与摩根·弗里曼一起穿越虫洞（2010）

Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman S02E02

Part 3 April 19, 2021, 2:34 p.m.

取决于钢琴的大小
depends on the size of the piano.
乐器的大小都是确定的
The size of any musical instrument is finite.
而且比如，琴弦震动的幅度
And a string, for instance, cannot vibrate on wavelengths
不能超过琴弦的大小
larger than the size of the string.
所以，或许，是否我们观测的宇宙
So, maybe, if we observe that the Universe
不能震动非常大的幅度
didn't vibrate on very long wavelengths,
这或许可以解释，宇宙空间有着确定的大小
maybe the explanation is that space has a finite size.
当吉恩·皮埃尔分♥析♥这些
When Jean-Pierre analyzed the ripples
在宇宙微波背景辐射的涟漪
in the cosmic microwave background,
他发现最长的波纹幅度
he found that the longest wavelength ripples
实际上，失踪了
were, indeed, missing.
我们很惊讶，因为里面有遗失的波长
We are surprised because there was missing wavelengths,
遗失的波动，遗失的音调
missing fluctuation, missing low tones --
你知道，像低音
you know, like low notes.
就像这样低，对吗？
Low like this, okay?
他们从宇宙的号♥叫当中迷失了
They are missing from the cosmic squall.
吉恩·皮埃尔对音乐的痴迷
Jean-Pierre's passion for music
给他对于宇宙的洞察力，有深远的影响
gave him a profound cosmic insight --
那就是宇宙是有限的
that the Universe appears to be finite.
但，是那种形状呢？
But what shape could it be?
吉恩·皮埃尔花了几个月时间
Jean-Pierre spends months
小心的测试着，这个有限宇宙不同的形状
carefully testing different shapes for his finite Universe,
尝试让它适合宇宙微波
trying to make it fit the vibrations
背景辐射震动的模式
of the cosmic microwave background
精益求精的
as closely as possible,
最后，他终于发现了
until, finally, he finds the perfect fit...
一个完全相符的12面体
...A 12-sided dodecahedron...
一个足球
A soccer ball.
我手里有两种类型的十二面体
Here in my hands here are two different kinds of dodechahedra.
第一个，只是一个传统的多面体
The first one is just an ordinary dodecahedron,
叫12个五角平面体
namely 12 pentagonal faces
在一定程度上平均分布
arranged in a symmetrical manner.
这是一个从远古，我们就了解的形状
This is a figure known since antiquity.
你看到那些五角形是平面的，对吗？
You see that the Pentagons are flat, okay?
这儿有另外一个类型的球体
Here, you have a different styling of the sphere.
你看到那些五角形是弯曲的，对吗？
You see that the Pentagons are curved, okay?
所以这叫做圆十二面体
So this is called the circle dodecahedron.
如果吉恩·皮埃尔是对的，那宇宙的形状
If Jean-Pierre is right, the shape of the Universe
比六边的小行星游戏复杂得多
is a lot more complex than a six-sided "Asteroids" game cube.
宇宙有12边
The Universe has 12 sides,
一面五角形
and leaving one face leads you
对应另一面
to a matching Pentagon on the opposite side,
但有点变形
but with a twist.
这边的边界刚好对应另一边
This edge is exactly the same as the opposite edge.
所以，当你到达这一点
So, as soon as you get to this point,
你能重新进入相对的另一边空间
you re-enter your space on the opposite side,
而且，你得转动36度
and, in addition, you have to turn by 36 degrees.
如果宇宙是12边形
If the Universe were a dodecahedron
只是比地球大一点点
only slightly bigger than Earth,
光线会在一分钟环绕一圈
light would zip around it in minutes,
你会看到地球变形的版本
and you would see twisted copies of Earth
在天空中12个不同的方向
in a dozen different directions in the sky.
但吉恩·皮埃尔这种十二面体边界
But if the edges of Jean-Pierre's dodecahedron
相隔数十亿光年
are billions of light-years apart,
那么远的距离，和令人晕眩的倒影
the distant and faint reflections on them
会令最细致的宇宙学家，都觉察不到
could have escaped the notice of the most careful astronomers.
而如果这边界更远
And if the edges lie further
距离地球超过137亿光年
than 13.7 billion light-years from Earth,
我们永远不会看到它们
we would never be able to see them
因为我们的视线
because our view would be blocked
被宇宙微波背景辐射的热汤阻挡了
by the hot soup of the cosmic microwave background.
当吉恩·皮埃尔宣布他的成果后
As soon as Jean-Pierre announced his results,
尼尔·康沃尔立即开始寻找
Neil Cornish begins looking for signs
关于这个巨大足球的迹象
of his colossal soccer ball.
他是一个美国宇航局威尔金森探测器项目的
