That we should -- that we should all be hungry for a lifetime. I mean, for example, at my next birthday I'll be 68.

　　　　　我們應一生求知若渴 我是指　　　　　例如下次生日我就68歲了

All the great scientific discoveries made by all the great geniuses were largely made

那些偉大的科學發現 絕大部分都是

when they were in their 20s and 30s. And yet I became, about two years ago, obsessed

　　　　　那些天才二三十歲時的傑作　　　　　但我兩年前開始

with particle physics and I was determined to understand it before I died.

　　　　　　　醉心於粒子物理學　　　　　　　並立志在我去逝之前要弄懂它

I could not have done that if I hadn't learned to read when I was young. If I hadn't had the opportunity

如果我年輕時沒有學會閱讀是不可能做到的

to study science courses in my high school, and I lived in the second poorest state in the United States,

　　　　　又或是我高中沒上過自然課　　　　　當時我住在全美第二窮的州

which most people my age in my state did not have.

那裡大部分與我同齡的人是沒有上自然課的

I happened to go to a bigger high school with people who

我剛好在一所相對大型的高中念書

understood we had to get good science and math teachers there.

而他們了解好的自然和數學老師的重要性

And if I hadn't gone to, in my case, Georgetown University, which was a Jesuit University,

或是我沒有念耶穌會喬治城大學

and I hadn't been subject to the kind of rigors that the Jesuits imposed which made me realize

沒有經過耶穌會嚴苛的訓練

that however much I thought I knew and however smart I was I didn't know very much and I

我不會領悟到自己沒有想像中博學或聰明

wasn't very smart. I had a lot to learn.

我還有很多要學習的

So that's the most important thing I learned, that your brain is a gift.

　　　　　這就是我學到最重要的事：　　　　　大腦是上天的恩賜

And we now know that people well into their late 60s and 70s can form new neural networks.

　　　　而人們現在知道就算到六七十歲　　　　大腦還是能形成新的神經迴路

So that even though your brain begins to shrink in your 30s, and does throughout your life,

雖然大腦從30多歲開始不斷的退化

since none of us ever use even close to half of our brainpower we got a lot left.

　　　但由於我們從沒使用超過一半的腦力　　　所以還有許多潛能尚未開發

And we will on our last day on earth we'll have a lot left.

就算到人生最後一天依舊如此

So, the idea that we now know, as a scientific measure because of all the brain scanning

　　　　而由於腦部斷層掃描技術的發展　 　　　科學研究指出

technology that we can form these networks and that we form them best, we're most likely

　　　　人腦可以建構新的神經網路系統　　　　而邁入老年後

to form new neural networks later in life by learning something new.

最好或最可行的辦法就是學習新鮮事物

So if -- I said I was interested in particle physics and also in astrophysics and I'm trying to figure out

　所以...我剛說我對粒子物理和天體物理感興趣　而我正在試著弄懂

what it means that we've located 20 planets outside our solar system in the last five years

　　　　　　什麼叫過去五年來 　　　　　　　　我們在太陽系外找到20個可能孕有生命的行星

that seem to have enough density and be far enough away from their suns that they

它們似乎擁有足夠密度並與各自的太陽距離夠遠

might be able to support life. That may be the answer to the Russia Ukraine problem;

　　　　　　　或許能孕育生命　　　　　　　　這可能是俄羅斯烏克蘭問題的解決之道

an attack from outer space will immediately unite us all.

來自外星球的攻擊可以馬上團結眾人

Members of Congress in the U.S. will immediately start hugging each other and singing Kumbaya.

美國眾議院議員會立刻抱成一團 齊聲高唱黑人靈歌

But anyway, I can form new neural networks doing that because I don't know anything about it,

總之 我能建立新的神經網路是因我對這一無所知

or I didn't when I started. A theoretical physicist would do better going to Suzuki

　　　　　或者該說我原本一無所知　　　　　　而對於一位理論物理學家來說

piano lessons with his grandchild or her grandchild and just playing if you knew nothing about music.

　　　　　　如果他對音樂一無所知 　　　　　　那和孫子一起上鈴木教學鋼琴課會更好

But this is an incredible thing that the most important thing I learned is that

但這真的很不可思議 我所學到最重要的是

it's important to keep on learning. That you should stay hungry and that the greatest gift

終生學習的重要性 你必須保持求知若渴

can be even as your body begins to fail if your mind's still working you need to use it.

而最珍貴的就是人老心不老並持續動腦學習