SECTION 4

Today we're going to look at an important area of science, namely nanotechnology.

今天我们来看一门重要的科学，也就是所谓的纳米技术。

So what is it?

所以它是什么呢？

Nano means tiny, so it's science and engineering on the scale of atoms and molecules.

纳米的意思是微小，所以是原子级和分子级的科学和工程。

The idea is that by controlling and rearranging atoms, you can literally create anything.

在于通过控制和重新排列原子，你真的可以创造任何东西。

However, as we'll see, the science of the small has some big implications affecting us in many ways.

但是，正如我们所见，关于微小物质的科学却给我们从很多方面带来大大的影响。

There's no doubt that nanotechnology promises so much for civilisation.

无疑纳米技术给文明带来太多希望。

However, all new technologies have their teething problems.

但是，所有新的技术都有它们萌芽阶段的问题。

And with nanotechnology, society often gets the wrong idea about its capabilities.

对于纳米技术，社会通常对它的能力有着错误的想法。

Numerous science-fiction books and movies have raised people's fears about nanotechnology - with scenarios such as inserting little nano-robots into your body that monitor everything you do without you realising it, or self-replicating nano-robots that eventually take over the world.

无数的科幻书籍和电影引发了人们对于纳米技术的恐惧。比如在你不知情的情况下，在你的身体里植入纳米机器人来监视你做的一切，或者自我复制的纳米机器人最终统治了世界。

So how do we safeguard such a potentially powerful technology?

所以我们怎样能保护一项可能如此强大的技术不被滥用？

Some scientists recommend that nano-particles be treated as new chemicals with separate safety tests and clear labelling.

有些科学家建议纳米颗粒应该被当做化学品，需要单独的安全测试和清晰的标注。

They believe that greater care should also be taken with nano-particles in laboratories and factories.

他们相信在实验室和工厂里，应该给予纳米颗粒更多的关注。

Others have called for a withdrawal of new nano products such as cosmetics and a temporary halt to many kinds of nanotech research.

其他人则呼吁收回新的纳米产品，比如化妆品还要临时终止各种纳米技术的研究。

But as far as I'm concerned there's a need to plough ahead with the discoveries and applications of nanotechnology.

但是，在我看来，我们需要继续发掘纳米技术的发现和应用。

I really believe that most scientists would welcome a way to guard against unethical uses of such technology.

我确信大部分科学家会欢迎这类技术的保护措施，防止滥用。

We can't go around thinking that all innovation is bad, all advancement is bad.

我们不能总认为所有的创新都是不好的，所有的发展都是不好的。

As with the debate about any new technology, it is how you use it that's important.

就像所有有关新技术的辩论，怎样使用它才是最重要的。

So let's look at some of its possible uses.

所以让我们来看看可能的利用方式。

Thanks to nanotechnology, there could be a major breakthrough in the field of transportation with the production of more durable metals.

多亏有了纳米技术，更耐用的金属出现，实现了交通领域突破，。

These could be virtually unbreakable, lighter and much more pliable leading to planes that are 50 times lighter than at present.

事实上它们可以不易破损，重量更轻，而且更柔韧，所以这种材质让飞机可以比现在轻50倍。

Those same improved capabilities will dramatically reduce the cost of travelling into space making it more accessible to ordinary people and opening up a totally new holiday destination.

与此同时，提升了的性能使空间旅行的成本会大大减少，普通人也更容易接触到它。这开发了一个全新的度假目的地。

In terms of technology, the computer industry will be able to shrink computer parts down to minute sizes.

从技术角度而言，电脑行业可以把电脑零件缩小的极小的尺寸。

We need nanotechnology in order to create a new generation of computers that will work even faster and will have a million times more memory but will be about the size of a sugar cube.

我们需要利用纳米科技来创造新一代的电脑，运转速度更快，储存空间扩大几百万倍，但电脑的大小却只有一颗方糖那么大。

Nanotechnology could also revolutionise the way that we generate power.

纳米技术还促使对发电的方式进行革命性改变。

The cost of solar cells will be drastically reduced so harnessing this energy will be far more economical than at present.

太阳能电池的成本会大幅下降，所以利用这项能源会比现在节约更多成本。

But nanotechnology has much wider applications than this and could have an enormous impact on our environment.

但是纳米技术还有更多的应用，可以对我们的环境产生巨大的影响。

For instance, tiny airborne nano-robots could be programmed to actually rebuild the ozone layer, which could lessen the impact of global warming on our planet.

比如，微小的空中纳米机器人可以设计为去修复臭氧层，这样可以减少我们的星球上全球变暖的影响。

That's a pretty amazing thought, isn't it?

这是不是很神奇？

On a more local scale, this new technology could help with the clean-up of environmental disasters as nanotechnology will allow us to remove oil and other contaminants from the water far more effectively.

从更小的范围去看，这项新的技术可以帮助清理环境灾难，因为纳米技术可以让我们从水中更高效的去除油污和其它污染物。

And, if nanotechnology progresses as expected - as a sort of building block set of about 90 atoms - then you could build anything you wanted from the bottom up.

而且，如果纳米技术如期发展，有了由90个原子的一块的标准部件，你可以自下而上地搭建任何东西。

In terms of production, this means that you only use what you need and so there wouldn't be any waste.

从生产方面来说，这就意味着你只使用你需要的原料，而不会产生任何废物。

The notion that you could create anything at all has major implications for our health.

你可以创造任何东西的，这对于我们的健康也有着影响。

It means that we'll eventually be able to replicate anything.

这就意味着我们最终可以复制任何东西。

This would have a phenomenal effect on our society.

这会让我们的社会产生巨大的变化。

In time it could even lead to the eradication of famine through the introduction of machines that produce food to feed the hungry.

届时它甚至可以借助引入生产食物的机器来喂养饥饿的人，以此消除饥荒。

But it's in the area of medicine that nanotechnology may have its biggest impact.

但是纳米技术应该在制药业有着它最大的影响。

How we detect disease will change as tiny biosensors are developed to analyse tests in minutes rather than days.

随着微小的生物探测器的开发，疾病的检测方式也会发生改变。不需要几天的等待，几分钟就分析出测试结果。

There's even speculation nano-robots could be used to slow the ageing process, lengthening life expectancy.

甚至还可以利用具有推断能力的纳米机器人减缓衰老，延长我们的预期寿命。

As you can see, I'm very excited by the implications that could be available to us in the next few decades.

正如你们所见，我对于在未来几十年纳米带给我们的影响十分兴奋。

Just how long it'll take, I honestly don't know.

只是我真的不知道这到底要花多久。