ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Karen J. Meech - Astronomer, astrobiologist
Karen J. Meech is an astronomer who investigates how habitable worlds form and explores the bigger picture of whether there is life elsewhere.

Why you should listen

Astrobiologist Karen J. Meech uses the leftover pieces from our solar system's formation to understand how habitable planets are made. Her curiosity about life beyond earth was inspired as a child watching Star Trek. From this, her path led to a career in physics and astronomy, with a PhD in planetary physics from MIT. She is now an astronomer at the University of Hawaii, where she leads the astrobiology group, and she is a passionate scientific educator.

Meech started her astronomical career investigating comets, the icy leftovers from the birth of our solar system. Her work led to an understanding of many of the processes that cause the beautiful tails to develop far from our Sun. She was co-investigator on three comet missions. Her discoveries provide information to test our understanding of how planetary systems are assembled. Now her work has embraced the power of interdisciplinary science, and she is combining geological field work, geochemistry, astronomical observations, theory and space mission concepts to address fundamental questions about how earth got its water.

More profile about the speaker
Karen J. Meech | Speaker | TED.com
TED2018

Karen J. Meech: The story of 'Oumuamua, the first visitor from another star system

凱倫 · J · 米區: 來自另一星系的首位訪客「斥侯星」的故事

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天體生物學家凱倫 · 米區於 2017 年 10 月接到了每位天文學家所期待的電話:美國太空總署發現了來自另一星系的首位訪客。 這顆半英里長的星際彗星最終被命名為「斥侯星」,意思是來自夏威夷的「偵察員」或「使者」。它是怎麼形成的?它是超新星爆炸的殘石碎片嗎?是外星科技的證據嗎?還是別的什麼?在這場引人入勝的演講中,米區講述她的團隊如何與時間賽跑,揭開這位遠道而來意外訪客的真相。
- Astronomer, astrobiologist
Karen J. Meech is an astronomer who investigates how habitable worlds form and explores the bigger picture of whether there is life elsewhere. Full bio

