演說者：Nagin Cox

演說題目：火星上現(xiàn)在是什么時間？

娜晶．科思是第一代「火星人」。 作為太空總署噴氣推進實驗室的太空船工程師，科思負責管理火星上的美國火星探測車隊。 但是，在另一顆行星上九到五──比地球長 40分鐘──成為很特別、而且常常很滑稽的挑戰(zhàn)。

火星上現(xiàn)在是什么時間？ 來自學英語練口語 00:00 14:03 00:12

So many of you have probably seen the movie 'The Martian.' But for those of you who did not, it's a movie about an astronaut who is stranded on Mars, and his efforts to stay alive until the Earth can send a rescue mission to bring him back to Earth. Gladly, they do re-establish communication with the character, astronaut Watney, at some point so that he's not as alone on Mars until he can be rescued. So while you're watching the movie, or even if you haven't, when you think about Mars, you're probably thinking about how far away it is and how distant.

00:51

And, what might not have occurred to you is, what are the logistics really like of working on another planet -- of living on two planets when there are people on the Earth and there are rovers or people on Mars? So think about when you have friends, families and co-workers in California, on the West Coast or in other parts of the world. When you're trying to communicate with them, one of the things you probably first think about is: wait, what time is it in California? Will I wake them up? Is it OK to call? So even if you're interacting with colleagues who are in Europe, you're immediately thinking about: What does it take to coordinate communication when people are far away? So we don't have people on Mars right now, but we do have rovers. And actually right now, on Curiosity, it is 6:10 in the morning. So, 6:10 in the morning on Mars. We have four rovers on Mars. The United States has put four rovers on Mars since the mid-1990s, and I have been privileged enough to work on three of them. So, I am a spacecraft engineer, a spacecraft operations engineer, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Los Angeles, California. And these rovers are our robotic emissaries. So, they are our eyes and our ears, and they see the planet for us until we can send people. So we learn how to operate on other planets through these rovers. So before we send people, we send robots. So the reason there's a time difference on Mars right now, from the time that we're at is because the Martian day is longer than the Earth day. Our Earth day is 24 hours, because that's how long it takes the Earth to rotate, how long it takes to go around once. So our day is 24 hours. It takes Mars 24 hours and approximately 40 minutes to rotate once. So that means that the Martian day is 40 minutes longer than the Earth day. So teams of people who are operating the rovers on Mars, like this one, what we are doing is we are living on Earth, but working on Mars. So we have to think as if we are actually on Mars with the rover. Our job, the job of this team, of which I'm a part of, is to send commands to the rover to tell it what to do the next day. To tell it to drive or drill or tell her whatever she's supposed to do. So while she's sleeping -- and the rover does sleep at night because she needs to recharge her batteries and she needs to weather the cold Martian night. And so she sleeps. So while she sleeps, we work on her program for the next day. So I work the Martian night shift. (Laughter) So in order to come to work on the Earth at the same time every day on Mars -- like, let's say I need to be at work at 5:00 p.m., this team needs to be at work at 5:00 p.m. Mars time every day, then we have to come to work on the Earth 40 minutes later every day, in order to stay in sync with Mars. That's like moving a time zone every day. So one day you come in at 8:00, the next day 40 minutes later at 8:40, the next day 40 minutes later at 9:20, the next day at 10:00. So you keep moving 40 minutes every day, until soon you're coming to work in the middle of the night -- the middle of the Earth night. Right? So you can imagine how confusing that is. Hence, the Mars watch. (Laughter) This