TED2013
Denise Herzing: Could we speak the language of dolphins?
Denise Herzing: 我们可以说海豚语吗?
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过去的28年里, Denise Herzing 每天夏天都会花5个月时间，和一群大西洋斑点海豚生活在一起，追踪三世同堂的大家族成员之间的情感和行为。显而易见，它们之间有沟通，但是那可以称为语言吗？人类是否也可以和它们一样沟通？ 她与我们分享了一段很有意思的实验，来探究这个问题。
Denise Herzing - Dolphin researcher
Denise Herzing has spent almost three decades researching and communicating with wild dolphins in their natural setting and on their own terms. The book "Dolphin Diaries" tells her remarkable story. Full bio
Denise Herzing has spent almost three decades researching and communicating with wild dolphins in their natural setting and on their own terms. The book "Dolphin Diaries" tells her remarkable story. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Well, now we're going to the Bahamas to meet
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现在，让我们一起前往巴哈马群岛
00:14
a remarkable group of dolphins that I've been working with
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去认识我的搭档们，一群了不起的海豚
00:17
in the wild for the last 28 years.
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在过去的28年里，我们在大自然中共勉。
00:20
Now I'm interested in dolphins because of their large brains
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我之所以对海豚该兴趣是因为它们的大脑比较大，
00:23
and what they might be doing with all that brainpower
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还有它们运用自己的脑力
00:25
in the wild.
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在野外做的事情。
00:27
And we know they use some of that brainpower
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好吧，我们知道它们会用部分脑力
00:29
for just living complicated lives,
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去应付复杂的生活，
00:31
but what do we really know about dolphin intelligence?
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但我们真的知道海豚的智能吗？
00:34
Well, we know a few things.
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嗯，我们知道一些，
00:36
We know that their brain-to-body ratio,
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我们知道它们的大脑和身体的比例，
00:38
which is a physical measure of intelligence,
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这是衡量智力的一种物理指标，
00:40
is second only to humans.
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它们的比例仅次于人类。
00:42
Cognitively, they can understand
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它们的认知能力使它们能够明白
00:44
artificially-created languages.
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人为创造出来的语言。
00:46
And they pass self-awareness tests in mirrors.
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它们通过了测试自我认知能力的镜子测试，
00:50
And in some parts of the world, they use tools,
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在世界的某些地方，它们利用工具，
00:52
like sponges to hunt fish.
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比如，用海绵捕鱼。
00:54
But there's one big question left:
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但是仍有一个疑问：
00:57
do they have a language, and if so,
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它们有自己的语言吗？如果有的话，
00:59
what are they talking about?
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它们到底在说些什么呢？
01:01
So decades ago, not years ago,
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几十年前，而不是几年前，
01:04
I set out to find a place in the world
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我开始寻找地球上的某个地方，
01:07
where I could observe dolphins underwater
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某个我可以在水下观察海豚的地方，
01:08
to try to crack the code of their communication system.
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以便尝试着破译它们之间的通讯系统。
01:12
Now in most parts of the world, the water's pretty murky,
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世界上很多地方的水都很浑浊，
01:14
so it's very hard to observe animals underwater,
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给在水下观察生物带来不便，
01:17
but I found a community of dolphins that live
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但是我找到了一群海豚生活在
01:19
in these beautiful, clear, shallow sandbanks of the Bahamas
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位于巴哈马群岛的一片美丽而且清澈见底的沙洲附近，
01:22
which are just east of Florida.
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就在佛罗里达州以东的位置。
01:24
And they spend their daytime resting and socializing
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他们白天在浅水域的安全地带
01:27
in the safety of the shallows, but at night,
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休息嬉戏，但到了晚上，
01:29
they go off the edge and hunt in deep water.
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它们会离开哪儿去深海捕食。
01:33
Now, it's not a bad place to be a researcher, either.
