ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Stefano Mancuso - Plant neurobiologist
Stefano Mancuso is a founder of the study of plant neurobiology, which explores signaling and communication at all levels of biological organization, from genetics to molecules, cells and ecological communities.

Why you should listen

Does the Boston fern you're dutifully misting each morning appreciate your care? Or can the spreading oak in your local park take umbrage at the kids climbing its knotted branches? Not likely, says Italian researcher Stefano Mancuso, but that doesn't mean that these same living organisms aren't capable of incredibly sophisticated and dynamic forms of awareness and communication.

From his laboratory near Florence, Mancuso and his team explore how plants communicate, or "signal," with each other, using a complex internal analysis system to find nutrients, spread their species and even defend themselves against predators. Their research continues to transform our view of plants from simple organisms to complex ecological structures and communities that can gather, process and -- most incredibly -- share important information.

More profile about the speaker
Stefano Mancuso | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2010

Stefano Mancuso: The roots of plant intelligence

斯特凡诺·曼库索: 植物智能的起源

Filmed:
1,305,118 views

植物常表现出一些奇特的智能行为:与捕食者斗争、最大化获取食物的机会……但是,我们是否可以因此认为植物自身具有某种形式的智能?意大利的植物学家斯特凡诺·曼库索为此提供了有趣的证据。
- Plant neurobiologist
Stefano Mancuso is a founder of the study of plant neurobiology, which explores signaling and communication at all levels of biological organization, from genetics to molecules, cells and ecological communities. Full bio

