经济学人96:宇宙大爆炸 Fundamental physics:Big bang

 　　Books and Arts; Book Review; Fundamental physics; Big bang;

　　文艺；书评；基础物理学；宇宙大爆炸；

　　Popular physics has enjoyed a new-found regard. Now comes a brave attempt to inject mathematics into an otherwise fashionable subject

　　科普物理再次得到新的关注。如今，学者大胆的尝试将数学引入另外一个流行学科；

　　The Quantum Universe: Everything That Can Happen Does Happen. By Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw.

　　量子宇宙：一切可能发生的的确发生。布莱恩·考克斯和杰夫·福肖著。

　　Previously¹ the preserve of dusty, tweed-jacketed academics, physics has enjoyed a surprising popular renaissance² over the past few years. In America Michio Kaku, a string theorist, has penned several successful books and wowed television and radio audiences with his presentations on esoteric subjects such as the existence of wormholes and the possibility of alien life. In Britain Brian Cox, a former pop star whose music helped propel Tony Blair to power, has become the front man for physics, which recently regained³ its status as a popular subject in British classrooms, an effect many attribute to Mr Cox's astonishing appeal.

　　从前的学者保持着蓬头垢面、身着花呢夹克的形象。在过去几年里，物理学迎来了惊人的全面复兴。在美国，弦论学家米奇霍·卡库创作出数本反响不错的书。他对诸如虫洞及外星生命存在的可能性等小众课题的介绍赢得了电视观众和电台听众的赞赏。在英国，其作品曾帮助托尼·布莱尔登上大宝的前流行歌星布莱恩·考克斯，现在成了物理学的领军人物。近来物理学在英国学生中再次获得了受欢迎的科目的地位。产生这样的效果很大程度上归功于考克斯先生惊人的感召力。

　　Mr Cox, a particle physicist⁴, is well-known as the presenter⁵ of two BBC television series that have attracted millions of viewers (a third series will be aired next year) and as a bestselling author and public speaker. His latest book, “The Quantum Universe”, which he co-wrote with Jeff Forshaw of the University of Manchester, breaks the rules of popular science-writing that were established over two decades ago by Stephen Hawking⁶, who launched the modern genre⁷ with his famous book, “A Brief History of Time”.

　　粒子物理学家考克斯先生，因推荐了两部吸引了数百万观众的BBC电视剧而知名（第三部将于明年开播）。他同样是畅销书作者兼公开演讲家。他的新书《量子宇宙》，是由他和曼彻斯特大学的杰夫·福索合著的。该书打破了20年前由史蒂芬·霍金创立的科普写作规范。霍金以其著作《时间简史》开创了这一现代写作流派。

　　Mr Hawking's literary success was ascribed to his eschewing⁸ equations. One of his editors warned him that sales of the book would be halved⁹ by every equation he included; Mr Hawking inserted just one, E=mc2, and, even then, the volume acquired a sorry reputation for being bought but not read. By contrast, Mr Cox, whose previous book with Mr Forshaw investigated “Why does E=mc2?” (2009), has bravely sloshed a generous slug of mathematics throughout his texts.

　　霍金在文学上的成功归因于他避开了方程式。一位编辑曾警告他，每个写进书中的方程式都会让销量减半。霍金就插了一个：E=Mc2。即使那样，让人感到遗憾的是，该书是靠购买量而非阅读量赢得声誉。相比之下，在上一本旨在探寻“为什么是E=Mc2”（2009）的书中，考克斯与福索就已经大胆地通篇砍掉冗长的数学公式。

　　The difficulties in explaining physics without using maths are longstanding. Einstein mused¹⁰, “The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility,” and “the fact that it is comprehensible is a miracle.” Yet the language in which the world is described is that of maths, a relatively¹¹ sound grasp of which is needed to comprehend the difficulties that physicists¹² are trying to resolve as well as the possible solutions. Mr Cox has secured a large fan base with his boyish good looks, his happy turns of phrase and his knack¹³ for presenting complex ideas using simple analogies. He also admirably shies away from dumbing down. “The Quantum Universe” is not a dry undergraduate text book, but nor is it a particularly easy read.