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那个地方对于研究员来说也不错。
01:36
So we go out for about five months every summer
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我们每年夏天都会去那儿待上5个月，
01:39
in a 20-meter catamaran, and we live, sleep and work
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在一艘20米长的双体游艇里，我们生活、睡觉、工作，
01:43
at sea for weeks at a time.
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那样每次在海上呆上几个星期。
01:45
My main tool is an underwater video with a hydrophone,
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我的主要工具是一台配有水听器的摄像机，
01:47
which is an underwater microphone, and this is so
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水听器就是水下麦克风，
01:49
I can correlate sound and behavior.
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以便我将声音和行为关联起来。
01:52
And most of our work's pretty non-invasive.
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我们大部分的工作都没有什么入侵性。
01:53
We try to follow dolphin etiquette while we're in the water,
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我们在水中遵循着海豚的礼节，
01:56
since we're actually observing them physically in the water.
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因为我们实际上是在水中亲身观察他们。
01:59
Now, Atlantic spotted dolphins are a really nice species
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大西洋花斑海豚真的很适合做我们的研究对象，
02:02
to work with for a couple of reasons.
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原因如下。
02:04
They're born without spots, and they get spots with age,
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它们出生的时候没有斑点，斑点会随年龄增长而显现
02:07
and they go through pretty distinct developmental phases,
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他们会经历一段段蛮独特的发育阶段，
02:10
so that's fun to track their behavior.
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所以，跟踪记录它们的行为是件很有意思的事。
02:12
And by about the age of 15, they're fully spotted black and white.
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到了大概15岁的时候，它们全身会布满黑白斑点，
02:16
Now the mother you see here is Mugsy.
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你们现在看到的这位海豚妈妈叫玛格茜。
02:18
She's 35 years old in this shot,
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画面里是她35岁时的模样，
02:20
but dolphins can actually live into their early 50s.
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但海豚们其实能活到50多岁。
02:23
And like all the dolphins in our community,
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就像我们这群海豚里所有成员一样，
02:26
we photographed Mugsy and tracked her little spots
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在玛格茜的成长岁月里，
02:29
and nicks in her dorsal fin,
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我们拍摄并跟踪记录了她的小点点
02:31
and also the unique spot patterns
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和她背鳍上的凹痕，
02:33
as she matured over time.
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还有一些很特别的斑纹。
02:36
Now, young dolphins learn a lot as they're growing up,
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年轻海豚在它们的成长过程中要学习很多本领，
02:38
and they use their teenage years to practice social skills,
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它们在青春期要练习社交技巧，
02:41
and at about the age of nine, the females
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雌性海豚在9岁左右，
02:44
become sexually mature, so they can get pregnant,
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进入生理成熟阶段，就会有生育能力，
02:46
and the males mature quite a bit later,
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雄性海豚成熟期会稍微晚一点，
02:48
at around 15 years of age.
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大约在15岁的时候。
02:50
And dolphins are very promiscuous,
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海豚的交配是很混杂的，
02:52
and so we have to determine who the fathers are,
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所以我们必须判断谁是海豚爸爸。
02:55
so we do paternity tests by collecting fecal material
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亲子鉴定的方法是：先从水中收集排泄物，
02:57
out of the water and extracting DNA.
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然后从中提取DNA。
03:00
So what that means is, after 28 years,
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也就是说，28年来，
03:03
we are tracking three generations,
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我们追踪了三代海豚，
03:05
including grandmothers and grandfathers.
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包括了海豚爷爷和海豚奶奶。
03:08
Now, dolphins are natural acousticians.
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海豚是天生的声学家。
03:10
They make sounds 10 times as high
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它们发声的音量是人类的10倍，
03:12
and hear sounds 10 times as high as we do.
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它们的听觉也是人类的10倍。
03:15
But they have other communication signals they use.
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但是它们还使用其他的沟通讯号，
03:17
They have good vision, so they use body postures to communicate.
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它们有良好的视觉，所以它们会用肢体语言进行沟通。
03:21
They have taste, not smell.