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

00:15
Sometimes有时 I go browsing浏览
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以前,在浏览
00:18
[through通过] a very old magazine杂志.
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一本很旧的杂志时,
00:20
I found发现 this observation意见 test测试
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我发现了这个
00:23
about the story故事 of the ark方舟.
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有关“诺亚方舟故事”的观察测验。
00:26
And the artist艺术家 that drew德鲁 this observation意见 test测试
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绘制这幅图片的作者
00:29
did some errors错误, had some mistakes错误 --
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设置了一些错误,
00:31
there are more or less 12 mistakes错误.
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大概共有12个,
00:33
Some of them are very easy简单.
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其中有一些很容易发现。
00:35
There is a funnel漏斗, an aerial天线 part部分,
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在方舟上,有一个烟囱,一段天线,
00:38
a lamp and clockwork发条装置 key on the ark方舟.
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一盏灯和一把时钟装置钥匙。
00:40
Some of them are about the animals动物, the number.
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其中的一些是有关动物数量的。
00:43
But there is a much more fundamental基本的 mistake错误
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但是,这里有一个
00:46
in the overall总体 story故事 of the ark方舟
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关于诺也方舟故事更根本性、
00:49
that's not reported报道 here.
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却没有提出来的问题:
00:51
And this problem问题 is: where are the plants植物?
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植物在哪里?
00:54
So now we have God
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现在,上帝
00:56
that is going to submerge淹没 Earth地球 permanently永久
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准备永远地淹没地球,
00:59
or at least最小 for a very long period,
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或者至少要淹没很长一段时间,
01:02
and no one is taking服用 care关心 of plants植物.
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而却没有人照管植物。
01:05
Noah诺亚 needed需要 to take two of every一切 kind of bird,
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对每种鸟类、
01:07
of every一切 kind of animal动物,
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每种动物、
01:09
of every一切 kind of creature生物 that moves移动,
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每种会动的生物,诺亚都要挽救两只,
01:11
but no mention提到 about plants植物.
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却直口不提植物。
01:14
Why?
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为什么?
01:16
In another另一个 part部分 of the same相同 story故事,
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这个故事的另一部分,
01:18
all the living活的 creatures生物
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所有活着的生物
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are just the living活的 creatures生物
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都只是
01:22
that came来了 out from the ark方舟,
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从方舟上下来的,
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so birds鸟类, livestock家畜 and wild野生 animals动物.
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因此有鸟类、牲畜和野生动物。
01:27
Plants植物 are not living活的 creatures生物 --
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没有植物。
01:29
this is the point.
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这就是问题所在。
01:31
That is a point that is not
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这一点从没有
01:33
coming未来 out from the Bible圣经,
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在圣经中提及,
01:35
but it's something that
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然而,植物
01:37
really accompanied伴随着 humanity人性.
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却自始至终伴随着人类的发展。
01:40
Let's have a look at this nice不错 code
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这个漂亮的密码
01:43
that is coming未来 from a Renaissance再生 book.
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来自于文艺复兴时期时的一本书,
01:46
Here we have the description描述
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是关于
01:48
of the order订购 of nature性质.
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自然等级的描述。
01:50
It's a nice不错 description描述 because it's starting开始 from left --
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这个描述很贴切,因为它从左侧开始——
01:53
you have the stones石头 --
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左侧是石头——
01:55
immediately立即 after the stones石头, the plants植物
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紧随其后的是
01:57
that are just able能够 to live生活.
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仅仅具有生命的植物。
02:00
We have the animals动物 that are able能够 to live生活 and to sense,
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之后,是既有生命又能感知的动物;
02:03
and on the top最佳 of the pyramid金字塔,
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在金字塔的顶端,
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there is the man.
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是人。
02:07
This is not the common共同 man.
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这不是普通人,
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The "Homo智人 studiosusstudiosus" -- the studying研究 man.
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而是“智人”——读书人。
02:12
This is quite相当 comforting欣慰的
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这令
02:15
for people like me -- I'm a professor教授 --
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像我这样的人——我是一名教授——颇感欣慰,
02:18
this to be over there on the top最佳 of creation创建.
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我们位于世界万物的顶端。
02:21
But it's something completely全然 wrong错误.
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但是,这完全错了。
02:24
You know very well about professors教授.
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你确实对教授非常了解。
02:27
But it's also wrong错误 about plants植物,
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但对植物来说,你仍然错了。
02:30
because plants植物 are not just able能够 to live生活;
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它们不仅具有生命,