weights in this watch have been mechanically adjusted so that it runs more slowly. Right? And we didn't start out -- I got this watch in 2004 when Spirit and Opportunity, the rovers back then. We didn't start out thinking that we were going to need Mars watches. Right? We thought, OK, we'll just have the time on our computers and on the mission control screens, and that would be enough. Yeah, not so much. Because we weren't just working on Mars time, we were actually living on Mars time. And we got just instantaneously confused about what time it was. So you really needed something on your wrist to tell you: What time is it on the Earth? What time is it on Mars? And it wasn't just the time on Mars that was confusing; we also needed to be able to talk to each other about it. So a 'sol' is a Martian day -- again, 24 hours and 40 minutes. So when we're talking about something that's happening on the Earth, we will say, today. So, for Mars, we say, 'tosol.' (Laughter) Yesterday became 'yestersol' for Mars. Again, we didn't start out thinking, 'Oh, let's invent a language.' It was just very confusing. I remember somebody walked up to me and said, 'I would like to do this activity on the vehicle tomorrow, on the rover.' And I said, 'Tomorrow, tomorrow, or Mars, tomorrow?' We started this terminology because we needed a way to talk to each other. (Laughter) Tomorrow became 'nextersol' or 'solorrow.' Because people have different preferences for the words they use. Some of you might say 'soda' and some of you might say 'pop.' So we have people who say 'nextersol' or 'solorrow.' And then something that I noticed after a few years of working on these missions, was that the people who work on the rovers, we say 'tosol.' The people who work on the landed missions that don't rove around, they say 'tosoul.' So I could actually tell what mission you worked on from your Martian accent. (Laughter) So we have the watches and the language, and you're detecting a theme here, right? So that we don't get confused. But even the Earth daylight could confuse us. If you think that right now, you've come to work and it's the middle of the Martian night and there's light streaming in from the windows that's going to be confusing as well. So you can see from this image of the control room that all of the blinds are down. So that there's no light to distract us. The blinds went down all over the building about a week before landing, and they didn't go up until we went off Mars time. So this also works for the house, for at home. I've been on Mars time three times, and my husband is like, OK, we're getting ready for Mars time. And so he'll put foil all over the windows and dark curtains and shades because it also affects your families. And so here I was living in kind of this darkened environment, but so was he. And he'd gotten used to it. But then I would get these plaintive emails from him when he was at work. Should I come home? Are you awake? What time is it on Mars? And I decided, OK, so he needs a Mars watch. (Laughter) But of course, it's 2016, so there's an app for that. (Laughter) So now instead of the watches, we can also use our phones. But the impact on families was just across the board; it wasn't just those of us who were working on the rovers but our families as well. This is David Oh, one of our flight directors, and he's at the beach in Los Angeles with his family at 1:00 in the morning. (Laughter) So because we landed in August and his kids didn't have to go back to school until September, they actually went on to Mars time with him for one month. They got up 40 minutes later every day. And they were on dad's work schedule. So they lived on Mars time for a month and had these great adventures, like going bowling in the middle of the night or going to the beach. And one of the things that we all discovered is you can get anywhere in Los Angeles at 3:00 in the morning when there's no traffic.