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它们有味觉，但是没有嗅觉。
03:23
And they have touch.
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它们也有触觉。
03:25
And sound can actually be felt in the water,
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声音其实能够在水中被感觉到，
03:27
because the acoustic impedance of tissue and water's about the same.
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因为它们的组织的声抗和水的声抗差不多相同，
03:30
So dolphins can buzz and tickle each other at a distance.
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所以，海豚们可以在一定距离内相互呼叫和挠痒。
03:34
Now, we do know some things about how sounds are used
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我们的确知道一些关于声音是如何
03:36
with certain behaviors.
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与特定行为一起使用的信息。
03:38
Now, the signature whistle is a whistle
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这种具有鲜明特征的哨声是
03:40
that's specific to an individual dolphin, and it's like a name. (Dolphin whistling noises)
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每一只海豚所特有的，就好像是它们的名字。（海豚的哨声）
03:44
And this is the best-studied sound,
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而且这是研究得最为透彻的声音，
03:47
because it's easy to measure, really,
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因为它容易测量，真的，
03:48
and you'd find this whistle when mothers and calves
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比如说，当海豚母子重逢的时候，
03:50
are reuniting, for example.
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你就能听到这种哨声。
03:52
Another well studied sound are echolocation clicks.
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另一种研究得比较透彻的声音是回声定位的滴答声，
03:55
This is the dolphin's sonar. (Dolphin echolocation noises)
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这是海豚的声纳。（海豚的回声定位声）
03:59
And they use these clicks to hunt and feed.
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它们用这种滴答声来捕食。
04:02
But they can also tightly pack these clicks together
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它们还可以把滴答声集中到一起
04:04
into buzzes and use them socially.
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形成用于交往的呼叫声。
04:06
For example, males will stimulate a female
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比如，在求爱的过程中，
04:08
during a courtship chase.
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雄性海豚会向雌性海豚“发波”。
04:11
You know, I've been buzzed in the water.
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知道吗？我在水中被波到过。
04:13
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
04:15
Don't tell anyone. It's a secret.
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别告诉任何人，这是我们之间的小秘密。
04:18
And you can really feel the sound. That was my point with that.
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我想说的是，你真的能感觉到那声音。
04:20
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
04:24
So dolphins are also political animals,
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海豚们也搞政治，
04:26
so they have to resolve conflicts.
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所以它们必须解决纷争。
04:28
(Dolphin noises)
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（海豚声）
04:30
And they use these burst-pulsed sounds as well as
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在它们争执的时候，它们发出这种爆破声
04:32
their head-to-head behaviors when they're fighting.
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而且会有头对头的行为，
04:35
And these are very unstudied sounds
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这些是没有研究过的声音，
04:37
because they're hard to measure.
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因为测量它们的难度很大，
04:39
Now this is some video of a typical dolphin fight.
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这些是典型的海豚争执的视频，
04:42
(Dolphin noises)
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（海豚声）
04:44
So you're going to see two groups,
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你们会看到两组海豚，
04:46
and you're going to see the head-to-head posturing,
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会看到他们头对头的架势，
04:48
some open mouths,
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有些张着嘴，
04:51
lots of squawking.
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有很多唧唧喳喳的声音。
04:54
There's a bubble.
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那有个泡泡，
04:57
And basically, one of these groups will kind of back off
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简单说，其中一组会撤退，
05:00
and everything will resolve fine,
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问题就这样迎刃而解，
05:01
and it doesn't really escalate into violence too much.
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这种情况不会升级为暴力相向的局面。
05:05
Now, in the Bahamas, we also have resident bottlenose
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在巴哈马群岛，我们还发现了宽吻海豚
05:07
that interact socially with the spotted dolphins.
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会和花斑海豚交往。
05:10
For example, they babysit each other's calves.
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比如，它们会互相照顾对方的幼仔。
05:13
The males have dominance displays that they use
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雄海豚追逐对方的女伴时，
05:15
when they're chasing each other's females.
