太阳科普 第18期

 With one you could power a small village.  一个太阳能碟能满足一座小村的能源需求

A field of them could power a city.  一大批则能供给一座城市所需的能源
Each system produces about 25 kw  一套系统的发电量是25千瓦
which is enough to power about 10 homes.  这可满足十个家庭的能源需求
However we plan to deploy 1 these on a large scale.  但我们打算大规模部署
20,000 of these,  两万个太阳能碟
which is massive about five hundred megawatts  发电量是500百万瓦
which is the equivalent to a coal fired plant,  这相当于一座火力发电厂
or maybe even a nuclear plant.  甚至一座核电厂
The ink is just drying on the contract to  他们才刚刚签定合约
build the first commercial solar power station.  建造第一座商业太阳能发电厂
It will fill 5 square miles of the vast Californian desert  完工之后偌大的加州沙漠
with mirrors and will supply electricity  将会有五平方哩铺满镜子
to the city of San Diego.  以供应圣地牙哥所需的电力
In time,as the technology and efficiency  未来随着技术和效率的提升
improves systems like these may spread around the world.  像这样的系统将会遍布全球
These dishes are direct descendents  这些太阳能碟是巨石阵
of the stone monuments of Stonehenge and Orkney.  和奥克尼石碑的直系后代
Separated by 5000 years they all embody 2  虽然相隔五千年，但它们都体现了
our desire to understand the sun,  人类了解太阳
to be bathed in its light  沐浴在阳光下
and to tap into its awesome 3 power.  及利用太阳惊人能源的欲望
He's quiet, he's clean,he's powerful.  太阳安静、纯净、威力无穷
This was the way I was raised.  小时候大人是这样教我的
Raised to respect him and  教我要尊敬太阳
to offer those prayers to him for keeping us  对太阳祈祷，希望它能
for the length of time that he has.  永生永世地保护我们
He's done this for generations,and generations  太阳照亮了我们过去的世世代代
and hopefully he will you know in the future.  也希望能照亮我们未来的子孙
The sun will probably shine down on our civilisations  只要我们的文明存在于世的一天
for as long as they exist.  太阳就会照亮它们
If we survive for another billion years  如果人类能再存在十亿年
the sun will still be there.  太阳仍然会高挂天际
But just as the sun was once born,  但万事万物有生必有死
it will one day die.  太阳也不例外
And when it does so,it will take the Earth with it.  届时地球将会和它同归于尽
In about 5 billion years time  50亿年后
the sun will run out of hydrogen.  太阳的氢气将会燃烧殆尽
When it does it will become a red giant.  到时候太阳会变成一颗红巨星
Deprived of fuel the core will shrink.  失去燃料的核心将会收缩
Generating so much heat that the outer layers  产生大量高热
will balloon into the solar system.  导致外层向太阳系膨胀
The inner planets will be swept up.  内侧行星将会遭其吞噬
It may even swallow the Earth.  甚至连地球都难以幸免
Whether it is engulfed 4 or not the Earth is doomed 5.  其实不论是否被吞噬，地球已在劫难逃
The sun, burning 2000 times hotter than it does now  燃烧热度为现今两千倍的太阳
will melt and seal the outer layers of the planet.  将会融化、封死外层
Then suddenly the sun will stop burning.  然后太阳会骤然停止燃烧
As the remains 6 of the solar system is plunged 7 into darkness  残余的太阳系陷入黑暗时
the sun's core will collapse 8 and with its last gasp 9 it  太阳的核心崩塌
will blow its remaining shroud 10 of gas into space.  并以最后一口气，将残余的气体喷至太空中
It will be forever night.  此后将是无尽的黑夜
The story of the sun and the earth will have ended.  太阳和地球的故事将会画下句点
And a small part of the outer arm of the Milky 11 Way  银河的外缘的一小部分
will be a little bit darker.  将出现一小块黑暗的区域
But around it in the rest of the universe  但是在周遭的宇宙中
the same story will be being told  十亿颗微不足道的小恒星
by a billion other small insignificant 12 stars  将诉说着相同的故事
twinkling in the vastness of space.  在浩瀚宇宙中闪闪发光