10 thousand years ago; over the last century and a half, the average height of a human

一萬年以前。再過去一個半世紀以來，人類的平均身高

being has increased by roughly 10 centimeters; and within the last 6 and a half decades the

大概高了10釐米，然後近65年來

global life span has shot up nearly 20 years largely thanks to science.

全球壽命提高非常多，這都要歸功於科學的成果。

Breakthroughs in science have propelled our species forward - in fact, National Geographic

科學的突破推動著我們前進－事實上，國家地理

and GE’s new series ‘Breakthrough’ covers some cutting edge innovations that are happening,

和GE合作的新系列「突破」介紹了一些正在發生的創新

today; from biology and technology merging, to solutions for our water crisis. But, what

今天，從生物學和技術的結合，為我們面臨的水危機找出解決方案。但，

will humanity look like in 1000 years?

人類在接下來的1000年會是什麼樣子？

It’s already hard enough to remember a world without smartphones, but scientists predict

我們已經很難記得還沒有智慧型手機的世界，但科學家預測

that within the next few decades, computers will reach the computational speed of the

在未來的幾十年中，電腦將達到人類大腦的運算速度

human brain. Not only will they be able to speak and interact,

它們不僅可以說話和交流，

but listen and remember. This also leads to a philosophy known as transhumanism. In the

還可以聽和記憶。這也導致了一種哲學稱為「超人」

future, nanobots (or tiny robots) will be subtly integrated into our bodies enhancing

在未來，奈米機器人（或稱微型機器人) 將會巧妙地融入我們的身體，增強

our own abilities! No longer will we be limited by our own physiology, but truly become a

我們自身的能力！我們將不再被自己的生理限制所設限，但成為

mixture of biology and machine on the inside.

一個混合生理學和機器的物體。

Ever heard of ‘Utility Fog’? Imagine a cloud of countless microscopic robots which

你曾聽過「功能性霧」嗎？想像一個雲上的無數微小機器人，

can be rearranged into virtually any configuration nearly instantaneously. Buildings could be

幾乎可以瞬間重新安排到任何配置。建築物可能是

constructed as necessary, and disassembled when space was needed for something else.

架構必要的因素，但當需要別的空間時會被拆卸。

Picture your house disassembling when you leave in the morning so that the space can

想像當你在早上離開，你的房子拆卸的空間可以

be used for something else! With increased urbanization and globalization

用於別的用途！增加城市化與全球化

the 7000 languages that are spoken globally today will likely dip under 100.

全球目前正在使用的7000種語言將減少為100種語言

As we move even further into the future, the world’s rising temperature and accompanying

隨著我們一步步走向未來，全球溫度上升和伴隨而來的

deterioration in the protective ozone layer will play a major role. Added UV radiation

臭氧層惡化將會是一大問題。增強的紫外線輻射

reaching the planet may create a scenario where darker skin becomes an evolutionary

到達地球可能會變成這樣子的場景：皮膚黝黑會是進化

advantage, as it protects against UV damage. Increasing temperatures may also affect our

的優勢，因為它保護皮膚免受紫外線的傷害。升高的溫度也會影響我們的

size; taller and thinner bodies would be better at dissipating excess body heat, as it creates

身材，偏高瘦的體型有助於身體散熱，因為

the best body surface area to volume ratio. Of course, these types of changes take 10s

高瘦體型有最好的體表面積與體積的比例。當然，這些型態的改變需要花上幾十

or hundreds of thousands of years and will depend on our ability to avoid or protect

或幾百年，而這將取決於我們能否逃過

ourselves from nature.

大自然的逆襲

New traits from mutations may also arise - perhaps a new eye color, or unique abilities! Even

從基因突變的新特徵也可能出現－可能是一種新的眼睛顏色，或是特殊能力

today, one man has been documented with the ability to consume and digest nearly anything,

即使目前，有一個人已經被記錄可以消化幾乎任何東西的能力，

including metal, glass and even toxic chemicals due to a genetic mutation. Others live with

包含金屬、玻璃，甚至是因為基因突變的有毒化學物質。也有一些人

a condition called tetrachromacy, where they can see 100 times more colors than the rest

擁有 "四色視覺"，他們可以看到比我們一般人多100倍的顏色。

of us. But these traits are only likely to persist if they have some selective advantage

但因為他們有選擇性的優勢，這些特質只可能一直存在下去

- so don’t expect a mutant like school-for-the-gifted any time soon.

所以不要期待近期內會有類似資優學校的 "給變種人讀的學校" 出現

But artificial selection or human influenced changes will likely drive most of our evolution.

但人工引起的或人為的變化很可能會推動我們大部分的演化

We’ll modify our babies genes before birth to eliminate diseases they may carry, or include

我們要修改嬰兒出生之前的基因，消除他們可能帶有的疾病，或包括

desirable traits for our offspring. But, while it may make us smarter, stronger, and better

一些帶給我們後代的優良基因。但，盡管這可能使我們更聰明、更強壯、更好看

looking, such genetic similarity or lack of human diversity leaves room for a single new

這樣的基因相似性或缺乏人類多樣性，可能會在未來帶給人們新的

disease of the future to wipe out the entire human race.

疾病，消滅整個人類族群。

In the words of Stephen Hawking “Sooner or later disasters" such as an asteroid collision

史蒂芬霍金說過的話「遲早會有災害，像是小行星碰撞

or a nuclear war could wipe us all out. But once we spread out into space and establish

或是核子戰爭可能會將我們努力的一切消滅。但一旦我們分散人群進入太空，建立

independent colonies, our future should be safe.” Space colonization, it seems, is

獨立的殖民地，我們的未來應該是安全的。」太空殖民似乎是我們未來

an inevitable part of our future. At the end of it all, we may even conquer

必然發生的一部份。在這一切結束時，我們甚至可以克服死亡：

death by scanning our brains - atom by atom - and transferring that information into computers.

掃描組成大腦的每一個原子，並將訊息傳到電腦裡。

In this way we could travel at the speed of light as information patterns, unrestricted

這樣我們可以以光速傳遞訊息的模式，無限制的旅行，

by our bodies, and requiring no food. Where our current human generational cycle takes

而且不需要食物。我們當前的人類世代週期需要

around 20 years, a digital individual could replicate themselves in seconds or minutes.

20年左右，然而數位個體只需要在短短幾秒或幾分鐘內。

It’s a brave new world out there - and yet, you may be surprised by some of the incredible

就在那裡有一個偉大的新世界－然而透過一些不可置信的科學

science that is happening today! That’s what the show “Breakthrough” - which airs

你會非常驚訝這些今天正在發生！這是節目今天播出的「突破」－

on November 1st at 9pm - attempts to highlight. The science of today, that tomorrow’s future

在11月1日晚上9點－試圖強調，今天的科學，將會創造明天的未來。

will be based upon. It’s a really fantastic series of 6 episodes on the National Geographic

這是在國家地理頻道上播出一共六急的精采系列

Channel. Be sure to check it out, and let us know what you think.

觀賞完並告訴我們你的想法

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

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