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

00:13
NASA's美國航空航天局 always on the lookout小心
for possible可能 asteroid小行星 collision碰撞 hazards危害,
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美國太空總署一直小心觀察著
潛在小行星碰撞的危險,
00:18
so the Pan-STARRS泛 starrs telescope望遠鏡
is scanning掃描 the sky天空 every一切 night.
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所以泛星計畫的望遠鏡
每晚都在掃描天空。
00:23
Each morning早上, candidate候選人 objects對象
are examined檢查 by Pan-STARRS泛 starrs staff員工
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每天早上,泛星計畫的工作人員
會檢查候選的對象,
00:27
and usually平時 discovered發現 to be no big deal合同.
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通常沒發現什麼大不了的狀況。
00:30
But on October十月 19, 2017,
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但是在 2017 年 10 月 19 日,
00:33
Pan-STARRS泛 starrs spotted an object目的
moving移動 rapidly急速 between之間 the stars明星,
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泛星計畫發現一顆
在恆星之間快速移動的物體,
00:38
and this time the usual通常 follow-up跟進
measurements測量 of position位置 and speed速度
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而這次例行的後續追蹤
所測量出的位置和速度,
00:42
showed顯示 something completely全然 different不同.
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顯示出完全不同的東西。
00:45
By October十月 22ndND, we had enough足夠 data數據
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到 10 月 22 日,我們有足夠的數據
00:47
to realize實現 that this object目的
wasn't from our solar太陽能 system系統.
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瞭解到這物體並非來自我們太陽系。
00:51
Holy cow.
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天啊。
00:53
That's when I got the phone電話 call,
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我接到電話,
00:55
the phone電話 call that all solar太陽能 system系統
astronomers天文學家 are waiting等候 for.
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是所有太陽系的天文學家
都在等待的電話。
00:59
Let me tell you how exciting扣人心弦 this was.
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讓我告訴你這多麼令人興奮。
01:01
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
01:02
NASA's美國航空航天局 been expecting期待 to see
an interstellar星際 comet彗星
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美國太空總署一直期待看到
穿過太陽系的星際彗星,
01:05
pass通過 through通過 the solar太陽能 system系統
since以來 the 1970s,
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但自 20 世紀 70 年代
以來直到現在,
01:08
but until直到 now, we'd星期三 never seen看到 anything.
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我們未曾見過任何東西。
01:11
Our own擁有 solar太陽能 system系統 is huge巨大,
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我們自己的太陽系很巨大,
01:14
so even getting得到 a package
from the nearest最近的 star system系統
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即使從距離 4.4 光年的
最近星系接收包裹
01:17
4.4 light years年份 away
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01:19
would take over 50,000 years年份.
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也需要 5 萬年。
01:22
So this is a really big deal合同.
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所以這事至關重要。
01:24
The interstellar星際 visitor遊客
entered進入 our solar太陽能 system系統
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星際訪客從黃道面的上方
01:27
from above以上 the plane平面 of the planets行星,
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進入我們的太陽系,
01:29
coming未來 from the direction方向
of the constellation星座 Lyra萊拉,
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來自天琴座(Lyra)的方向,
01:32
and it passed通過 closest最近的 to the Sun太陽
on September九月 9th,
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於 9 月 9 日經過近日點,
01:35
passing通過 inside the orbit軌道 of Mercury.
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經水星軌道內側穿越。
01:38
Now this isn't a particularly尤其
close approach途徑 or unusual異常 distance距離.
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這距離不算特別接近,
也不算非比尋常,
01:42
It's just much easier更輕鬆
to see objects對象 close by.
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只是近距離觀察物體要容易得多。
01:47
On October十月 14th,
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在我們發現它之前,
01:48
before we discovered發現 it, it made製作
its closest最近的 approach途徑 to the Earth地球,
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它在 10 月 14 日最接近地球,
01:52
within about 15 million百萬 miles英里.
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距離約在 1500 萬英里內。
01:55
This is really close
by astronomical天文 standards標準.
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以天文的標準而言,是非常近的。
01:59
Now rather than call this
by its unwieldy笨重 catalog目錄 name名稱,
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我們不用難懂的目錄名稱來稱呼它,
02:03
we briefly簡要地 called it "Rama拉瑪,"
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我們簡稱它為「拉瑪」,
02:06
after the cylindrical圓柱形 spacecraft宇宙飛船
that passed通過 through通過 the solar太陽能 system系統
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那是亞瑟·查理斯·克拉克
