BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.

BBC學習英語。我是尼爾。

And I'm Sam.

而我是山姆。

These days, our lives are filled with

這些天來，我們的生活中充滿了

devices that were unimaginable only

器件，這在以前是無法想象的。

a few years ago – the sorts of things

幾年前--這些事情

you read about in science-fiction novels,

你在科幻小說中讀到的。

but never thought you'd own.

但從未想過你會擁有。

Yes, like those robots that vacuum your

是的，就像那些給你吸塵的機器人

floor or voice-activated lights –

地板或聲控燈 -

we call many of these things 'smart tech'.

我們把這些東西中的許多稱為 "智能技術"。

But while they can help with the little

但是，雖然他們可以幫助解決小

tasks at home, some people are

在家的任務，有些人是

wondering whether they can help

想知道他們是否能幫助

fight climate change.

應對氣候變化。

Yes, smart homes, regulating things

是的，智能家居，調控事物

like the temperature, are a step in the

像溫度一樣，是一個步驟，在

right direction. Using AI to learn when

正確的方向。使用人工智能來學習何時

the house is occupied and the optimal

佔用的房屋和最佳

time to fire up the heating, is one way

暖氣的時間，是一種方式

to limit wasteful use of resources.

以限制資源的浪費使用。

The problem comes from the origin

問題來自於起源

of the energy which powers these home

為這些家庭提供動力的能源

systems. If it's fossil fuels, then digging

系統。如果是化石燃料，那麼挖掘

them up – an informal way of saying

他們了--一種非正式的說法

removing something from the earth -

從地球上移走一些東西--

and burning them creates carbon

而燃燒它們會產生碳

emissions.

排放。

I suppose that's why many people

我想這就是為什麼許多人

are trying to find more renewable

正在努力尋找更多的可再生能源

forms of energy to reduce their

削減能源的形式，以減少其

carbon footprint.

碳足跡。

Well, it's interesting that you

嗯，有趣的是，你

mentioned carbon footprint,

提到的碳足跡。

because my question is about that

因為我的問題是關於這個

today. How many tonnes of carbon dioxide

今天。有多少噸的二氧化碳

are humans responsible for emitting into

人類對排放到大氣中的汙染物負有責任嗎？

the atmosphere every year? Is it more than:

每年的大氣層？是不是超過了。

a) 30 billion

a) 300億

b) 40 billion; or

b) 400億；或

c) 50 billion?

c) 500億？

Well, Neil, that all sounds like a lot to

好吧，尼爾，這一切聽起來像是一個很大的問題。

me, but I'll go straight down the middle

我，但我要直接從中間走。

and say b – 40 billion tonnes.

並說b - 400億噸。

OK, Sam, we'll find out the correct

好的，山姆，我們會找出正確的

answer at the end of the programme.

在節目結束時回答。

So you mentioned earlier that people

所以你剛才提到，人們

are looking into ways to use more

正在研究如何使用更多的

renewable energy, but there are also

可再生能源，但也有

some problems with that form

該表格的一些問題

of energy production.

的能源生產。

Yes – for example many of these

是的--例如許多這樣的

technologies rely on certain weather

技術依賴於某些天氣

conditions, which affect the level

條件，這些條件影響到

of energy production.

的能源生產。

Dr Enass Abo-Hamed, CEO of H2go,

H2go的首席執行官Enass Abo-Hamed博士。

is working on a project on Orkney,

正在進行一個關於奧克尼的項目。

an island off the coast of Scotland,

蘇格蘭海岸外的一個島嶼。

testing ways of storing renewable

測試儲存可再生能源的方法

forms of energy. Here she is on BBC

能源的形式。以下是她在BBC的節目

World Service programme Crowd Science,

世界服務節目 "人群科學"。

speaking with Graihagh Jackson, talking

與Graihagh Jackson交談時，他說

about the limitations of renewable energy sources.

關於可再生能源的侷限性。

Renewable energy is intermittent by

可再生能源是間歇性的，因為

its nature because it's dependant

它的性質，因為它是依賴性的

and relying on the weather. When

並依賴天氣。當

the Sun shines and when the wind blows,

太陽照耀和風吹拂的時候。

and these by nature are not

而這些在本質上並不是

24-hour 7 reliable constant.

24小時7個可靠的常數。

And that means that demand doesn't

而這意味著，需求並不

always meet supply of renewables –

始終滿足可再生能源的供應 -

it can mean that we get blackouts,

這可能意味著我們會停電。

but on the other hand, when the Sun

但在另一方面，當太陽

is up and we are producing all that

是了，我們正在生產所有這些

power or when the wind is blowing

電源或風吹的時候

and were producing that power, we

並且正在生產這種力量，我們

might not be able to use that energy -

可能無法使用這些能量 -

There's no demand for it and so it's wasted.

對它沒有需求，所以它被浪費了。

So, Dr Enass Abo-Hamed said the

是以，Enass Abo-Hamed博士說。

renewable energy is intermittent,

可再生能源是間歇性的。

which means that something is

這意味著，有些東西是

not continuous and has many breaks.

