TED演讲:月亮的错觉(2)

 　　For one thing, if this was just the Ebbinghaus effect, 首先，如果真是艾宾浩斯效应，

　　then we would expect the moon illusion to disappear for pilots flying high above the clouds 那么我们应该预期月球错觉对于空中的飞行员来说不起作用，

　　since there wouldn't be any other smaller objects near the horizon. 因为对他们来说，在地平线附近没有什么小物体可以用来作比较。

　　But in fact, pilots and sailors out on the ocean still claim to see the moon illusion. 但事实上，飞行员和大洋上的水手仍声称他们看到了月球错觉。

　　On the other hand, if it's just our brain's autocorrecting the size of objects near the horizon, 另一方面，如果它只是因为我们大脑的自动纠正功能使得地平线附近的物体尺寸有变化，

　　then we'd expect the moon illusion to be visible inside a planetarium¹, 那么我们应该预期月球错觉在天文观测台内仍然有效，

　　where the whole sky, including the horizon, is displayed on a spherical² dome³ overhead. 在那里，整个天空包括地平线都在头顶的球形屋顶上。

　　Studies have shown, though, that this is not the case. 但是研究表明并非如此。

　　To make matters worse, it seems the moon illusion disappears entirely⁴ 更糟的是，如果你弯下腰，

　　if you just bend over and look at the moon between your legs. 从两腿间看月亮，月球错觉似乎完全消失了。

　　Now, this is just getting ridiculous! 这岂不是荒谬！

　　One of the most promising⁵ explanations today is known as Convergence Micropsia. 目前最有希望的解释之一是收敛性视物显小症。

　　Our brains judge the distance to objects and their apparent size by the focus of our eyes. 我们的大脑通过眼睛的聚焦来判断与物体的距离以及它们的尺寸。

　　When looking at the horizon, your eyes focus far off into the distance 当我们看地平线时，眼睛聚焦在极远的地方，

　　so your brain knows you're looking far away. 这样你的大脑就知道你在看远方了。

　　The moon appears a certain size. 月亮看起来有一定的尺寸。

　　Your brain thinks it's far away, which it is, so you naturally conclude the moon must be big. 你的大脑认为月亮在很远的地方，它确实是很远，所以你自然地认为月球一定很大。

　　But when looking up at the night sky, there's nothing for your eyes to focus on, 但是当你看天空的时候，没有东西可以让你的眼睛聚焦，

　　so they default to their rest focus, which is a point just a few meters away. 所以眼睛默认是平常焦距，焦点只有几米远。

　　Now your brain thinks the moon is much closer than it really is, 现在你的大脑认为月球距离你很近，远比实际距离要近，

　　so you naturally conclude the moon's not as big as you thought it was. 所以你的大脑自然得认为月球并没有你想象的那么大。

　　Rather than explain why the moon looks so big near the horizon, 尽管它并没有解释为什么月球在地平线附近显得大，

　　Convergence Microspia explains why the moon looks so small when overhead. 但收敛性视物显小症解释了为什么月球在空中看起来显得小。

　　Still not satisfied? 还是不满意？

　　Well, frankly⁶, neither are many scientists, 好吧，老实说，很多科学家也不满意。

　　so the debate over the moon illusion still rages on and may continue as long as we still see it in the night sky. 所以关于这个现象的争论仍在继续，说不定只要我们一日能见到夜空中的月球，这争论就一日都不会停止。

1 planetarium   

n.天文馆；天象仪

参考例句：

• The planetarium staff also prepared talks for radio broadcast.天文馆的工作人员还要准备讲稿给电台广播。
• It landed in a shallow basin fifty yards from the planetarium.它降落在离天文馆五十码处的一个浅盆地中。

2 spherical   

adj.球形的；球面的

参考例句：

• The Earth is a nearly spherical planet.地球是一个近似球体的行星。
• Many engineers shy away from spherical projection methods.许多工程师对球面投影法有畏难情绪。

3 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

4 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

5 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

6 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。