1973 年的經典科幻小說裡
02:10
in Arthur亞瑟 C. Clarke's克拉克 classic經典
science科學 fiction小說 story故事 in 1973.
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穿過太陽系的圓柱形太空船的名字。
02:15
But this wasn't quite相當 right either,
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但這也不那麼合適,
02:17
so in honor榮譽 of it being存在 discovered發現
by a telescope望遠鏡 in Hawaii夏威夷,
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所以為了紀念夏威夷的望遠鏡發現它,
02:21
we consulted諮詢 two experts專家
on Hawaiian夏威夷 culture文化 --
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我們諮詢了兩位夏威夷文化專家,
02:24
a Hawaiian夏威夷 navigator航海家 and a linguist語言學家 --
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他們是夏威夷航海家和語言學家,
02:27
to propose提出 a name名稱.
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提出一個名字。
02:28
And they suggested建議 "'Oumuamua"Oumuamua,"
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他們建議「斥侯星」,
02:31
which哪一個 means手段 scout偵察 or messenger信使
from the distant遙遠 past過去 reaching到達 out to us.
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意思是來自遙遠的過去,
向我們伸手的偵察員或使者。
02:37
Now this discovery發現
was important重要 for many許多 reasons原因,
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這個發現很重要的原因相當多,
02:41
but to me the most significant重大
is for what 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua can tell us
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但對我而言,最重要的是
斥侯星可以告訴我們太陽系的過去。
02:45
about the past過去 of our solar太陽能 system系統.
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02:48
The process處理 of the birth分娩 of a new solar太陽能
system系統 and the growth發展 of planets行星
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新太陽系的誕生和行星生成的過程
02:52
can be a violent暴力 and messy business商業.
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可能很猛烈、很混亂。
02:55
Leftover剩下 icy冷冰冰 and rocky岩石 debris廢墟
gets得到 ejected噴出 from the new solar太陽能 system系統
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當巨大的行星穿過
形成它們的塵埃盤時,
02:59
as the giant巨人 planets行星 migrate遷移
through通過 the dusty塵土飛揚 disk磁盤
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殘餘的冰冷岩石碎片
便被逐出這個新生的太陽系。
03:03
out of which哪一個 they're formed形成.
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03:06
Now have you ever felt an emotional情緒化 chill寒意,
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你有沒有感受到一種情緒的寒意?
03:10
something that's so exciting扣人心弦
that a shiver發抖 runs運行 up and down your spine脊柱?
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一種令人興奮的東西
讓你的脊椎上下顫抖?
03:16
Or something that's
very emotionally感情上 moving移動?
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或是某種情緒激動?
03:19
Well this was it for me.
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對我來說就是這樣。
03:21
This was my wow moment時刻.
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這是我的驚嘆時刻。
03:23
We actually其實 had a piece of material材料
from another另一個 solar太陽能 system系統
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我們實際上有一塊
來自另一個太陽系的物質
03:27
coming未來 close enough足夠 for us to observe.
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近到讓我們能夠觀察它。
03:31
So what would you like to know
about 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua,
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你想了解斥侯星
03:34
the very first visitor遊客
from another另一個 star system系統?
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這另一星系的首位訪客那些事呢?
03:38
Well, I could think of a million百萬 things,
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我可以想到一百萬件事,
03:41
but there's what you want
and what you can have,
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但是想要的和得到的是兩碼事,
03:44
and 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua was moving移動 away
and fading衰退 very rapidly急速.
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而斥侯星正迅速、逐漸地消失。
03:49
In the span跨度 of about a week,
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在大約一周的時間內,
03:51
it had dropped下降 in brightness亮度
by a factor因子 of [10].
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它的亮度下降到十分之一。
03:54
So this is about all the time
we were going to have
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一個星期就是我們能便於
研究它的全部時間。
03:57
to study研究 it easily容易.
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03:59
So we had to distill蒸餾 the process處理
of getting得到 telescope望遠鏡 time --
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因此我們必須快馬加鞭
取得使用望遠鏡的時間,
04:04
normally一般 a very competitive競爭的,
peer-reviewed同行評審 proposal提案 process處理
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這個由同行評審的提案流程
通常競爭激烈,
04:08
that can take up to months個月 --
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審核期可能長達數個月,
04:10
down to less than a few少數 days.
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被縮減到短短幾天。