He's a key scientist
主要的科学家
on a NASA spacecraft called WMAP,
他用了5年去拍摄宇宙微波背景辐射
which spent five years photographing
的前所未有的细节照片
the cosmic microwave background in unprecedented detail.
然后，这是可能的宇宙模型
So, here's a possible model of the Universe
基于12面体
based on a dodecahedron.
里面，我们放有气球
Inside, we have a balloon
表示可见的宇宙
representing the visible Universe,
我们能看多远
how far we can see.
如果是像这样
And if it was like this,
气球在空间的位置很小
where the balloon is much smaller than the space,
那会完全感觉不到我们生活在一个有限的宇宙
there would be no signs that we're living in a finite Universe.
但如果可见宇宙像这样大
But if the visible Universe was so large
那它实际上接触到12面体的边界
that it actually touched onto the edges of the dodecahedron,
那么，光会能够缠绕穿越
then light would actually be able to travel,
整个宇宙
wrap right around the Universe.
所以，我们有这个适合的圆圈
So now we would have these matching circles
在微波地带上
on the microwave sky
这个位置上，这两个球面被阻挡，形成两个圆圈
where these two spheres intersect to form a circle.
一个圆圈契合另一个
A circle here matching the circle down here.
现在我们看看
Now, we have looked
威尔金森探测器收集到的宇宙微波背景辐射数据
at the microwave background data from the WMAP satellite,
我们看不到这种圆圈契合的样式
and we haven't seen this pattern of matching circles.
但吉恩·皮埃尔·卢米涅
But Jean-Pierre Luminet
并不打算放弃他的足球宇宙说
is not ready to give up his soccer-ball Universe.
他的理论引发了一场科学战争
His ideas have triggered a scientific battle
会耗费大量时间和细致的工作
that spans continents and years of meticulous work.
而奖品就是，我们在那里生活的真♥相♥
At stake is nothing less than the truth about where we live,
我们从哪来
where we came from,
是否我们的宇宙是孤独的
and whether our Universe is alone.
爱因斯坦说过
Einstein said,
只有两样东西是永恒的——宇宙和人类的愚昧
"only two things are infinite -- the Universe and human folly."
但他承认，他并不是很了解宇宙
But he admitted he couldn't be sure about the Universe.
实际上，我们面对引人入胜的提示
In fact, we are now faced with tantalizing hints
我们的宇宙可能不会永远延伸
that our Universe may not stretch on forever,
这是某个关键点
that there is a point out there
这不是我们认识的宇宙了
where the Universe as we know it does not exist.
这几乎是一个令人震惊的想法
It's an almost frightening thought.
但我们去领会
But before we try to grasp
在最后的边界会有什么之前
just what might lay beyond that final boundary,
我们需要证据
we need proof.
格伦·斯塔克曼是个加拿大的物理学家
Glenn Starkman is a Canadian physicist
在克里夫兰的凯斯西储大学任职
at Case Western University in Cleveland.
他把数据分♥析♥上升到一个新高度
He's taken data analysis to new heights
为的是搜索证据
in search of that proof.
被称为信息成瘾者
Call him an information junky.
这个关于加拿大人的笑话说的是，你到机场里
The joke about Canadians is that you go to an airport
然后你举起牌子
and you put up a sign --
左边有免费性♥爱♥
"free sex to the right"
左边有免费的性♥爱♥信息
and "free information on sex to the left" --
加拿大人总是跑到左边
and the Canadians are all the ones that go to the left.
我希望我不是那么无聊
I hope I'm not that boring.
格伦仔细研究了
Glenn had been poring
威尔金森探测器上关于宇宙微波背景辐射的数据
over cosmic microwave background data from the WMAP probe
在过去七年的大部分时间里
for most of the past seven years.
他和尼尔·康沃尔一起
Along with Neil Cornish,
试图证明吉恩·皮埃尔·卢米涅的预测
he's been trying to test Jean-Pierre Luminet's prediction
是否宇宙像12面体的足球
that the shape of space is like a 12-sided soccer ball.
如果发现循环的模式，我会非常高兴
I would have been really happy to find the pattern of circles
12面体会告诉我们它在那儿
that the dodecahedron told us would be there
是否12面体很小
if the dodecahedron was small,
我们找了，但找不到
and we looked for and we didn't find.
但他们所有的测试都显示出
But all of their tests assumed
足球般的宇宙边界
that the edges of the soccer-ball Universe
比阻挡我们视野的宇宙微波背景辐射还近
are closer than the microwave background that blocks our view.
现在格伦相信他找到一个方法
Now Glenn believes he's found a way