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会表现出强势的一面。
05:18
And the two species actually form temporary alliances
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而当这两种海豚驱赶鲨鱼的时候，
05:20
when they're chasing sharks away.
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它们会其实会组成暂时的联盟。
05:22
And one of the mechanisms they use to communicate
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它们为协调而运用的沟通机理之一
05:25
their coordination is synchrony.
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是同步。
05:27
They synchronize their sounds and their body postures
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它们同步它们的声音和姿势，
05:30
to look bigger and sound stronger.
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以便造成更大阵势和声势。
05:33
(Dolphins noises)
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（海豚声）
05:34
Now, these are bottlenose dolphins,
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这些是宽吻海豚，
05:37
and you'll see them starting to synchronize
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你看，它们开始同步
05:38
their behavior and their sounds.
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它们的行为和声音。
05:40
(Dolphin noises)
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（海豚声）
05:45
You see, they're synchronizing with their partner
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你看，它们正在和它们的伙伴同步
05:47
as well as the other dyad.
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还有进行其他二分体。
05:51
I wish I was that coordinated.
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但愿我能有那么的协调。
05:56
Now, it's important to remember that you're only hearing
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不过，别忘了你只听到了
05:59
the human-audible parts of dolphin sounds,
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人类能听到的那部分海豚声，
06:01
and dolphins make ultrasonic sounds,
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海豚们还会发出超声波，
06:03
and we use special equipment in the water
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我们在水中利用特殊器材
06:05
to collect these sounds.
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采集这些声音。
06:07
Now, researchers have actually measured whistle complexity
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研究员们其实已经利用信息原理
06:09
using information theory,
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测量了口哨声的复杂度，
06:11
and whistles rate very high relative to even human languages.
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这些口哨声的复杂度之高甚至能和人类语言相媲美。
06:15
But burst-pulsed sounds is a bit of a mystery.
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不过突发脉冲音有点神秘。
06:19
Now, these are three spectragrams.
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这儿有三张声谱图。
06:22
Two are human words, and one is a dolphin vocalizing.
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两张是人类的词汇，一张是海豚的发声。
06:25
So just take a guess in your mind which one is the dolphin.
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猜一猜，哪张是海豚的。
06:31
Now, it turns out burst-pulsed sounds actually look
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突发脉冲音倒看起来
06:33
a bit like human phonemes.
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有点像人类的音位。
06:36
Now, one way to crack the code
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破译代码的一种方法
06:37
is to interpret these signals and figure out what they mean,
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是翻译这些讯号，并得出它们的意思，
06:40
but it's a difficult job, and we actually don't have a Rosetta Stone yet.
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这项工作很困难，而我们没有罗塞塔石碑。
06:44
But a second way to crack the code
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第二种破译代码的方法
06:46
is to develop some technology,
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是研发出一些技术，
06:48
an interface to do two-way communication,
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一个进行双向沟通的界面平台，
06:50
and that's what we've been trying to do in the Bahamas
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这就是我们在巴哈马群岛在尝试的事情。
06:52
and in real time.
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在现实中。
06:55
Now, scientists have used keyboard interfaces
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现在，科学家们利用键盘
06:57
to try to bridge the gap with species
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来连接两个物种之间的差别
06:59
including chimpanzees and dolphins.
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包括大猩猩和海豚。
07:01
This underwater keyboard in Orlando, Florida,
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这个水下的键盘在佛罗里达的奥兰多，
07:04
at the Epcot Center, was actually
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在EPCOT中心，
07:06
the most sophisticated ever two-way interface designed
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设计了至今最精致的双向沟通界面平台
07:09
for humans and dolphins to work together under the water
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为了人类和海豚能在水中一起工作
07:12
and exchange information.
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交换信息。
07:14
So we wanted to develop an interface like this
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所以我们想建立这么一个界面
07:16
in the Bahamas, but in a more natural setting.