04:12
So began開始 a "polite有禮貌"
competition競爭 for resources資源.
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一場「禮貌」的資源競爭開始了。
04:17
OK, let me not mince words.
It was a fierce激烈 battle戰鬥.
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好吧,我不再矯言了。
這是一場激烈的戰鬥。
04:20
We dropped下降 everything,
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我們擱下所有的工作,
04:22
working加工 around the clock時鐘,
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不分晝夜地
04:23
trying to craft手藝
perfectly完美 crafted精雕細琢 proposal提案 words
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試圖趕製出完美的提案,
04:27
to send發送 to the observatory天文台 directors董事.
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送交給天文台的主管們。
04:30
Well, good news新聞. We got the time.
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好消息。我們獲得了使用的時間。
04:34
Now, from a perfectly完美
selfish自私 point of view視圖,
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從一個完全自私的角度來看,
04:37
the first thing we might威力 like to know
is how massive大規模的 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua is.
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首先我們想知道斥侯星有多大。
04:42
Because after all,
it passed通過 very close to the Earth地球,
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因為它畢竟曾非常接近地球,
04:45
and we didn't know about it
until直到 afterwards之後.
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這是事後我們才知道的。
04:48
How bad would this have been
had it not missed錯過 the Earth地球?
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如果它擊中地球會多糟糕?
04:53
Well, the impact碰撞 energy能源
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衝擊的能量取決於
速度的平方乘以質量,
04:55
depends依靠 on the square廣場
of the velocity速度 times its mass,
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質量取決於它的大小和組成。
04:59
and the mass depends依靠
on how big it is and what it's made製作 of.
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05:03
So how big is 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua,
and what's its shape形狀?
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那麼斥侯星有多大,是什麼形狀?
05:07
Well, we can get this from its brightness亮度.
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我們可從它的亮度得知。
05:10
Now, if you don't believe me,
think of comparing比較 the brightness亮度
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如果你不相信我,
可以比較後院的螢火蟲亮度
05:13
of a firefly螢火蟲 in your backyard後院
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05:14
to the navigation導航 lights燈火
on a distant遙遠 airplane飛機.
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與遙遠飛機上的導航燈亮度。
05:18
You know the airplane飛機 is much brighter光明 --
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你知道飛機比較亮,
05:20
it just appears出現 faint
because it's so far away.
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它的亮度顯得微弱只因為距離遠。
05:24
We're also going to need to know
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我們還需要知道
05:26
how reflective反光
the surface表面 of 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua is,
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斥侯星表面的反射程度。
05:29
and we don't have any clue線索,
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我們沒有任何線索,
05:31
but it's reasonable合理 to assume承擔
it's very similar類似 to small asteroids小行星
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但我們認為它與太陽系中的
小行星和彗星非常相似,
05:35
and comets彗星 in our solar太陽能 system系統,
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05:37
or in technical技術 terms條款,
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或以技術用詞來說,
05:39
something between之間 the reflectivity反射率
of charcoal木炭 and wet sand.
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它的反射率類似介於木炭和濕沙之間。
05:44
Nowadays如今, most of the big telescopes望遠鏡
are used in what's called a service服務 mode模式,
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如今,大多數大型望遠鏡
採用所謂的服務模式,
05:50
meaning含義 we have to carefully小心 develop發展
all the instructions說明
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意思是我們必須仔細闡述所有的指令,
05:54
and send發送 them to the telescope望遠鏡 operator操作者,
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並將它們發送給望遠鏡操作員,
05:56
and then anxiously焦急地 wait
for the data數據 to come back,
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然後焦急地等待收回數據,
05:59
praying祈禱 to the weather天氣 gods.
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向天氣之神祈禱。
06:01
Now I bet賭注 most of you don't have careers職業生涯
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我敢打賭,你們大多數人的職涯
06:04
that critically危重 depend依靠 on whether是否 or not
it's cloudy多雲的 last night.
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不取決於昨晚是不是陰天。
06:08
Well, we weren't going to get
any second第二 chances機會 here.
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我們不會有任何第二次機會。
