英语听力文摘 English Digest 688 宇宙的颜色

The Color Of The Universe

When we look up into the night sky it seems black, but scientists have observed something different. In this Moment of Science we discuss the color of the universe.

Colors

Recently, scientists have concluded that the color of the universe is beige. That’s right, scientists from Johns Hopkins gathered detailed¹ data measuring light from over two hundred thousand galaxies², some of which are up to several billion light years away from earth. They processed this data and broke the light down into different optical wavelengths– much like how a prism breaks white light into various colors.

The scientists used a computer program to analyze⁴ the results obtained with a modern prism. Then they replaced each wavelength³ with the color the human eye sees at that wavelength to construct what they called a “cosmic spectrum⁵” to represent all that energy. Finally, they varied⁶ the intensity⁷ of each color on the spectrum in proportion to that wavelength’s intensity in the universe.

So, It’s Beige?

And after all that, they concluded that the average wavelength is most similar to a nondescript beige. However, researchers initially⁸ did think the color of the universe was closer to a turquoise⁹, but then it turned out that the computer program they were using calculated the colors incorrectly.

宇宙的颜色

当我们仰望夜空时，天空似乎是黑色的，但科学家们观察到了一些不同的东西。在这个科学时刻，我们讨论宇宙的颜色。

颜色

最近，科学家得出结论，宇宙的颜色是米色。没错，约翰斯·霍普金斯大学的科学家收集了详细的数据，测量了来自二十多万个星系的光线，其中一些星系距离地球高达数十亿光年。他们处理了这些数据，并将光分解成不同的光学波长，就像棱镜将白光分解成不同颜色一样。

科学家们使用计算机程序分析用现代棱镜获得的结果。然后，他们用人眼在该波长上看到的颜色替换每个波长，以构建他们所称的“宇宙光谱”来表示所有能量。最后，他们改变了光谱中每种颜色的强度，使其与宇宙中该波长的强度成比例。

所以，它是米色的？

毕竟，他们得出的结论是，平均波长最类似于不伦不类的米色。然而，研究人员最初确实认为宇宙的颜色更接近绿松石，但后来发现，他们使用的计算机程序计算出了错误的颜色。

1 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

2 galaxies   

星系( galaxy的名词复数 )； 银河系； 一群（杰出或著名的人物）

参考例句：

• Quasars are the highly energetic cores of distant galaxies. 类星体是遥远星系的极为活跃的核心体。
• We still don't know how many galaxies there are in the universe. 我们还不知道宇宙中有多少个星系。

3 wavelength   

n.波长

参考例句：

• The authorities were unable to jam this wavelength.当局无法干扰这一波长。
• Radio One has broadcast on this wavelength for years.广播1台已经用这个波长广播多年了。

4 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

5 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

6 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

7 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

8 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

9 turquoise   

n.绿宝石；adj.蓝绿色的

参考例句：

• She wore a string of turquoise round her neck.她脖子上戴着一串绿宝石。
• The women have elaborate necklaces of turquoise.那些女人戴着由绿松石制成的精美项链。