TED演讲：舞者还是用PPT?(2)

 　　Now if you use the right kind of atoms and you get them cold enough, something truly bizarre happens.  如果使用正确的原子，并让其足够冷却，奇迹就会发生。

　　It's no longer a solid, a liquid or a gas. It enters a new state of matter called a superfluid.  这些原子不再属于固体、液体或气体。这些原子进入一种新的物质状态，叫做超流体。

　　The atoms lose their individual identity, and the rules from the quantum world take over, and that's what gives superfluids such spooky properties.  原子失去自己的个体性，量子的规则取而代之，开始发挥作用，这就让超流体拥有了可怕的属性。

　　For example, if you shine light through a superfluid, it is able to slow photons down to 60 kilometers per hour.  比如，如果你把光通过超流体，超流体可把光子变慢到60千米每小时。

　　Another spooky property is that it flows with absolutely no viscosity¹ or friction², so if you were to take the lid off that bottle, it won't stay inside.  另一个可怕的属性是超流体流动时没有粘性或摩擦力，所以，如果你打开瓶盖，它不会留在里面。

　　A thin film will creep up the inside wall, flow over the top and right out the outside.  一层薄膜会从内壁往上爬，翻过瓶口流出来。

　　Now of course, the moment that it does hit the outside environment,  当然，它接触到外部环境的那一刻，

　　and its temperature rises by even a fraction of a degree, it immediately turns back into normal matter.  它的温度就会上升哪怕一丁点，它就会立刻转化回常态物质。

　　Superfluids are one of the most fragile things we've ever discovered.  超流体是我们发现的最脆弱的物态之一。

　　And this is the great pleasure of science: the defeat of our intuition through experimentation³. 科学的乐趣在于：运用实验战胜我们的直觉。

　　But the experiment is not the end of the story, because you still have to transmit that knowledge to other people.  但是实验不是故事的终点，因为我们仍然需要把这些知识介绍给他人。

　　I have a Ph.D in molecular⁴ biology. I still barely understand what most scientists are talking about.  我是分子生物学博士。但我还是不大懂多数科学家在说什么。

　　So as my friend was trying to explain that experiment, it seemed like the more he said, the less I understood.  就像我朋友当时解释那项实验一样，我感觉他说的越多，我懂得越少。

　　Because if you're trying to give someone the big picture of a complex idea, to really capture its essence, the fewer words you use, the better.  因为如果你要给某人描述一个复杂想法的轮廓，让他懂得其精髓，话说的越少越好。

　　In fact, the ideal may be to use no words at all. I remember thinking, my friend could have explained that entire experiment with a dance.  事实上，理想状态是根本不用语言。我总是在想，我朋友当时应该用一支舞蹈来给我解释那个实验。

　　Of course, there never seem to be any dancers around when you need them. 当然，我们需要舞蹈演员时他们似乎总不在身边。

1 viscosity   

n.粘度，粘性

参考例句：

• The viscosity shows a rather pronounced variation with temperature.温度对粘度的影响十分明显。
• The reciprocal of viscosity is known as fluidity.粘度的反意就是流动性。

2 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

3 experimentation   

n.实验，试验，实验法

参考例句：

• Many people object to experimentation on animals.许多人反对用动物做实验。
• Study and analysis are likely to be far cheaper than experimentation.研究和分析的费用可能要比实验少得多。

4 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。