02:32
they are able能够 to sense.
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它们也能够感知。
02:34
They are much more sophisticated复杂的
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在感知方面,
02:36
in sensing传感 than animals动物.
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它们比动物更加高级。
02:38
Just to give you an example,
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举个例子,
02:40
every一切 single root apex顶尖
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任何一个根端
02:42
is able能够 to detect检测 and to monitor监控
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都能够
02:45
concurrently同时 and continuously一直
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同时且持续地
02:47
at least最小 15 different不同 chemical化学
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感知并检测至少15种不同的化学
02:49
and physical物理 parameters参数.
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和物理参数。
02:52
And they also are able能够 to show显示 and to exhibit展示
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此外,它们也能表现出
02:55
such这样 a wonderful精彩 and complex复杂 behavior行为
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令人赞叹且复杂的行为;
02:58
that can be described描述 just with the term术语 of intelligence情报.
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如此行为非“智能”不能描述。
03:01
Well, but this is something --
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不过,这一点——
03:04
this underestimation低估 of plants植物 is something
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对植物的低估——
03:06
that is always with us.
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一直都伴随着我们。
03:09
Let's have a look at this short movie电影 now.
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现在,我们来看个短片。
03:12
We have David大卫 Attenborough阿滕伯勒.
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此人是大卫·阿滕伯勒,
03:14
Now David大卫 Attenborough阿滕伯勒 is really a plant lover情人;
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一位真正的植物爱好者。
03:16
he did some of the most beautiful美丽 movies电影
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他制作了一些
03:19
about plant behavior行为.
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有关植物行为的最美的影片。
03:21
Now, when he speaks说话 about plants植物,
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现在,当他谈论到植物时,
03:23
everything is correct正确.
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所有一切都没有问题。
03:25
When he speaks说话 about animals动物,
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当他谈到动物时,
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[he] tends趋向 to remove去掉 the fact事实
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却往往倾向于
03:29
that plants植物 exist存在.
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认为植物不复存在了。
03:31
The blue蓝色 whale,
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蓝鲸
03:33
the biggest最大 creature生物 that exists存在 on the planet行星 --
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是地球上最大的生物。
03:35
that is wrong错误, completely全然 wrong错误.
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那是错误的,是完全错误的。
03:38
The blue蓝色 whale, it's a dwarf矮人
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在巨大的加州红杉面前,
03:41
if compared相比 with the real真实 biggest最大 creature生物
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蓝鲸立刻变成了侏儒。
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that exists存在 on the planet行星 --
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加州红杉
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that is, this wonderful精彩,
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才真正是
03:47
magnificent华丽的 SequoiadendronSequoiadendron giganteum口蘑.
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地球上最大的生物。
03:51
(Applause掌声)
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(掌声)
03:53
And this is a living活的 organism生物
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一棵活的加州红杉
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that has a mass of at least最小 2,000 tons.
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至少重达2,000吨。
03:59
Now, the story故事
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事实上,
04:01
that plants植物 are some low-level低级别 organisms生物
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在很久很久以前,
04:04
has been formalized形式化
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植物是低等生物的观点
04:07
many许多 times ago by Aristotle亚里士多德,
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就已经出现在亚里士多德的
04:10
that in "De Anima灵魂" --
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《论灵魂》中了。
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that is a very influential有影响 book for the Western西 civilization文明 --
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《论灵魂》一书对西方文明有着深远的影响。
04:15
wrote that the plants植物 are on the edge边缘
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在书中,亚里士多德认为植物
04:18
between之间 living活的 and not living活的.
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介于生命与非生命状态之间。
04:21
They have just a kind of very low-level低级别 soul灵魂.
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它们不过是非常低级的灵魂,
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It's called the vegetative营养 soul灵魂,
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我们姑且称之为植物灵魂。
04:27
because they lack缺乏 movement运动,
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因为它们不动,
04:30
and so they don't need to sense.
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因此它们也不需要感知。
04:32
Let's see.
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可事实又如何呢?
04:34
Okay, some of the movements运动 of the plants植物 are very well-known知名.
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不错,众所周知,一些植物是可以运动的。
04:37
This is a very fast快速 movement运动.
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这是非常快速的运动。
04:39
This is a DionaeaDionaea, a Venus金星 fly trap陷阱
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这是捕蝇草,一株正在
04:42
hunting狩猎 snails蜗牛 --
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捕食蜗牛的捕蝇草。
04:44
sorry for the snail蜗牛.
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对不起了,蜗牛老弟。
04:46
This has been something that has been refused拒绝 for centuries百年,
