万物简史 第292期:砰!(27)

 　　For most of the time of the object's approach we would exist in a kind of cone¹ of uncertainty². 在那个物体渐渐逼近的大部分时间里，我们会生活在某种无法确定的状态之中。

　　It would certainly be the most interesting few months in the history of the world. 这肯定会是世界史上最有意思的几个星期。

　　And imagine the party if it passed safely. 想像一下，要是它平安无事地过去了，我们会举行多么盛大的庆祝会啊。

　　So how often does something like the Manson impact happen? “那么，像曼森撞击这样的事件会多长时间发生一次？”

　　I asked Anderson and Witzke before leaving. 我离开之前问安德森和威策克。

　　Oh, about once every million years on average, said Witzke. “哦，平均每100万年发生一次。”威策克说。

　　And remember, added Anderson, "this was a relatively³ minor⁴ event. “记住，”安德森接着说，“这还是个区区的小事件。

　　Do you know how many extinctions were associated with the Manson impact?" No idea, I replied. 你知不知道有多少种生物的灭绝与曼森撞击有关系？”“不知道。”我回答说。

　　None, he said, with a strange air of satisfaction. "Not one." “一种也没有，”他露出一种古怪的满意神色说，“一种也没有灭绝。”

　　Of course, Witzke and Anderson added hastily and more or less in unison⁵, there would have been terrible devastation⁶ across much of the Earth, 当然，威策克和安德森连忙——一定程度上是异口同声地——补充说，地球上很多地方都受到了严重的破坏，

　　as just described, and complete annihilation for hundreds of miles around ground zero. 就像刚刚描述的那样，方圆几百公里的地方被化为乌有。

　　But life is hardy⁷, and when the smoke cleared there were enough lucky survivors⁸ from every species that none permanently⁹ perished. 但是，生命是倔强的。烟消云散以后，每个物种都有足够的幸存者，哪个物种也没有永远毁灭。

　　The good news, it appears, is that it takes an awful lot to extinguish a species. 灭绝一个物种极不容易，这似乎是个好的消息。

　　The bad news is that the good news can never be counted on. 坏的消息是，这个好消息是绝对靠不住的。

　　Worse still, it isn't actually necessary to look to space for petrifying¹⁰ danger. 更糟糕的是，你其实不必凝视着太空来寻找令人震惊的危险。

　　As we are about to see, Earth can provide plenty of danger of its own. 你马上就会知道，地球本身就是个很危险的地方。

1 cone   

n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果

参考例句：

• Saw-dust piled up in a great cone.锯屑堆积如山。
• The police have sectioned off part of the road with traffic cone.警察用锥形路标把部分路面分隔开来。

2 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

3 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

4 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

5 unison   

n.步调一致，行动一致

参考例句：

• The governments acted in unison to combat terrorism.这些国家的政府一致行动对付恐怖主义。
• My feelings are in unison with yours.我的感情与你的感情是一致的。

6 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 hardy   

adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的

参考例句：

• The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
• He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

8 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

9 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

10 petrifying   

v.吓呆，使麻木( petrify的现在分词 )；使吓呆，使惊呆；僵化

参考例句：

• I found the climb absolutely petrifying. 我觉得这次爬山太吓人了。 来自柯林斯例句