Project explores the choices we face after death, and how our choices reflect our denial or acceptance of death’s physical implications. She's been developing a new strain of fungus, the Infinity Mushroom, that feeds on and remediates the industrial toxins we store in our bodies and convert our unused bodies efficiently into nutrients. Her Infinity Burial System converts corpses into clean compost. And if this vision of life after death appeals to you, explore the resources at Lee's company, Coeio.

More profile about the speaker
Jae Rhim Lee | Speaker | TED.com