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虽然证据确凿,数个世纪以来,人们
04:49
despite尽管 the evidence证据.
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一直拒绝承认这一事实。
04:52
No one can say that the plants植物 were able能够 to eat an animal动物,
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没有人敢说植物可以吃动物,
04:55
because it was against反对 the order订购 of nature性质.
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因为这有悖于自然等级(规律)。
04:58
But plants植物 are also able能够
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但植物还可以
05:00
to show显示 a lot of movement运动.
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表现出很多种运动。
05:03
Some of them are very well known已知, like the flowering开花.
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其中一些是人所共知的,比如开花。
05:06
It's just a question to use some techniques技术
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不过,这需要借助一些技术才能看到,
05:09
like the time lapse失误.
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比如快速播放。
05:11
Some of them are much more sophisticated复杂的.
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而另外一些则非常高级。
05:14
Look at this young年轻 bean
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请看这棵新生的豆子,
05:16
that is moving移动 to catch抓住 the light every一切 time.
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它时刻移动着去追寻阳光。
05:19
And it's really so graceful优美;
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它如此优雅,
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it's like a dancing跳舞 angel天使.
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宛若一位翩翩起舞的天使。
05:24
They are also able能够 to play --
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它们也玩耍,
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they are really playing播放.
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它们真的会玩耍。
05:29
These are young年轻 sunflowers向日葵,
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这些是向日葵幼苗,
05:32
and what they are doing
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它们的行为
05:34
cannot不能 be described描述
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除非“玩耍”
05:36
with any other terms条款 than playing播放.
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不能形容。
05:38
They are training训练 themselves他们自己,
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像许多年幼的动物一样,
05:40
as many许多 young年轻 animals动物 do,
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这些向日葵也要不断的训练自己,
05:42
to the adult成人 life
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直到成年;
05:44
where they will be called to track跟踪 the sun太阳
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那时,它们要日日追随太阳
05:47
all the day.
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的方向。
05:49
They are able能够 to respond响应 to gravity重力, of course课程,
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当然,它们也对地球引力做出回应。
05:52
so the shoots are growing生长
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所有幼苗
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against反对 the vector向量 of gravity重力
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朝着反地球引力方向向上生长,
05:56
and the roots toward the vector向量 of gravity重力.
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而根系则朝着引力方向向下延伸。
05:59
But they are also able能够 to sleep睡觉.
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植物也会睡觉。
06:02
This is one, Mimosa含羞草 pudica含羞草.
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这是种含羞草。
06:04
So during the night,
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夜里,
06:06
they curl卷曲 the leaves树叶
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它们卷起叶片,
06:08
and reduce减少 the movement运动,
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减少运动;
06:10
and during the day, you have the opening开盘 of the leaves树叶 --
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天亮后,它们就舒展叶片——
06:12
there is much more movement运动.
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还有很多很多植物运动的例子。
06:14
This is interesting有趣
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这非常有趣,
06:16
because this sleeping睡眠 machinery机械,
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因为这种睡眠机制
06:18
it's perfectly完美 conserved保守.
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被完美地保存了下来,
06:20
It's the same相同 in plants植物, in insects昆虫
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在植物、昆虫
06:22
and in animals动物.
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和动物中,毫无差别。
06:24
And so if you need to study研究 this sleeping睡眠 problem问题,
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如果你需要研究睡眠问题,
06:27
it's easy简单 to study研究 on plants植物, for example,
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研究植物
06:30
than in animals动物
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比研究动物要更容易;
06:32
and it's much more easy简单 even ethically道德.
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甚至从伦理角度来看,也更可行。
06:35
It's a kind of vegetarian
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这是植物
06:38
experimentation实验.
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实验。
06:40
Plants植物 are even able能够 to communicate通信 --
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植物也能够彼此交流,
06:43
they are extraordinary非凡 communicators传播者.
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它们是非常出色的交流者。
06:45
They communicate通信 with other plants植物.
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它们和其他植物交流,
06:47
They are able能够 to distinguish区分 kin亲属 and non-kin非亲属.
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并能够辨识出亲子植物与非亲子植物。
06:50
They communicate通信
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它们与
06:52
with plants植物 of other species种类
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植物交流,也与其他物种交流。
06:54
and they communicate通信 with animals动物
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比如,在传粉期间,
06:56
by producing生产 chemical化学 volatiles挥发物,
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通过产生挥发性化合物,
06:59
for example, during the pollination授粉.
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它们与动物进行交流。
07:01
Now with the pollination授粉, it's a very serious严重 issue问题 for plants植物,