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在巴哈马群岛，一个更加自然的环境里。
07:19
And one of the reasons we thought we could do this
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我们之所以认为我们可以做到，其中一个原因是
07:21
is because the dolphins were starting to show us
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海豚开始向我们展示
07:23
a lot of mutual curiosity.
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它们对我们也感到好奇。
07:25
They were spontaneously mimicking our vocalizations
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它们不由自主的模仿我们的声音
07:28
and our postures, and they were also inviting us
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我们的姿势，它们甚至邀请我们
07:30
into dolphin games.
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参与它们的游戏。
07:32
Now, dolphins are social mammals, so they love to play,
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现在，海豚们是社交类哺乳动物，所以它们热爱玩耍，
07:35
and one of their favorite games is to drag seaweed,
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它们最喜欢的游戏之一是拖拽海带，
07:38
or sargassum in this case, around.
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或者是海藻，转圈。
07:42
And they're very adept. They like to drag it
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而且它们很熟练。它们喜欢拖拽这些东西
07:44
and drop it from appendage to appendage.
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然后丢在身体的某些部位。
07:48
Now in this footage, the adult is Caroh.
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在这段录像中的成年海豚叫Caroh。
07:51
She's 25 years old here, and this is her newborn, Cobalt,
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它这时25岁，这是它的幼崽，Cobalt，
07:55
and he's just learning how to play this game.
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幼崽刚刚学会怎么玩这个游戏。
07:57
(Dolphin noises)
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（海豚声）
07:59
She's kind of teasing him and taunting him.
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它在和孩子嬉戏。
08:03
He really wants that sargassum.
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幼崽真的很想要那些海藻。
08:08
Now, when dolphins solicit humans for this game,
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当海豚们邀请人类加入游戏的时候，
08:11
they'll often sink vertically in the water,
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它们会垂直于水中，
08:14
and they'll have a little sargassum on their flipper,
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这样就会有海藻留在它们的蹼上，
08:16
and they'll sort of nudge it and drop it sometimes
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然后它们有时会抖一抖蹼，把海藻丢下，
08:19
on the bottom and let us go get it,
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让我们人类去拿，
08:20
and then we'll have a little seaweed keep away game.
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接下来我们会玩一个藏海带游戏。
08:23
But when we don't dive down and get it,
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但是，当我们不潜水下去拿水藻的时候，
08:24
they'll bring it to the surface
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它们会自己去捡起来带到水面
08:26
and they'll sort of wave it in front of us on their tail
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然后它们的会用它们的尾巴向我们挥舞海藻
08:30
and drop it for us like they do their calves,
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丢给我们，就像它们对待幼崽一样，
08:32
and then we'll pick it up and have a game.
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我们接下来便去捡起来，和它们玩一场游戏。
08:34
And so we started thinking, well, wouldn't it be neat
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我们开始思索一件很棒的事情。
08:36
to build some technology that would allow the dolphins
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开发一种技术，可以让海豚们在现实生活中
08:39
to request these things in real time, their favorite toys?
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索要这些东西，它们最爱的玩具？
08:42
So the original vision was to have a keyboard
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所以，最早的设想是有一个键盘
08:45
hanging from the boat attached to a computer,
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挂在船上，和电脑连接，
08:47
and the divers and dolphins would activate the keys
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然后潜水员们和海豚们可以用键盘上的键
08:49
on the keypad and happily exchange information
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来互相交换信息
08:52
and request toys from each other.
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然后向对方索要玩具。
08:54
But we quickly found out that dolphins simply
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但是我们马上就发现，
08:56
were not going to hang around the boat using a keyboard.
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海豚们并不会在船边用键盘。
08:59
They've got better things to do in the wild.