06:12
Because the weather天氣 was great,
'Oumuamua"Oumuamua decided決定 not to be.
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天氣很好,而斥侯星則否。
06:16
Its brightness亮度 wasn't constant不變.
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它的亮度不恆定。
06:18
Now here we see 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua
racing賽跑 between之間 the stars明星.
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我們看到斥侯星在星星間急駛。
06:21
It's centered中心 in the middle中間.
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中間就是它。
06:23
The stars明星 are trailed落後 out because
the telescope望遠鏡 is following以下 its motion運動.
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星星拖出尾巴,
因為望遠鏡追著斥侯星移動。
06:28
It started開始 faint and then it got brighter光明,
fainter暗淡, brighter光明, and fainter暗淡 again,
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它的亮度轉弱,再次變亮,
變暗,變亮,又變暗。
06:33
as sunlight陽光 is reflected反射的 off
of four sides雙方 of an oblong橢圓形 object目的.
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由於陽光從長方形物體的四面反射。
06:39
The extreme極端 brightness亮度 change更改
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極端的亮度變化使我們對其形狀
06:41
led us to an unbelievable難以置信的
conclusion結論 about its shape形狀.
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產生了令人難以置信的結論。
06:46
As shown顯示 in this artist's藝術家 impression印象,
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正如這位藝術家的圖象所示,
06:48
'Oumuamua奧穆阿穆阿 is apparently顯然地
very long and narrow狹窄,
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斥侯星顯然非常長而窄,
06:51
with an axis ratio of about 10 to one.
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軸比約為 10 比 1。
06:55
Assuming假設 it's dark黑暗,
this means手段 it's about half a mile英里 long.
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假設它很暗,
意思是它大約半英里長。
06:59
Nothing else其他 in our
solar太陽能 system系統 looks容貌 like this.
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我們的太陽系中沒有像這樣的物體。
07:03
We only have a handful少數 of objects對象
that even have an axis ratio
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我們只有少數幾個
軸比大過 5 比 1 的物體。
07:07
bigger than five to one.
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07:09
So we don't know how this forms形式,
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因此我們不知道這是如何形成的,
07:11
but it may可能 be part部分 of its birth分娩 process處理
in its home solar太陽能 system系統.
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但可能是其太陽系
誕生過程中的一部分。
07:17
'Oumuamua奧穆阿穆阿 was varying不同 in brightness亮度
every一切 7.34 hours小時,
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斥侯星的亮度每 7.34 小時變化一次,
07:23
or so we thought.
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或者這是我們認為的數字。
07:24
As more data數據 started開始
to come in from other teams球隊,
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隨著其他團隊的數據開始加了進來,
07:27
they were reporting報告 different不同 numbers數字.
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他們報告的數字不同。
07:29
Why is it the more
we learn學習 about something,
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為什麼我們越了解某事,
07:31
the harder更難 it gets得到 to interpret?
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就越難以解釋?
07:34
Well, it turns out that 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua
is not rotating旋轉 in a simple簡單 way.
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原來斥侯星不以簡單的方式旋轉。
07:38
It's wobbling擺動 like a top最佳.
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它像陀螺一樣搖擺不定。
07:40
So while it is rotating旋轉
around its short axis,
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因此,它圍繞短軸旋轉,
07:43
it's also rolling壓延 around the long axis
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也圍繞長軸滾動,
07:46
and nodding點頭 up and down.
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並且上下搖擺。
07:48
This very energetic有活力, excited興奮 motion運動
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這種充滿活力、活躍的運行方式,
07:51
is almost幾乎 certainly當然 the result結果
of it being存在 violently猛烈 tossed
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幾乎可以肯定它是從自己的太陽系
07:55
out of its home solar太陽能 system系統.
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被猛烈拋出的結果。
07:58
Now how we interpret the shape形狀
from its brightness亮度
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我們如何從亮度解釋形狀
08:01
depends依靠 very critically危重
on how it's spinning紡織,
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關鍵取決於它是如何旋轉的,
08:04
so now we have to rethink反思
what it may可能 look like,
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所以我們必須重新思考它的外觀。
08:07
and as shown顯示 in this beautiful美麗 painting繪畫
by space空間 artist藝術家 Bill法案 Hartmann哈特曼,
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正如空間藝術家比爾 · 哈特曼
這幅美麗的畫作所示,
08:10
we think that 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua
