英语大破解
Scientists in a race to discover why our Universe exists 科学家正竞相探索宇宙存在的原因
本集内容
Scientists in a race to discover why our Universe exists
科学家正竞相探索宇宙存在的原因
文字稿
When the Universe was created, scientists believed there were two kinds of particles.
科学家们认为宇宙诞生的时候存在两种粒子。
There was matter, from which the stars and galaxies and everything around us was created, and then there was antimatter, its exact opposite.
其中一种是物质粒子，恒星、星系以及我们周围的一切都由它构成。另一种是反物质粒子，它具有和物质粒子完全相反的性质。
Theoretically, the two of them should have combined and cancelled each other out, leaving nothing but a big burst of energy.
理论上讲，这两种粒子本应结合并相互抵消，仅留下抵消时爆发出的大量能量。
Yet here we are.
但我们的存在说明事实并非如此。
Scientists believe that the answer to why matter won that big battle and the Universe exists lies in studying a particle called a 'neutrino', and its exact opposite, the 'antineutrino'.
科学家们相信，想要了解物质为什么能赢得这场较量以及宇宙存在的原因，就需要研究一种叫做 “中微子” 的粒子，以及和它性质完全相反的 “反中微子”。
Scientists will be firing both particles in beams all the way from Illinois deep underground to detectors in South Dakota to find out what the differences are.
科学家将从伊利诺伊州的地下深处向南达科他州发射这两种粒子的粒子束，从而找出它们之间的具体差异。
The neutrinos and antineutrinos change as they travel ever so slightly. The scientists want to find out if there's any differences in the way they change.
中微子和反中微子在传播时会发生极为微小的变化。科学家想要得知它们变化的方式是否存在差异。
If they find a difference, they'll have hit the jackpot and found a key difference between matter and antimatter that will bring them a giant leap closer to explaining why the Universe exists the way it does.
如果科学家能够找到某种差异，那将是个极大的意外之喜，因为这样他们就找到了物质和反物质之间的一个关键差别。这将让科学家在解释宇宙为何以现在的形式存在的问题上迈出一大步。
重点词汇及表达
matter 物质
particle 粒子
cancel each other out 互相抵消
hit the jackpot 获得意外的成功
a giant leap 一大步