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它们在野外有更值得做的事情。
09:02
They might do it in captivity, but in the wild --
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人工饲养的时候，可能会，但是在野外--
09:04
So we built a portable keyboard that we could push through the water,
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所以我们开发了一个可以在水中工作的移动键盘
09:06
and we labeled four objects they like to play with,
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然后我们在上面标注了四种它们喜欢的玩具，
09:09
the scarf, rope, sargassum, and also had a bow ride,
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围巾，绳索，海藻以及一个“bow ride”
09:12
which is a fun activity for a dolphin. (Whistle)
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对海豚来说，很好玩。（口哨声）
09:14
And that's the scarf whistle,
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刚刚那个是围巾口哨声，
09:16
which is also associated with a visual symbol.
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和一个视觉的符号联系了起来。
09:19
And these are artificially created whistles.
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这些是人工的口哨声。
09:21
They're outside the dolphin's normal repertoire,
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它们是在海豚们的能力范围以外，
09:24
but they're easily mimicked by the dolphins.
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但是海豚们很快就学会了。
09:26
And I spent four years with my colleagues Adam Pack and Fabienne Delfour,
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我和我的同事们Adam Pack，
还有 Fabienne Delfour花了四年，
还有 Fabienne Delfour花了四年，
09:31
working out in the field with this keyboard
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带着这个键盘工作
09:33
using it with each other to do requests for toys
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我们用它来互相索要玩具
09:35
while the dolphins were watching.
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而海豚们会在看。
09:37
And the dolphins could get in on the game.
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然后海豚们会加入到游戏中。
09:38
They could point at the visual object,
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它们指向任何一个指标，
09:40
or they could mimic the whistle.
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或者它们模仿口哨声。
09:43
Now this is video of a session.
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这是一个游戏的视频。
09:46
The diver here has a rope toy,
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潜水员有绳索玩具，
09:48
and I'm on the keyboard on the left,
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我在左边，操作键盘，
09:51
and I've just played the rope key,
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然后我按了标注为绳索的键，
09:53
and that's the request for the toy from the human.
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代表我们人类想要绳索玩具。
09:57
So I've got the rope, I'm diving down,
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我拿着绳索，潜水了，
10:00
and I'm basically trying to get the dolphin's attention,
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我想让海豚们注意到我，
10:02
because they're kind of like little kids.
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因为它们像小孩。
10:03
You have to keep their attention.
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你必须要让它们关注你，
10:06
I'm going to drop the rope, see if they come over.
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我把绳索丢下，看看它们会不会来。
10:11
Here they come,
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它们来了，
10:13
and then they're going to pick up the rope
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它们会把绳索捡起来
10:15
and drag it around as a toy.
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然后向它是一个玩具一样拖拽绳索。
10:16
Now, I'm at the keyboard on the left,
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我在左边，操作键盘，
10:18
and this is actually the first time that we tried this.
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这是我们第一次做这样的尝试，
10:20
I'm going to try to request this toy, the rope toy,
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我将要索要绳索玩具，
10:23
from the dolphins using the rope sound.
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通过按下代表绳索的键，从海豚那里索要。
10:26
Let's see if they might actually understand what that means.
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我们来看看，它们是不是会领会到这个指令，
10:31
(Whistle)
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（口哨声）
10:32
That's the rope whistle.
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刚刚那个是绳索口哨声。
10:35
Up come the dolphins,
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海豚们来了，
10:36
and drop off the rope, yay. Wow.
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然后丢下了绳索，耶。天呐。
10:40
(Applause)
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（鼓掌）
10:43
So this is only once.
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这只是一次。
10:45
We don't know for sure if they really understand the function of the whistles.
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我们不确定它们是否真的领会这些口哨声的意思
10:48
Okay, so here's a second toy in the water.
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好的，水里有另一件玩具。
10:50
This is a scarf toy, and I'm trying to lead the dolphin
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这是一件围巾玩具，我会尝试引一只海豚过来
10:52
over to the keyboard to show her
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到键盘这边来，然后给它展示
10:54
the visual and the acoustic signal.
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这个视觉和声音的讯号。
10:57
Now this dolphin, we call her "the scarf thief,"
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现在我们把这只海豚叫做“围巾小偷”，
11:00
because over the years she's absconded
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因为这些年，
11:04
with about 12 scarves.