may可能 be more of a flattened扁平 oval橢圓.
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我們認為斥侯星
更可能是個扁平的橢圓形。
08:15
So let's get back to the energetics能量.
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讓我們回到能量學。
08:17
What is it made製作 of?
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它的組成是什麼?
08:19
Well, ideally理想 we would love
to have a piece of 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua
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理想情況下,我們希望
帶塊斥侯星的碎片到實驗室,
08:22
into the laboratory實驗室,
so we could study研究 it in detail詳情.
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讓我們可以詳細研究它。
08:26
But since以來 even private私人的 industry行業
can't manage管理 to launch發射
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但是,由於在這情形下,
即使是私營企業
也無法在一周內成功發射太空船,
08:29
a spacecraft宇宙飛船 within a week
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08:31
to something like this,
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08:33
astronomers天文學家 have to rely依靠
on remote遠程 observations意見.
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天文學家不得不仰賴遠程觀測。
08:36
So astronomers天文學家 will look at how the light
interacts交互 with the surface表面.
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因此,天文學家研究
光線如何與表面相互作用。
08:40
Some colors顏色 may可能 get absorbed吸收,
giving it a chemical化學 fingerprint指紋,
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有些顏色可能被吸收,
留下化學指紋,
08:44
whereas other colors顏色 may可能 not.
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而其他顏色可能沒被吸收、沒指紋。
08:46
On the other hand, some substances物質
may可能 just reflect反映 more blue藍色
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另一方面,某些物質可能只是
更有效地反射藍光或紅光。
08:51
or red light efficiently有效率的.
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08:53
In the case案件 of 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua,
it reflected反射的 more red light,
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斥侯星的情況是它反射更多的紅光,
08:57
making製造 it look very much like the organic有機
rich豐富 surface表面 of the comet彗星 recently最近 visited參觀
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使它看起來非常像
羅塞塔號太空船最近訪問的彗星
09:02
by the Rosetta羅塞塔 spacecraft宇宙飛船.
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所遇到的富含有機物的表面。
09:04
But not everything that looks容貌 reddish
has the same相同 composition組成.
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但並非所有看起來偏紅的
東西,成分都相同。
09:09
In fact事實, minerals礦物質 that have
tiny little bits of iron in the surface表面
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事實上,表面上含有少量鐵的礦物質
09:13
can also look red,
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也可能看起來紅紅的,
09:15
as does the dark黑暗 side
of Saturn's土星 moon月亮 Iapetus亞普圖斯,
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土星的月亮「土衛八」的
黑暗面正是如此,
09:17
shown顯示 in these images圖片
from the Cassini卡西尼 spacecraft宇宙飛船.
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這些圖像來自卡西尼號太空船。
09:21
Nickel-iron鎳鐵 meteorites隕石,
in other words, metal金屬,
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鎳鐵隕石,換句話說,金屬,
09:23
can also look red.
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看起來也紅紅的。
09:26
So while we don't know
what's on the surface表面,
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因此,我們不知道表面是什麼,
09:28
we know even less
about what's on the inside.
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對內部所知更少。
09:32
However然而, we do know
that it must必須 at least最小 be strong強大 enough足夠
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然而,我們確實知道
它必須至少要夠堅固,
09:35
to not fly apart距離 as it rotates旋轉,
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在旋轉時才不會分開,
09:37
so it probably大概 has a density密度
similar類似 to that of rocky岩石 asteroids小行星;
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所以它的密度可能
與岩石小行星的密度相似,
09:41
perhaps也許 even denser更密集, like metal金屬.
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也許更密些,像金屬那樣。
09:45
Well, at the very least最小,
I want to show顯示 you
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我至少想展示美麗的彩色圖像之一,
09:47
one of the beautiful美麗
color顏色 images圖片 that we got
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是我們的地面望遠鏡獲得的。
09:49
from one of the ground-based陸基 telescopes望遠鏡.
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09:52
All right, I admit承認,
it's not all that spectacular壯觀.
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好吧,我承認,它不是那麼壯觀。
09:55
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
09:56
We just don't have the resolution解析度.
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只是解析度不夠。
09:59
Even Hubble哈勃 Space空間 Telescope望遠鏡
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甚至哈伯太空望遠鏡
也沒有更好的視野。
10:01
doesn't present當下 a much better view視圖.