　　不用数学解释物理知识所造成的困难由来已久。爱因斯坦语重心长地说过：“世间永恒的神秘在于它的可了解性。”“可以了解这一事实本身就是一个奇迹。”然而，用于描述世界的语言就是数学。在理解物理学家试图解决的困难及可能的解决方案时，数学是一个相对合理的必要的抓手。凭借其大男孩般的优质外表、习语的运用、简单类比解释复杂概念的窍门，考克斯拥有了一大帮粉丝。他同时成功避免过度简化。《量子宇宙》非一本干巴巴的大学教材，但也不是特别容易读懂。

　　The subject matter is hard. Quantum mechanics, which describes in subatomic detail a shadowy world in which cats can be simultaneously¹⁴ alive and dead, is notoriously difficult to grasp. Its experiments yield bizarre results that can be explained only by embracing the maths that describe them, and its theories make outrageous¹⁵ predictions (such as the existence of antimatter) that have nevertheless later been verified. Messrs Cox and Forshaw say they have included the maths “mainly because it allows us to really explain why things are the way they are. Without it, we should have to resort to the physicist-guru mentality¹⁶ whereby we pluck profundities¹⁷ out of thin air, and neither author would be comfortable with guru status.”

　　有关物质的课题是艰涩的。众所周知，用于详细描述原子内部这个猫亦生亦死的虚无世界的量子力学很难领会。要解释实验产生的奇异结果，只能运用描述这些结果的数学。虽然量子力学理论对诸如反物质的存在所做出的预测是匪夷所思的，但这些预测后来得到了证实。考克斯和福索称他们之所以在书中加入数学主要是因为数学让我们真正去解释为什么事物是以这样一种方式存在。没了数学，我们不得不依靠物理大师般的心智，由是，我们凭空捏造出奥义，而任何一个作者都不会对这样的大师头衔心安理得。

　　That stance might comfort the authors, but to many readers they will nonetheless seem to pluck equations out of thin air. Yet their decision to include some of the hard stuff leaves open the possibility that some readers might actually engage in the slog that leads to higher pleasures. For non-sloggers alternative routes are offered: Messrs Cox and Forshaw use clockfaces to illustrate¹⁸ how particles interact with one another, a drawing of how guitar strings¹⁹ twang and a photograph of a vibrating drum. A diagram, rather than an equation, is used to explain one promising²⁰ theory of how matter acquires mass, a question that experiments on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European particle-physics laboratory near Geneva, will hopefully soon answer.

　　这样的立场也许会使作者感觉不错，但对很多读者来说，他们似乎还是想凭空弄出方程式。作者决定加入一些生涩的东西，这样就给一些苦心钻研并从中获得更多快感的读者留下了余地。他们还为一般读者提供了另一条途径：考克斯和福索以表盘为例说明粒子是如何相互作用的，一副有关吉他琴弦如何发出声音的图画，一张振动的鼓的照片。他们用图表，而非公式去解释物质是如何获得质量这一前沿理论。在邻近日内瓦的粒子物理实验室，即欧洲核子研究委员会的巨型强子对撞机上进行的实验产生的这个问题有望很快得出答案。

　　The authors have wisely chosen to leaven²¹ their tome with amusing tales of dysfunctional characters among scholars who developed quantum mechanics in the 1920s and beyond, as well as with accounts of the philosophical²² struggles with which they grappled and the occasional earthy aside. Where the subject matter is a trifle dull, Messrs Cox and Forshaw acknowledge it: of Heinrich Kayser, who a century ago completed a six-volume reference book documenting the spectral²³ lines generated by every known element, they observe, “He must have been great fun at dinner parties.” And they make some sweeping²⁴ generalisations about their colleagues who pore over equations, “Physicists are very lazy, and they would not go to all this trouble unless it saved time in the long run.”

　　为了加强这个大部头的影响力，两位作者明智地选择了一些有趣的段子：在20世纪20年代以及更早时候发展量子力学的学者的怪癖；他们设法解决的哲学问题；间或出现的通俗旁白。有关物质的课题是枯燥的，考克斯和福索承认：海因里希·凯瑟在一个世纪前完成了6部用以证明光谱是由每个已知元素产生的参考著作，据他们观察，“他肯定在晚宴上很开心。”他们也对专注方程式的同事进行了高度概括：“物理学家非常懒惰，除非从长远看这节约时间，他们不会招惹这些麻烦”。

　　Whether or not readers of “The Quantum Universe” will follow all the maths, the authors' love for their subject shines through the book. “There is no better demonstration²⁵ of the power of the scientific method than quantum theory,” they write. That may be so, but physicists all over the world, Messrs Cox and Forshaw included, are longing²⁶ for the next breakthrough that will supersede²⁷ the claim. Hopes are pinned on experiments currently under way at CERN that may force physicists to rethink their understanding of the universe, and inspire Messrs Cox and Forshaw to write their next book—equations and all.