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她偷走了12条围巾。
11:07
In fact, we think she has a boutique somewhere in the Bahamas.
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事实上，我们觉得它在巴哈马群岛的某处开了个铺子卖围巾。
11:10
So I'm reaching over. She's got the scarf on her right side.
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我现在在慢慢接近。它拿到了围巾。
11:14
And we try to not touch the animals too much,
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我们尽量不碰触它们，
11:16
we really don't want to over-habituate them.
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我们不想让它们过于习惯，
11:18
And I'm trying to lead her back to the keyboard.
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我们尝试着引导它们回到键盘前。
11:20
And the diver there is going to activate the scarf sound
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潜水员会去按那个代表围巾的键，
11:24
to request the scarf.
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来索要围巾。
11:26
So I try to give her the scarf.
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我把围巾给它，
11:29
Whoop. Almost lost it.
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哎呀，差点掉了。
11:32
But this is the moment where everything becomes possible.
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但是这是一切都将变为可能的一刻。
11:34
The dolphin's at the keyboard.
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海豚们在键盘旁。
11:36
You've got full attention.
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你得到了它们的全力关注。
11:38
And this sometimes went on for hours.
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有时候，这会持续好几个小时。
11:40
And I wanted to share this video with you
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我想和你们分享这个视频
11:41
not to show you any big breakthroughs,
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不是想展示这是多大的一个突破，
11:43
because they haven't happened yet,
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因为还没有发生，
11:44
but to show you the level of intention and focus
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而是展示给你们看其中的意图和中心
11:47
that these dolphins have, and interest in the system.
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那就是，海豚们对这个系统感兴趣。
11:50
And because of this, we really decided we needed
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因为这个，我们决定我们需要
11:52
some more sophisticated technology.
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一些更加精细的技术。
11:54
So we joined forces with Georgia Tech,
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所以我们和乔治亚技术Gerogia Tech合作了，
11:56
with Thad Starner's wearable computing group,
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采用Thad Starner的可佩带电脑，
11:59
to build us an underwater wearable computer
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来开发可以在水中佩带的电脑
12:01
that we're calling CHAT. [CHAT: Cetacean Hearing And Telemetry]
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我们称之为 CHAT （鲸目动物听觉遥测技术）
12:02
Now, instead of pushing a keyboard through the water,
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现在不再是把键盘推入水中，
12:04
the diver's wearing the complete system, and it's acoustic only,
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而是潜水员佩带电脑系统潜水，只有声音，
12:08
so basically the diver activates the sounds on a keypad
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简单来说，潜水员放一个声音，
12:11
on the forearm,
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在手臂上，
12:12
the sounds go out through an underwater speaker,
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声音通过水下的音响发出，
12:14
if a dolphin mimics the whistle
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如果海豚模仿这个口哨声
12:16
or a human plays the whistle, the sounds come in
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或者人类播放这个口哨声，声音会出来，
12:18
and are localized by two hydrophones.
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通过两个水中听音器。
12:21
The computer can localize who requested the toy
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电脑可以定位是谁索要玩具
12:24
if there's a word match.
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如果有一个匹配。
12:26
And the real power of the system is in the real-time
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这个系统的真正作用在是，实时的声音识别
12:29
sound recognition, so we can respond to the dolphins
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所以我们可以回复海豚
12:31
quickly and accurately.
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很迅速的，很准确的。
12:33
And we're at prototype stage, but this is how we hope it will play out.
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我们现在还在原型建立的阶段，我们希望成果也是这样。
12:37
So Diver A and Diver B both have a wearable computer
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潜水员A和B都佩带了电脑
12:40
and the dolphin hears the whistle as a whistle,
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海豚听到的口哨声就是口哨声，
12:43
the diver hears the whistle as a whistle in the water,
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潜水员在水中听到的口哨声，也就是一模一样的口哨声
12:45
but also as a word through bone conduction.
