与摩根·弗里曼一起穿越虫洞（2010）

Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman S02E06

Part 4 April 19, 2021, 2:36 p.m.

微观世界真理的候选者
for the truth about the microscopic world,
因为它根本就没尝试精确描述
because it simply doesn't attempt to describe
微观世界是什么
precisely what the microscopic world is.
只是事实上存在着不同的说法而已
The mere fact that there are different theories
答案或许就是
about what the answer might be
并不意味着没有答案
doesn't mean that there's no answer.
最终其中一个发现成了正确的答案
And eventually one of them is found to be the correct one.
为了了解宇宙的运作
To understand how the Universe works,
我们需要解开
we need to unlock
为什么量子世界完全迥异于
why the quantum world is so different
我们所了解的世界
from the world we know.
它是一个未解之谜
It is an unsolved mystery
影响着地球上的每一个人
that affects every single person on Earth,
此人认为他可以解决它
and this man thinks he can solve it.
我们越多了解宇宙内部的运作
The more we understand the inner workings of the Universe,
我们就回报得到越多的新医药
the more we humans are rewarded with new medicines,
新科技
new technologies,
以及梦想不及的生活改善
and undreamed of improvements in our lives.
不过有人说我们揭开宇宙最深层的秘密
But some say we're a long way off
还有很长的路要走
from unlocking the Universe's deepest secrets.
我们要明确的答案
We want definitive answers.
我们看到的是谜团重重
What we have are mysteries upon mysteries.
最大的谜团之一
And one of the greatest mysteries
就是宇宙间的大东西与小东西
is how the big stuff
是如何组合在一起的
and the small stuff in the Universe fit together.
有两个行之有效的理论描述了物质的行为
Two well-tested theories describe how matter behaves --
相对论
relativity theory,
它负责宏观物理学
which governs the physics of the large,
量子理论它描述了微观
and quantum theory, which describes the very small.
如果它们是一对情侣那相对论就是思维严谨
If they were a couple, relativity would be a logical,
身穿防护服的工程师
pocket-protector-wearing engineer
他严守光速限制
who strictly follows the speed limit of light.
量子理论则是他随心所欲的艺术家老婆
Quantum theory would be his volatile artist wife
她似乎同时无处不在
who seems to be everywhere at once.
理论上它们难以相处
On paper, they don't get along.
但是在现实世界里它们是幸福的伴侣
But in the real world, they are a happy pair.
就像现实生活中某些奇怪的夫妇一样
And like some real-life odd couples,
无人明白为什么
no one understands why.
谜团归结到引力
The mystery boils down to gravity.
引力支配着我们所知的世界
Gravity dominates the world we know,
多亏了牛顿和爱因斯坦
and thanks to Newton and Einstein,
我们对其已相当了解了
we understand it pretty well.
但物理学家并不知道引力在量子领域里
But physicists have no idea what role gravity plays
扮演了何种角色
in the quantum realm
即它对时空有何影响
or its effect on space and time.
如果我们破解了此谜
If we crack this mystery,
那我们将最终知道是否有可能
we will finally know if it is possible
回到过去或穿越虫洞了
to travel back in time or through a wormhole.
彼得·霍扎瓦长♥期♥探索
Petr Horava has a history of exploring
未开♥发♥的物理学前沿
the wild frontier of physics.
现在他在全力解决量子引力
Now he's tackling quantum gravity.
你如何去调和量子力学与引力呢？
So, how do you reconcile quantum mechanics and gravity?
可以有若干不同的方式
There are several different ways it can happen.
无论量子力学有多厉害
Either quantum mechanics is stronger and wins
引力得作出调整
and gravity has to be modified,
或者量子力学得作出调整
or quantum mechanics has to be modified
引力都是与爱因斯坦的广义相对论平起平坐的
and gravity stays the same as in Einstein's general relativity.
彼得认为关键在于
Petr feels the key is
观察在自然界的上层
to watch how things change in scale
事物变化的规模
between the upper layers of nature,
引力称霸的地方
where gravity holds sway,
与下面的量子层面之间的变化
and the quantum layers down below.
大自然自身组织起了层层结构
Nature organizes itself in layers of structure,
随之放大你看到越来越多的层面