　　不论《量子宇宙》的读者是否会关注所有与之相关的数学知识，作者对专业的热爱贯穿整部作品。他们写道：“没有比量子理论更能展现科学方法的力量。”也许吧。但包括考克斯和福索在内的所有物理学家都渴望有新的突破去取代这一论断。大家寄希望于目前在欧洲核子研究委员会进行的实验，该实验也许会迫使物理学家重新思考他们对宇宙的理解，并激励考克斯和福索写下一本书——方程式及所有其它的。

1 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

2 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。

3 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

4 physicist   

n.物理学家，研究物理学的人

参考例句：

• He is a physicist of the first rank.他是一流的物理学家。
• The successful physicist never puts on airs.这位卓有成就的物理学家从不摆架子。

5 presenter   

n.（电视、广播的）主持人，赠与者

参考例句：

• Most people think being a television presenter is exciting.很多人认为当电视节目主持人是一件刺激的事情。
• The programme dispensed with its most popular presenter.这个节目最受欢迎的主持人被换掉了。

6 hawking   

利用鹰行猎

参考例句：

• He is hawking his goods everywhere. 他在到处兜售他的货物。
• We obtain the event horizon and the Hawking spectrumformula. 得到了黑洞的局部事件视界位置和Hawking温度以及Klein—Gordon粒子的Hawking辐射谱。

7 genre   

n.(文学、艺术等的)类型，体裁，风格

参考例句：

• My favorite music genre is blues.我最喜欢的音乐种类是布鲁斯音乐。
• Superficially,this Shakespeare's work seems to fit into the same genre.从表面上看， 莎士比亚的这个剧本似乎属于同一类型。

8 eschewing   

v.（尤指为道德或实际理由而）习惯性避开，回避( eschew的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The company sells direct to customers, eschewing distributors, re-sellers, and dealers. 公司直接向客户销售，避开批发商、分销商和经销商。 来自互联网
• That suggests the Taliban forces are eschewing firefights in favour of terrorist-style attacks. 这表明塔利班武装力量正偏向采用恐怖袭击方式以避免交火。 来自互联网

9 halved   

v.把…分成两半( halve的过去式和过去分词 )；把…减半；对分；平摊

参考例句：

• The shares have halved in value . 股价已经跌了一半。
• Overall operating profits halved to $24 million. 总的营业利润减少了一半，降至2，400 万元。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 mused   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

11 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。

12 physicists   

物理学家( physicist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• For many particle physicists, however, it was a year of frustration. 对于许多粒子物理学家来说，这是受挫折的一年。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技
• Physicists seek rules or patterns to provide a framework. 物理学家寻求用法则或图式来构成一个框架。

13 knack   

n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法

参考例句：

• He has a knack of teaching arithmetic.他教算术有诀窍。
• Making omelettes isn't difficult,but there's a knack to it.做煎蛋饼并不难，但有窍门。

14 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

15 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

16 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

17 profundities   

n.深奥，深刻，深厚( profundity的名词复数 )；堂奥

参考例句：

• Bessie's mind was not quite in tune with the profundities of that learned journal. 蓓西的头脑理解不了这本深奥的学术性杂志。 来自互联网

18 illustrate   

v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图

参考例句：

• The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。
• This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。

19 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

20 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。

21 leaven   

v.使发酵；n.酵母；影响

参考例句：

• These men have been the leaven in the lump of the race.如果说这个种族是块面团，这些人便是发酵剂。
• The leaven of reform was working.改革的影响力在起作用。

22 philosophical   

adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的

参考例句：

• The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
• She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

23 spectral   

adj.幽灵的，鬼魂的

参考例句：

• At times he seems rather ordinary.At other times ethereal,perhaps even spectral.有时他好像很正常，有时又难以捉摸，甚至像个幽灵。
• She is compelling,spectral fascinating,an unforgettably unique performer.她极具吸引力，清幽如鬼魅，令人着迷，令人难忘，是个独具特色的演员。

24 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

25 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

26 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

27 supersede   

v.替代；充任

参考例句：

• We must supersede old machines by new ones.我们必须以新机器取代旧机器。
• The use of robots will someday supersede manual labor.机器人的使用有一天会取代人力。