09:38

So we would get off work, and we didn't want to go home and bother our families, and we were hungry, so instead of going locally to eat something, we'd go, 'Wait, there's this great all-night deli in Long Beach, and we can get there in 10 minutes!' So we would drive down -- it was like the 60s, no traffic. We would drive down there, and the restaurant owners would go, 'Who are you people? And why are you at my restaurant at 3:00 in the morning?' So they came to realize that there were these packs of Martians, roaming the LA freeways, in the middle of the night -- in the middle of the Earth night. And we did actually start calling ourselves Martians. So those of us who were on Mars time would refer to ourselves as Martians, and everyone else as Earthlings.

10:34

And that's because when you're moving a time-zone every day, you start to really feel separated from everyone else. You're literally in your own world. So I have this button on that says, 'I survived Mars time. Sol 0-90.' And there's a picture of it up on the screen. So the reason we got these buttons is because we work on Mars time in order to be as efficient as possible with the rover on Mars, to make the best use of our time. But we don't stay on Mars time for more than three to four months. Eventually, we'll move to a modified Mars time, which is what we're working now. And that's because it's hard on your bodies, it's hard on your families. In fact, there were sleep researchers who actually were studying us because it was so unusual for humans to try to extend their day. And they had about 30 of us that they would do sleep deprivation experiments on. So I would come in and take the test and I fell asleep in each one. And that was because, again, this eventually becomes hard on your body. Even though it was a blast. It was a huge bonding experience with the other members on the team, but it is difficult to sustain. So these rover missions are our first steps out into the solar system. We are learning how to live on more than one planet. We are changing our perspective to become multi-planetary. So the next time you see a Star Wars movie, and there are people going from the Dagobah system to Tatooine, think about what it really means to have people spread out so far. What it means in terms of the distances between them, how they will start to feel separate from each other and just the logistics of the time. We have not sent people to Mars yet, but we hope to. And between companies like SpaceX and NASA and all of the international space agencies of the world, we hope to do that in the next few decades. So soon we will have people on Mars, and we truly will be multi-planetary. And the young boy or the young girl who will be going to Mars could be in this audience or listening today. I have wanted to work at JPL on these missions since I was 14 years old and I am privileged to be a part of it. And this is a remarkable time in the space program, and we are all in this journey together. So the next time you think you don't have enough time in your day, just remember, it's all a matter of your Earthly perspective. Thank you.00:12

我估計在座很多人都看過 “火星救援”這部電影。 對于沒看過的人來說， 這是一部關(guān)于一名宇航員 被困在火星，努力求生 直到地球派出了 一個救援小隊把他帶回地球。 幸運的是，他們與主角沃特尼 重新取得了聯(lián)系。在某些方面來說， 直到獲救前，他在火星上還不算太孤獨。 當你在看電影的時候，即便你沒看過， 當你想像火星的時候， 你可能會思考它距離我們有多遠。 不過，你可能不會去想

00:54

工作或是生活在另一個星球， 后勤是如何得到保障的， 畢竟有一部分人在地球，還有一部分 漫游者或是人類在火星。 可以這么想象，當你的朋友， 家人還有同事 在西海岸的加利福尼亞， 或是世界上其他一些地方。 當你嘗試去聯(lián)系他們 你可能想的第一件事是： 等會，現(xiàn)在是加利福尼亞幾點？ 我會不會打擾他們？現(xiàn)在能不能打電話？ 即便你聯(lián)系在歐洲的同事， 你也直接會想到 怎樣才能順利的進行遠距離溝通？ 我們現(xiàn)在并沒有人類生活在火星， 但是我們有漫游者探測器。 現(xiàn)在，好奇號漫游者的時間 是早上6點10分。 也就是說火星時間是早上6點10分。 我們有四個漫游者在火星。 自90年代中期，美國就發(fā)送了 四個漫游者到火星上，