and you see more and more layers as you zoom in
获得更好的分辨率让你去观察这个系统
and gain a better resolution of how you view the system.
它是现代物理学里
It's one of the most important theoretical concepts
最重要的理论概念之一
in modern physics.
对于彼得来说大自然是个考古发掘
To Petr, nature is an archaeological dig
让我们逐层逐层慢慢发掘
that we're slowly excavating layer by layer.
眼下我们只能够发掘庞大而复杂的
Right now, we're only capable of uncovering a small part
终极真理的一小部分
of the vast and complex ultimate truth.
但是我们能够
But we can learn a lot
通过比较我们所能见到的层次学到很多
by comparing the layers we can see.
在这幅画里蒙娜丽莎的两幅图像
In this picture, the two images of Mona Lisa
表现了时空的两面
represent the two faces of space-time --
空间和时间
space and time.
我们在大尺度上看
They look the same
它们是一样的
when we look at it at large scales,
但一旦我们放大
but perhaps when we zoom in
在很小的尺度上看这个系统
and look at the system at much smaller scales,
它呈现的空间和时间的尺度
it could be that space and time scale
迥然不同
in a very different way.
这可能就是量子引力之谜
This could be the missing piece of the puzzle
缺失的部分
of quantum gravity.
彼得觉得在你缩小至
Petr suspects that as you shrink down
现实的最小最深层面的过程中
to the smallest and deepest level of existence,
空间开始扩张其速率不同于时间
space begins to stretch at a different rate from time
直至两者分♥裂♥为止
until they tear apart.
把时空看做类似于这张纸
Think of space-time as analogous to this sheet of paper.
在微观尺度上
At microscopic scales,
它是平滑几何二维的
it's smooth and geometric, two-dimensional.
但如果你将纸撕成两半
But if you tear the piece of paper into two halves
看纸的边缘
and look at the edge of the paper --
放大缩小
zoom in, zoom out --
其结构类似于本身
the structure is similar to itself,
但你不妨在水平方向展开
but only if you stretch in the horizontal direction
其速率不同于
with a different rate
你在垂直方向的展开
than when you stretch with a vertical direction.
远处看裂口看上很平滑
From a distance, the tear looks smooth.
但凑近
But close up,
你可以看到边缘的高低不平了
you can see mountains and valleys along the edge.
同样从远处空间和时间
Similarly, space and time seem perfectly joined
似乎结合完美
from a distance.
但凑近你可以看到它们的分离
But close up, you can see the separation.
彼得认为时空在微观层面的分♥裂♥
Petr thinks this tearing apart of time and space
恰是量子力学所表现出的
at the microscopic scale is precisely why
怪异规则的原因所在
the strange rules of quantum mechanics emerge.
如果时空错乱了
If space and time are unhinged,
那么粒子就无法在特定的时间处在特定的地方
particles can't be in a specific place at a specific time.
因而不明确不确定
Hence, fuzziness and uncertainty.
揭开量子引力之谜
Unraveling the enigma of quantum gravity
是我们寻求
is a major hurdle in our quest
了解宇宙运作的主要障碍
to understand how the Universe works.
不过它面对人类所面临的
But it shrinks against the magnitude
最大的谜团的规模退缩了
of the biggest mystery facing humanity.
95%的宇宙正在失踪
95% of the Universe is missing.
这个女人或许知道它在哪里又是怎么回事
This woman may know where and what it is.
我们层层剥开大自然越多
The more we peel away the layers of nature,
我们就越是意识到有东西在失踪
the more we realize that something is missing --
事情大了
something big.
有大量的宇宙
An enormous chunk of the Universe
似乎不见了
seems to be invisible.
我们无论如何都看不见听不到发现不了它
We can't see it, hear it, or detect it in any way.
但如果我们想解开宇宙之谜
But if we want to unlock the secrets of the Universe,
我们想作为一个物种往前推进的话
if we want to advance as a species,
我们就必须查明它是什么又在哪里
we have to find out what and where it is.
宇宙始于大爆♥炸♥
The Universe began with the Big Bang,
原始能量的惊天大爆发
a shattering explosion of raw energy.
那种能量以大量的超高温等离子体喷出
That energy burst outward in a mass of superheated plasma.
随着冷却它逐步凝聚成
As it cooled, it began to clump together