不是連續的，有很多斷點。

She also said that because there

她還說，因為有

isn't always a steady stream of energy,

並不總是源源不斷的能量。

we can get blackouts –

我們可以得到停電 -

periods of time without energy.

在沒有能量的情況下，有一段時間是沒有能量的。

People like Dr Enass Abo-Hamed

像Enass Abo-Hamed博士這樣的人

are trying to find solutions to make

正在努力尋找解決方案，以使

renewable energy storage devices –

可再生能源儲能裝置-

which would make the supply

這將使供應

of energy more constant.

的能量更加恆定。

Smart tech can also help with this

智能技術也可以幫助解決這個問題

problem with renewable sources.

可再生資源的問題。

Now, of course, not only can computers

當然，現在，不僅計算機可以

be used to design efficient models,

可用於設計高效模型。

but smart tech can also be used to

但智能技術也可用於

improve performance after things like

改善性能後的事情，如

wind turbines have been installed.

已經安裝了風力渦輪機。

Here is Graihagh Jackson, science broadcaster

以下是科學廣播員Graihagh Jackson的發言

and podcaster, speaking about how

和播音員，談到了如何

smart tech can improve efficiency

智能技術可以提高效率

on BBC World Service programme, Crowd Science:

在BBC世界服務節目《人群科學》中。

Some engineers use something

一些工程師使用一些

called a digital twin. This is really

稱為數字雙胞胎。這實際上是

interesting, actually. This is where

有趣的是，實際上。這裡是

lots of sensors are attached to the

大量的傳感器被連接到

wind turbine, so it can be modelled

風力渦輪機，所以它可以被模擬成

on a computer in real time. And then,

在計算機上實時進行。然後。

using machine learning, you can then

使用機器學習，然後你可以

simulate what's happening to the wind

模擬發生在風中的情況

turbine in specific weather conditions.

在特定的天氣條件下，渦輪機。

And this is important because it means

這很重要，因為這意味著

they can make sure they're

他們可以確保他們是

performing their best.

表現出他們的最佳狀態。

Graihagh Jackson used the expression

Graihagh Jackson使用了這樣的表達方式

in real time, which means without delay or live.

實時的，這意味著沒有延遲或直播。

She also mentioned machine learning,

她還提到了機器學習。

which is the way computers change their

這就是計算機改變其

behaviour based on data they collected.

基於他們收集的數據，行為。

And she also said simulate –

她還說，模擬 -

produce a computer model of something.

製作某物的計算機模型。

So, while there are issues with

是以，雖然存在著以下問題

the reliability of the source of

的來源的可靠性。

renewable energy, it's clear that

可再生能源，很顯然，

people are working on solutions

人們正在努力尋找解決方案

such as energy storage to make

如儲能，以使

sure there is always a supply.

確保總是有供應。

And that computers can be used to

而且，計算機可以被用來

design and operate technology

設計和操作技術

as efficiently as possible.

儘可能有效地開展工作。

Much in the same way that AI can

與人工智能的方式大致相同

be used in your home to make it

用在你的家裡，使其

run as efficiently as possible.

儘可能有效地運行。

Yes – all in the hope of

是的--都是為了希望

reducing your carbon footprint.

減少你的碳足跡。

Which reminds me of your quiz question, Neil.

這讓我想起了你的測驗問題，尼爾。

Yes, in my quiz question I asked Sam

是的，在我的測驗問題中，我問了山姆

how many tonnes of carbon dioxide

多少噸的二氧化碳

humans produce each year!

人類每年生產的產品!

I went for b) 40 billion tonnes.

我選擇了b）400億噸。

Which is… the correct answer!

這就是......正確的答案!

Well done, Sam!

幹得好，薩姆!

Wow – I guessed right – but all three

哇--我猜對了--但這三個都是

of those numbers sound really high!

這些數字聽起來真的很高!

Let's recap the vocabulary from today's

讓我們回顧一下今天的詞彙。

programme about smart tech and

關於智能技術的方案和

climate change, starting with

氣候變化，首先是

dig something up – an informal expression

挖出一些東西 - 一個非正式的表達方式

which means to remove something from the ground.

意思是把東西從地上移走。

Intermittent is used to describe something

間歇性用於描述某事

that is not continuous or steady.

不連續或不穩定。

Blackouts are periods of time without

停電是指在一段時間內沒有

energy, for example electricity.

能源，例如電力。

In real time means without delay or live.

實時的意思是沒有延遲或直播。

Machine learning is the process by which

機器學習是一個過程，通過這個過程

computers learn and change

計算機的學習和變化

behaviour based on data.

基於數據的行為。

And finally, simulate means

最後，模擬是指

produce a computer model.

製作一個計算機模型。

That's all for this programme.

本節目就到此為止。

Bye for now!

暫時再見

Goodbye!

再見!