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也还是一个词语，通过骨骼传导。
12:48
So Diver A plays the scarf whistle
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潜水员A播放了围巾口哨声
12:50
or Diver B plays the sargassum whistle
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潜水员B播放了海藻口哨声
12:52
to request a toy from whoever has it.
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从拥有人手中索要。
12:54
What we hope will happen is that the dolphin mimics the whistle,
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我们希望看到的是海豚模仿口哨声
12:58
and if Diver A has the sargassum, if that's the sound
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如果潜水员A有海藻，
13:01
that was played and requested,
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如果播放的是海藻声，
13:04
then the diver will give the sargassum to the requesting dolphin
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然后潜水员会把海藻给索要的海豚
13:07
and they'll swim away happily into the sunset
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然后它们会开开心心的在夕阳中渐行渐远
13:09
playing sargassum for forever.
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永远的把玩海藻。
13:12
Now, how far can this kind of communication go?
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这样的沟通方式还能做到什么呢？
13:16
Well, CHAT is designed specifically to empower the dolphins
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CHAT是用来帮助海豚们
13:20
to request things from us.
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向我们索要东西的。
13:21
It's designed to really be two-way.
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它是双向的。
13:24
Now, will they learn to mimic the whistles functionally?
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它们会不会很好的模仿口哨声？
13:27
We hope so and we think so.
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我们希望可以，我们也相信它们可以。
13:29
But as we decode their natural sounds,
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但是当我们破译了它们自然的声音时，
13:31
we're also planning to put those back into the computerized system.
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我们也计划着把这些声音植入到我们的系统中
13:35
For example, right now we can put their own signature whistles
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例如，现在我们可以把它们的标志性口哨声
13:38
in the computer and request to interact with a specific dolphin.
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植入到电脑中，然后邀请特定的一只海豚进行互动。
13:42
Likewise, we can create our own whistles,
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相同的，我们可以创造我们自己的口哨声，
13:46
our own whistle names, and let the dolphins
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我们自己的口哨声名，然后让海豚们
13:48
request specific divers to interact with.
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邀请特定的潜水员和它们互动。
13:51
Now it may be that all our mobile technology
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我们的移动技术可能
13:54
will actually be the same technology that helps us
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会是同一种技术，帮助我们
13:57
communicate with another species down the road.
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和另外一种物种沟通。
14:00
In the case of a dolphin, you know, it's a species that,
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以海豚为例，它们这种物种，
14:04
well, they're probably close to our intelligence in many ways
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它们的智力在很多方面和我们都相向，
14:07
and we might not be able to admit that right now,
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虽然我们可能不承认，
14:10
but they live in quite a different environment,
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但是它们生活在不同的环境中，
14:12
and you still have to bridge the gap with the sensory systems.
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我们必须通过一些感知系统来错短距离。
14:16
I mean, imagine what it would be like
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我的意思是，想象一下
14:18
to really understand the mind
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会是怎么一副景象
14:19
of another intelligent species on the planet.
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如果我们能够了解另一个物种，并和它们沟通。
14:23
Thank you.
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谢谢你们。
14:25
(Applause)
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（鼓掌）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Denise Herzing - Dolphin researcherDenise Herzing has spent almost three decades researching and communicating with wild dolphins in their natural setting and on their own terms. The book "Dolphin Diaries" tells her remarkable story.
Why you should listen
What better way to study an animal than in its natural habitat? Since 1985, Denise Herzing has been doing just that, spending each summer observing a pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins that live in the Bahamas as part of the Wild Dolphin Project. The work allows Herzing to better understand the pod's social structure, behavior, communication and habitat outside the confines of an aquarium or research facility.
Perhaps most remarkable is Herzing’s collaborative effort to design, build and use an interactive device to let humans communicate with the free-ranging dolphins. The 2011 book Dolphin Diaries tells her remarkable story.
Denise Herzing | Speaker | TED.com