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传粉对植物来说是个非常严肃的问题,
07:04
because they move移动 the pollen花粉 from one flower to the other,
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因为它们要将花粉从一朵花传到另一朵花上,
07:07
yet然而 they cannot不能 move移动 from one flower to the other.
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而它们自己却无法从一朵花移动到另一朵花。
07:09
So they need a vector向量 --
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因此,它们需要一个媒介,
07:11
and this vector向量,
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而这个媒介
07:13
it's normally一般 an animal动物.
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通常是动物。
07:15
Many许多 insects昆虫
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许多昆虫
07:17
have been used by plants植物 as vectors矢量
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是植物
07:20
for the transport运输 of the pollination授粉,
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传粉的媒介,
07:22
but not just insects昆虫; even birds鸟类, reptiles爬行动物,
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但传粉媒介又不限于昆虫;甚至鸟、爬行动物
07:25
and mammals哺乳动物 like bats蝙蝠 rats大鼠
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以及哺乳动物,如老鼠和兔子,
07:28
are normally一般 used for the transportation运输 of the pollen花粉.
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都可以帮植物传播花粉。
07:31
This is a serious严重 business商业.
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这是一项严肃的“生意”。
07:33
We have the plants植物 that are giving to the animals动物
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有些植物为动物提供
07:36
a kind of sweet substance物质 --
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一种甘甜的物质——
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very energizing激励 --
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富含高能量——
07:41
having in change更改 this transportation运输 of the pollen花粉.
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作为其传份的报偿。
07:44
But some plants植物 are manipulating操纵 animals动物,
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然而,有些植物则欺骗动物,
07:47
like in the case案件 of orchids兰花
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比如,有些兰花,
07:49
that promise诺言 sex性别 and nectar花蜜
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佯装可以(与传粉昆虫)发生性关系并提供花蜜,
07:51
and give in change更改 nothing
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而帮其传粉的昆虫
07:53
for the transportation运输 of the pollen花粉.
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最终得不到任何好处。
07:56
Now, there is a big problem问题
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现在,
07:59
behind背后 all this behavior行为 that we have seen看到.
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在所有我们看到的这些行为背后,隐藏着一个重大的问题。
08:02
How is it possible可能 to do this without a brain?
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没有大脑,如何能够实现这一切?
08:05
We need to wait until直到 1880,
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直到1880年,
08:08
when this big man,
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伟大的
08:10
Charles查尔斯 Darwin达尔文,
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查尔斯·达尔文
08:12
publishes发布 a wonderful精彩, astonishing惊人 book
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发表了一部叹为观止、震惊世人的著作,
08:15
that starts启动 a revolution革命.
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从此开启了一场革命。
08:18
The title标题 is "The Power功率 of Movement运动 in Plants植物."
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书的名字叫《植物运动的力量》。
08:21
No one was allowed允许 to speak说话 about movement运动 in plants植物
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在查尔斯·达尔文之前,没有人敢谈论
08:23
before Charles查尔斯 Darwin达尔文.
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植物的运动。
08:25
In his book,
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本书
08:27
assisted辅助 by his son儿子, Francis弗朗西斯 --
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是在他儿子弗朗西斯的协助下完成的。
08:29
who was the first professor教授 of plant physiology生理 in the world世界, in Cambridge剑桥 --
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弗朗西斯是世界上第一位植物生理学教授,曾任职于剑桥大学。
08:32
they took into consideration考虑 every一切 single movement运动
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在书中,他们用了500页,考虑了
08:35
for 500 pages网页.
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植物的每一个运动。
08:37
And in the last paragraph of the book,
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本书的最后一段,
08:40
it's a kind of stylistic文体 mark标记,
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应该算是文体标记。
08:42
because normally一般 Charles查尔斯 Darwin达尔文 stored存储,
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因为,通常来说,查尔斯·达尔文都是
08:45
in the last paragraph of a book,
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在一本书的最后一段写下
08:47
the most important重要 message信息.
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最重要的信息。
08:49
He wrote that,
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他写道,
08:51
"It's hardly几乎不 an exaggeration夸张
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“说
08:53
to say that the tip小费 of the radical激进
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根尖相当于
08:56
acts行为 like the brain
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低等动物的大脑
08:58
of one of the lower降低 animals动物."
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并不夸张”。
09:00
This is not a metaphor隐喻.
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这并非比喻。
09:02
He wrote some very interesting有趣 letters to one of his friends朋友
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他曾写过一些非常有趣的信笺给他的朋友
09:05
who was J.D. Hooker妓女, or at that time, president主席 of the Royal王室的 Society社会,
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J.D.胡克讨论植物大脑的问题。
09:09
so the maximum最大值 scientific科学 authority权威 in Britain英国
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那时,胡可是皇家学院的主席,
09:12
speaking请讲 about the brain in the plants植物.
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也就是英国科学的最高权威。
09:15
Now, this is a root apex顶尖
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现在,这是
09:17
growing生长 against反对 a slope.
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倚斜坡生长的根端。
09:19
So you can recognize认识 this kind of movement运动,
