TED演讲:论生物多样性(6)

 And let us call it the Encyclopedia¹ of Life.  不妨将此项目称为生命百科。

What is the Encyclopedia of Life? A concept that has already taken hold and is beginning to spread and be looked at seriously? 生命百科的概念已经得到人们的认同并且正在不断的传播与普及？

It is an encyclopedia that lives on the Internet and is contributed to by thousands of scientists around the world. 这将会是一本在线的百科全书,世界各地的科学家都将参与其间。

Amateurs can do it also.  科学爱好者也能参与。

It has an indefinitely expandable page for each species.  对于每个物种，都可以为其添加尽可能多的数据。

It makes all key information about life on Earth accessible to anyone,  可以使得地球上所有生物的信息向世人公开，

on demand, anywhere in the world.  何时何地都可查阅得到。

I've written about this idea before,  我曾为此写过文章，

and I know there are people in this room who have expended² significant effort on it in the past.  我知道这里也有人曾为同类项目作出巨大贡献。

But what excites me is that since I first put forward this particular idea in that form,  但最让我兴奋的是，自从我产生这个想法之后，

science has advanced.  科学有了飞跃的发展。

Technology has moved forward.  技术也有飞跃的发展。

Today, the practicalities of making such an encyclopedia,  今天，从技术上来说，我们完全有能力，

regardless of the magnitude of the information put into it, are within reach.  去编制这样一部百科全书，不管当中包含的数据容量有多大。

Indeed, in the past year, a group of influential³ scientific institutions have begun mobilizing to realize this dream. 事实上，过去一年，有多家颇具影响力的科研机构就已经着手将此设想变为现实。

I wish you would help them.  我希望你们能帮助他们。

Working together, we can make this real.  携手合作，我们就可以实现目标。

The encyclopedia will quickly pay for itself in practical applications.  项目本身很快就会得到回报，因为会有很多实际的用途。

It will address transcendent qualities in the human consciousness, and sense of human need.  它也将为人类带来更深层次的精神维度，重新定义人类的需求。

It will transform the science of biology in ways of obvious benefit to humanity.  它将改变生物学的面貌，这样的改变也将为人类带来福音。

And most of all, it can inspire a new generation of biologists to continue the quest that started, for me personally, 60 years ago: 最重要的是，它将为年轻一代的生物学家带来启发去继续我60年前开始的征途。

to search for life, to understand it and finally, above all, to preserve it.  去寻找生命，理解生命，最终守护生命。

That is my wish. Thank you.  这就是我的愿望。谢谢大家。

1 encyclopedia   

n.百科全书

参考例句：

• The encyclopedia fell to the floor with a thud.那本百科全书砰的一声掉到地上。
• Geoff is a walking encyclopedia.He knows about everything.杰夫是个活百科全书，他什么都懂。

2 expended   

v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽

参考例句：

• She expended all her efforts on the care of home and children. 她把所有精力都花在料理家务和照顾孩子上。
• The enemy had expended all their ammunition. 敌人已耗尽所有的弹药。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。