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10:04
But the importance重要性 of the Hubble哈勃 data數據
was not because of the images圖片,
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但哈伯數據的重要性不在於圖像,
10:07
but because it extended擴展
our observations意見 out
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而是它將我們的觀察結果
10:10
to two and a half months個月
from the discovery發現,
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延伸到發現它之後的兩個半月,
10:12
meaning含義 we get more positions位置
along沿 the orbit軌道,
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意思是我們獲得軌道上更多的位置,
10:15
which哪一個 will hopefully希望 let us figure數字 out
where 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua came來了 from.
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有望讓我們弄明白斥侯星來自哪裡。
10:21
So what exactly究竟 is 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua?
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那麼斥侯星究竟是什麼?
10:25
We firmly牢牢 believe it's likely容易 to be
a leftover archaeological考古學的 remnant
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我們堅信,它可能是
另一個行星系統誕生過程中
剩餘的考古遺跡,
10:30
from the process處理 of the birth分娩
of another另一個 planetary行星 system系統,
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10:34
some celestial天上 driftwood浮木.
192
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是天體的漂流木。
10:36
Some scientists科學家們 think
that maybe 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua formed形成
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一些科學家認為,也許斥侯星形成時
10:40
very close to a star
that was much denser更密集 than our own擁有,
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很靠近一顆比我們太陽
密度更大的恆星,
10:43
and the star's明星 tidal潮汐 forces軍隊
shredded切絲 planetary行星 material材料
195
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而那恆星的潮汐力
在它自己太陽系的歷史早期
就弄碎了行星物質。
10:47
early in the solar太陽能 system's系統 history歷史.
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10:49
Still others其他 suggest建議 that maybe
this is something that formed形成
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還有一些人認為
它可能是一顆恆星
在痛苦的死亡過程中形成的,
10:53
during the death死亡 throes陣痛 of a star,
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10:55
perhaps也許 during a supernova超新星 explosion爆炸,
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可能是在超新星爆炸的期間,
10:58
as planetary行星 material材料 got shredded切絲.
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行星的物質被粉碎了。
11:02
Whatever隨你 it is, we believe
it's a natural自然 object目的,
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不管是什麼,我們相信
這是一個自然物體,
11:05
but we can't actually其實 prove證明
that it's not something artificial人造.
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但實際上我們無法證明
這不是人為的東西。
11:10
The color顏色, the strange奇怪 shape形狀,
the tumbling翻筋斗 motion運動
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顏色、奇怪的形狀、翻滾動作
11:14
could all have other explanations說明.
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可能有其他的解釋。
11:16
Now while we don't believe
this is alien外僑 technology技術,
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既然我們不相信這是外星人的技術,
11:20
why not do the obvious明顯 experiment實驗
and search搜索 for a radio無線電 signal信號?
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為什麼不做明顯的實驗,
蒐索無線電信號呢?
11:25
That's exactly究竟 what
the Breakthrough突破 Listen project項目 did,
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這正是「突破聆聽」計劃所做的,
11:28
but so far, 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua
has remained保持 completely全然 quiet安靜.
208
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但到目前為止,斥侯星仍然完全安靜。
11:33
Now could we send發送
a spacecraft宇宙飛船 to 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua
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我們現在可以將宇宙飛船送到斥侯星
11:35
and answer回答 this question once一旦 and for all?
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並一勞永逸地回答這個問題嗎?
11:38
Yes, we do actually其實 have the technology技術,
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是的,我們的確擁有這項技術,
11:40
but it would be a long
and expensive昂貴 voyage航程,
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但那將會是個既貴又長的旅程,
11:42
and we would get there so far from the Sun太陽
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到達時,會離太陽那麼的遠,
11:45
that the final最後 approach途徑 trajectory彈道
would be very difficult.
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最終的接近軌跡將會極端困難。
11:49
So I think 'Oumuamua"Oumuamua probably大概
has many許多 more things to teach us,
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所以我認為斥侯星可能
還有很多東西要教我們。
11:54
and in fact事實 there might威力 be
more surprises驚喜 in store商店
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事實上,隨著像我這樣的科學家
繼續使用這些數據,
11:57
as scientists科學家們 such這樣 as myself
continue繼續 to work with the data數據.