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容易看出,这种运动
09:22
the same相同 movement运动 that worms蠕虫, snakes
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与蠕虫、蛇
09:25
and every一切 animal动物
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和所有其他
09:27
that are moving移动 on the ground地面 without legs
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没有脚、在地上蠕动的动物相比
09:30
is able能够 to display显示.
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没有差别。
09:32
And it's not an easy简单 movement运动
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这种运动并不容易,
09:34
because, to have this kind of movement运动,
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因为这
09:37
you need to move移动 different不同 regions地区 of the root
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要求根的不同区域都要运动,
09:40
and to synchronize同步 these different不同 regions地区
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并且在没有大脑控制的情况下,
09:42
without having a brain.
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完成这些区域的协同运动。
09:44
So we studied研究 the root apex顶尖
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因此,我们研究了根端,
09:47
and we found发现 that there is a specific具体 region地区
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并发现了一个特殊区域,
09:49
that is here, depicted描绘 in blue蓝色 --
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即蓝色标记的部分——
09:52
that is called the "transition过渡 zone."
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我们姑且称之为过渡区。
09:54
And this region地区, it's a very small region地区 --
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这个区域非常之小,
09:57
it's less than one millimeter毫米.
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长度不足1毫米。
10:00
And in this small region地区
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但它却是
10:02
you have the highest最高 consumption消费
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植物中耗氧最高
10:04
of oxygen in the plants植物
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的区域。
10:06
and more important重要,
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更重要的是,
10:08
you have these kinds of signals信号 here.
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各种信号都产生于此。
10:10
The signals信号 that you are seeing眼看 here are action行动 potential潜在,
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你所见的这些信号是动作电势,
10:13
are the same相同 signals信号
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这与
10:15
that the neurons神经元 of my brain, of our brain,
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我大脑、我们大脑中的神经元
10:18
use to exchange交换 information信息.
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用来进行信息交换的信号相同。
10:21
Now we know that a root apex顶尖
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现在我们知道,一个根端
10:24
has just a few少数 hundred cells细胞
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只有几百个
10:26
that show显示 this kind of feature特征,
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具有此种特征的细胞,
10:28
but we know how big
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但我们更知道,
10:30
the root apparatus仪器 of a small plant, like a plant of rye黑麦.
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一小株植物,比如一棵黑麦,
10:33
We have almost几乎
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有多么庞大数量的根端——
10:35
14 million百万 roots.
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差不多14,000,000个根。
10:37
We have 11 and a half million百万
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因此,共有11,500,000个
10:40
root apex顶尖
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根端,
10:42
and a total length长度 of 600 or more kilometers公里
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其总长度达到甚至超过600公里,
10:45
and a very high surface表面 area.
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同时具有巨大的表面积。
10:47
Now let's imagine想像
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我们假想
10:49
that each single root apex顶尖
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每一个根端
10:51
is working加工 in network网络 with all the others其他.
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都与所有其他的根端在网络中一起工作。
10:54
Here were have on the left, the Internet互联网
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这里,左侧是英特网,
10:57
and on the right, the root apparatus仪器.
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右侧是根组织。
11:00
They work in the same相同 way.
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它们有着相同的工作方式。
11:02
They are a network网络
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它们都是由
11:04
of small computing计算 machines,
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小的计算机构成的网络,
11:06
working加工 in networks网络.
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并在网络中工作。
11:08
And why are they so similar类似?
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为什么它们会如此相似?
11:10
Because they evolved进化
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因为它们有着
11:12
for the same相同 reason原因:
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相同的进化原因:
11:14
to survive生存 predation捕食.
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在捕食中生存下来。
11:17
They work in the same相同 way.
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它们的工作方式一致。
11:19
So you can remove去掉 90 percent百分 of the root apparatus仪器
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因此,你可以去除90%的根组织,
11:22
and the plants植物 [continue继续] to work.
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而植物依旧可以存活;
11:24
You can remove去掉 90 percent百分 of the Internet互联网
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你也可以出去90%的因特网,
11:27
and it is [continuing继续] to work.
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它也仍然能够工作。
11:30
So, a suggestion建议
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由此,
11:32
for the people working加工 with networks网络:
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对于和网络打交道的人,这里有一个建议:
11:35
plants植物 are able能够
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植物可以
11:38
to give you good suggestions建议
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对如何实现网络进化
11:40
about how to evolve发展 networks网络.
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提供不错的建议。
11:43
And another另一个 possibility可能性