01:56

而且我有幸和其中 三個漫游者一起工作過。 所以，我是一名航天器工程師， 準確說是操縱航天器的工程師， 工作于加州洛杉磯的 美國宇航局推進技術(shù)實驗室。 而這些漫游者是我們的機器使者。 所以，他們就是我們的眼睛和耳朵。 他們能為我們觀察火星， 直到我們有能力把人送到那里。 所以，我們可以通過這些漫游者 來了解在其他星球的環(huán)境狀況。 所以，在我們把宇航員送到那里之前， 我們先派了一批機器人去。 火星上的時間和我們現(xiàn)在的時間 是不一樣的， 因為火星的一天比地球要長。 我們的地球一天是24個小時， 那是因為地球自身轉(zhuǎn)動， 剛好旋轉(zhuǎn)一周的時間 就是我們一天的24小時。 火星自轉(zhuǎn)一周需要24小時零40分鐘。 這就是說，火星的一天比地球長40分鐘。 屏幕里這群操縱著火星漫游者的人， 我們生活在地球，但是工作在火星。 所以，我們不得不認為我們就是 和漫游者一起呆在火星上。 我們團隊中我參與的一部分工作， 就是把指令發(fā)送給漫游者， 讓她知道明天需要做些什么。 告訴她是要行駛，還是開采些巖土樣本， 或是其他應該做的事情。 當然，在她睡覺的時候， 她晚上確實是在睡覺， 因為她需要給電池充電， 而且她需要抵抗住火星晚上的低溫。 所以她需要休息。 在她休息的時候， 我們會為她計劃好第二天的工作。 所以我在火星上夜班。 （笑） 為了在火星上每天的同一時間工作， 或句話說，我需要每天下午5點上班， 這個團隊需要在火星時間下午5點上班。 在地球上，我們每天則 需要晚40分鐘開始工作， 這都是為了和火星同步。 就像每天都在換時區(qū)。 所以今天你8點來， 明天就要晚40分鐘，8:40來， 后天又要晚40分鐘，就是9:20來。 大后天就是10點。 每天都要隨著這40分鐘變， 直到你要半夜來上班—— 是地球時間的半夜哦。 沒錯吧？現(xiàn)在你能想象有多復雜了吧。 這就是我的火星手表。 （笑） 這只手表的砝碼用機械的方法調(diào)整過了， 所以它走的相對慢一些。 但是我們還沒開始—— 我在2004年得到這只表， 當機遇號和勇氣號探測器都到位后， 我們并沒有想到 我們需要一只火星時間的表， 我們想我們僅僅需要在電腦上有個時間， 還有在任務監(jiān)控屏幕上 顯示時間，這就夠了。 其實，還不夠。 因為我們不僅僅要按火星時間工作， 其實我們是按火星時間生活。 瞬間我們就把時間搞混了。 所以你需要一些東西在你手腕上： 隨時提醒你在地球上是幾點？ 在火星上是幾點？ 而且，不僅僅是火星的 時間讓我們感到混亂， 我們還要在談話中區(qū)別它。 所以一個“Sol“代表火星的一天， 24小時40分鐘。 當我們談論在地球上發(fā)生的一些事情， 我們會說今天。 換成火星的話，我們就說，“Tosol“ （笑） “昨天”成為了火星的“yestersol”。 我們開始想：“對了， 我們干脆發(fā)明一種語言吧?！?剛開始真的非常的混亂。 我記得有人走過來對我說： “我明天要在漫游者上做這個任務?！?我就問：“明天，地球的明天 還是火星的明天？” 我們開始想一些專有術(shù)語， 否則我們都沒法交談了。 （笑） 于是“明天”變成了 “nextersol“ 或是 ”solorrow“。 畢竟人們用詞各有所好， 有些人說“蘇打”，有些人說“飲料”。 所以我們有人說“ nextersol“ ， 有人說 ” solorrow“。 在這個項目工作幾年后，我發(fā)現(xiàn) 運行漫游者的人說“tosol”。 處理陸地工作的，不接觸漫游者的人， 他們說“tosoul”。 所以我都能從工作人員的 “火星口音”中推斷出他的工作。 （笑） 我們有特制的手表和專門的語言， 現(xiàn)在你們明白了吧？ 這樣我們不再搞混了。 但是連地球的陽光， 也會使我們感到困擾。 試想，你現(xiàn)在要來上班， 現(xiàn)在是火星的午夜。 但是窗外卻有很多陽光， 這也會使你感到困惑。 你能從這張控制室的照片看出， 所有的百葉窗全落了下來， 所以就沒有陽光來干擾我們。 在登陸前，百葉窗會持續(xù)落下來一周。 直到我們不再用火星時間， 它們才會被拉起來。 在家里也如此。 我這樣依照火星時間工作了三次， 每次我丈夫就說： “”好吧，我們準備好要過火星時間咯?！?于是他會在窗戶上貼上錫紙， 換上暗的窗簾和百葉窗， 因為它同時也會影響你的家庭成員們。 他只能陪著我一起生活在 這種黑暗的環(huán)境下。 他也漸漸習慣了。 但是當他在工作時， 會發(fā)給我一些可憐兮兮的郵件。 我能回家么？你醒了么？ 現(xiàn)在是火星幾點？ 然后我覺得他也需要 一只火星時間的手表。 （笑） 當然，到了2016年， 已經(jīng)有手機軟件可以替代手表了。 （笑） 現(xiàn)在我們可以用手機來代替手表。 但這對家庭的影響的確是非常大的； 不僅僅是我們這些操控漫游者的人， 還有我們的家人。 這是大衛(wèi)，我們的飛行指揮官之一， 這是他在洛杉磯的沙灘上，凌晨1點。 （笑） 因為我們的探測器8月份就要著陸， 他的孩子直到9月份才會開學， 他們就隨著他過了一個月火星時間， 他們的作息每天都會推遲40分鐘。 全家都隨著父親的日程表。 他們過了一個月火星時間， 現(xiàn)在想來還真是一個大挑戰(zhàn)， 像是在午夜去打保齡球， 或是去沙灘。 而且我們都發(fā)現(xiàn)了一件事， 你可以在凌晨3點去洛杉磯的任何地方， 大街上空蕩蕩的，一輛車也沒有。