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可能會有更多的驚喜。
12:02
More importantly重要的,
I think this visitor遊客 from afar
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更重要的是,我認為這位遠到的訪客
12:05
has really brought home the point
that our solar太陽能 system系統 isn't isolated孤立.
219
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確實帶回一個觀點:
那就是我們的太陽系並不孤立,
12:10
We're part部分 of a much larger environment環境,
220
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我們是更寬廣宇宙的一部分,
12:13
and in fact事實, we may可能 even
be surrounded包圍 by interstellar星際 visitors遊客
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事實上,我們甚至可能
被星際訪客包圍著,
12:18
and not even know it.
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只是自己不知道。
12:20
This unexpected意外 gift禮品
223
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這個意想不到的禮物
12:22
has perhaps也許 raised上調 more questions問題
than its provided提供 answers答案,
224
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所衍生的提問
可能比帶來的答案還更多,
12:26
but we were the first to say hello你好
to a visitor遊客 from another另一個 solar太陽能 system系統.
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但我們首次
向另一個太陽系的訪客打招呼。
12:32
Thank you.
226
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謝謝。
12:33
(Applause掌聲)
227
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(掌聲)
12:42
Jedidah耶迪達 Islerisler: Thanks謝謝, Karen卡倫.
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吉迪達 · 伊斯勒:謝謝,凱倫。
我當然非常喜歡這個話題。謝謝。
12:44
I of course課程 enjoyed享受
that talk very much. Thank you.
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我記得你說到,我們在
它行經我們的旅程後期才發現它。
12:46
As I recall召回, we found發現 it
pretty漂亮 late晚了 in its journey旅程 towards us.
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12:50
Will future未來 technologies技術 like
the Large Synoptic概要的 Survey調查 Telescope望遠鏡
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未來的大型天氣測量望遠鏡技術等等
12:54
help us detect檢測 these things sooner?
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能幫助我們更早發現這些事情嗎?
12:56
Karen卡倫 Meech梅赫: Yeah. We're hoping希望 that
we'll start開始 to see a lot of these things,
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凱倫 · 米區:是的。我們希望
之後會開始看到很多這類東西。
13:00
and ideally理想, you'd love to find one
as it's approaching接近 the Sun太陽,
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理想的情況是
在它正接近太陽時找到它,
13:03
because you want to have time
to do all the science科學,
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因為想爭取充裕的時間
做所有的科學研究。
13:07
or even more ideal理想,
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甚至更理想的是
準備好一艘太空船,
13:08
you'd get a spacecraft宇宙飛船 ready準備 to go,
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13:10
parked somewhere某處 in the L4 or L5 position位置,
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停在 L4 或 L5 位置的某個地方,
13:13
somewhere某處 near Earth地球,
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停在靠近地球的某處,
13:14
so that when something comes by,
you can chase it.
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這樣有東西進來時,
就可以去追蹤它了。
13:17
JI: Awesome真棒, thanks謝謝 so much.
Let's thank Karen卡倫 again.
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伊斯勒:太棒了,非常感謝。
讓我們再次感謝凱倫。
13:20
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
Translated by Helen Chang
Reviewed by SF Huang

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Karen J. Meech - Astronomer, astrobiologist
Karen J. Meech is an astronomer who investigates how habitable worlds form and explores the bigger picture of whether there is life elsewhere.

Why you should listen

Astrobiologist Karen J. Meech uses the leftover pieces from our solar system's formation to understand how habitable planets are made. Her curiosity about life beyond earth was inspired as a child watching Star Trek. From this, her path led to a career in physics and astronomy, with a PhD in planetary physics from MIT. She is now an astronomer at the University of Hawaii, where she leads the astrobiology group, and she is a passionate scientific educator.

Meech started her astronomical career investigating comets, the icy leftovers from the birth of our solar system. Her work led to an understanding of many of the processes that cause the beautiful tails to develop far from our Sun. She was co-investigator on three comet missions. Her discoveries provide information to test our understanding of how planetary systems are assembled. Now her work has embraced the power of interdisciplinary science, and she is combining geological field work, geochemistry, astronomical observations, theory and space mission concepts to address fundamental questions about how earth got its water.

More profile about the speaker
Karen J. Meech | Speaker | TED.com

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