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另外一个可能性
11:46
is a technological技术性 possibility可能性.
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是技术方面的。
11:49
Let's imagine想像
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我们假想,
11:51
that we can build建立 robots机器人
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有一天,我们可以
11:53
and robots机器人 that are inspired启发 by plants植物.
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受植物的启发而制造出机器人。
11:56
Until直到 now,
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到目前为止,
11:58
the man was inspired启发
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人们制造机器人
12:01
just by man or the animals动物
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的灵感仅仅来自与人
12:03
in producing生产 a robot机器人.
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或动物。
12:05
We have the animaloidanimaloid --
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我们有动物机器人——
12:08
and the normal正常 robots机器人 inspired启发 by animals动物,
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受动物启发而制造的机器人,
12:10
insectoid类昆虫, so on.
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昆虫机器人,等等。
12:12
We have the androids机器人
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我们也有受人启发
12:14
that are inspired启发 by man.
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而制造的人形机器人。
12:17
But why have we not any plantoidplantoid?
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但是,为什么没有植物机器人?
12:20
Well, if you want to fly,
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是的,如果你想飞,
12:22
it's good that you look at birds鸟类 --
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你应该观察鸟类,
12:24
to be inspired启发 by birds鸟类.
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受鸟类的启发。
12:26
But if you want to explore探索 soils土壤,
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但如果你想探察土壤,
12:29
or if you want to colonize拓殖
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或在一个
12:32
new territory领土,
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新的地区定居,
12:34
to best最好 thing that you can do is to be inspired启发 by plants植物
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那你最好是跟植物学习,
12:37
that are masters主人 in doing this.
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因为植物深谙此道。
12:40
We have another另一个 possibility可能性
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在我们实验室,另外一个可能性
12:42
we are working加工 [on] in our lab实验室,
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是制造
12:44
[which哪一个] is to build建立 hybrids混合动力车.
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“杂交体”。
12:46
It's much more easy简单 to build建立 hybrids混合动力车.
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制造杂交体比制造机器人更容易得多。
12:49
Hybrid混合动力 means手段 it's something
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杂交体是指
12:51
that's half living活的 and half machine.
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一半具有生命,而另一半是机器。
12:54
It's much more easy简单 to work with plants植物
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与动物相比,用植物做实验
12:56
than with animals动物.
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容易得多。
12:58
They have computing计算 power功率,
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植物有计算力,
13:00
they have electrical电动 signals信号.
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也有电子信号,
13:02
The connection连接 with the machine is much more easy简单,
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因此,植物与机器的连结更加容易,
13:05
much more even ethically道德 possible可能.
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甚至在伦理上也更可行。
13:10
And these are three possibilities可能性
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目前,我们
13:12
that we are working加工 on
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制造
13:15
to build建立 hybrids混合动力车,
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杂交体的三种可能包括:
13:17
driven驱动 by algae藻类
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用藻类,
13:19
or by the leaves树叶 at the end结束,
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用叶片
13:22
by the most, most powerful强大 parts部分 of the plants植物,
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以及用植物最强大的部分——
13:24
by the roots.
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根系。
13:26
Well, thank you for your attention注意.
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谢谢大家!
13:28
And before I finish,
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在结束演讲前,
13:31
I would like to reassure再保证 that no snails蜗牛 were harmed伤害
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我想再次申明,并没有蜗牛因
13:34
in making制造 this presentation介绍.
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此次演讲而受到伤害。
13:36
Thank you.
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谢谢!
13:38
(Applause掌声)
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(掌声)
Translated by Fengqiao Liu
Reviewed by xiang fei

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Stefano Mancuso - Plant neurobiologist
Stefano Mancuso is a founder of the study of plant neurobiology, which explores signaling and communication at all levels of biological organization, from genetics to molecules, cells and ecological communities.

Why you should listen

Does the Boston fern you're dutifully misting each morning appreciate your care? Or can the spreading oak in your local park take umbrage at the kids climbing its knotted branches? Not likely, says Italian researcher Stefano Mancuso, but that doesn't mean that these same living organisms aren't capable of incredibly sophisticated and dynamic forms of awareness and communication.

From his laboratory near Florence, Mancuso and his team explore how plants communicate, or "signal," with each other, using a complex internal analysis system to find nutrients, spread their species and even defend themselves against predators. Their research continues to transform our view of plants from simple organisms to complex ecological structures and communities that can gather, process and -- most incredibly -- share important information.

More profile about the speaker
Stefano Mancuso | Speaker | TED.com