09:38

所以我們下班后， 并不想回家去打擾家人， 餓的時候，往往就近找些吃的。 我們會說：“等等，長灘有一家 通宵營業(yè)的熟食店， 我們到那只要10分鐘！” 然后我們就開了過去， 暢通無阻，就像是60秒。 當我們到那時，餐館老板會說， “你們是什么人？ 為什么凌晨3點來我的餐館？“ 然后他們慢慢知道有一群火星人 在午夜的洛杉磯游蕩—— 地球的午夜。 我們確實開始管自己叫火星人。 我們之中按火星時間工作的 喜歡稱自己為火星人， 其他人叫地球同胞。

10:34

這是因為當你每天 都在改你自己的時區(qū)， 你就會開始覺得和其他人疏遠了。 準確的說你活在自己的世界中。 所以我有這個胸牌， “我在火星生存的時間：0－90天”。 屏幕上顯示的就是這個胸牌。 我們帶這個胸牌是為了 表明我們依據(jù)火星時間工作， 為了盡可能方便的 和火星的漫游者工作， 來合理利用我們的時間。 但是我們從不在火星時間下 工作超過3-4個月。 最終，我們得作息會依照修改過的 火星的時間，這就是我們現(xiàn)在在做的。 因為這對你的身體和家庭都是個負擔。 實際上，有睡眠專家一直在 拿我們做實驗觀察對象。 因為人類很難有機會去 試圖延長自己的一天。 我們有30人被觀察， 他們會在我們身上 做一些缺覺的實驗。 我就會參與實驗， 在每個實驗中去睡覺。 這種情況最終還是會 對身體造成一些負擔。 即使只是一時的損害。 這段經(jīng)歷讓團隊的所有人同舟共濟 但是很難持續(xù)。 所以這個漫游者任務 是我們邁向宇宙的第一步。 我們正在學習 如何生活在另外一個星球上， 我們正在改變原有的觀點， 逐漸適應多星球生活。 所以下次你去看星球大戰(zhàn)的時候， 一些人從荻克巴星到塔圖因， 想像一下，那真的是條很遠的道路。 他們之間到底距離有多遠， 他們離開彼此會有什么感覺， 還有時間差的問題。 我們還沒有把人類送到火星上， 但是我想我們總有一天會做到。 例如美國太空探索技術(shù)公司， 和美國國家航空航天局， 或是有國際空間站的國家， 我們希望可以在未來的幾十年里實現(xiàn)。 所以不久，我們將有人生活在火星， 那時我們就是真的多星球人了。 未來將會前往火星的少男少女們， 今天可能恰巧就坐在這里聽我的演講。 我自打14歲起，就想工作在 噴氣推進實驗室來研究這個項目， 如今我有幸成為了其中的一員。 現(xiàn)在對于宇宙探索是個重要的時間， 我們在一起經(jīng)歷了這些。 所以下次你覺得自己時間不夠的話， 記住，這只是你在地球時的觀點。 謝謝！

更多英語演講視頻，關(guān)注公眾號

TED英語演說