As a scientist, and also as a human being, I've been trying to make myself susceptible to wonder. I think Jason Webley last night called it "conspiring to be part of the magic." So it's fortunate that my career as a biologist lets me dive deeply into the lives of some truly wondrous creatures that share our planet: fireflies.
作為一名科學家, 也作為人類的一員, 我努力嘗試讓自己 被神奇的事物感動。 我記得昨晚傑森·偉柏力說這可謂 「融入成為奇蹟的一部分」。 很幸運的,作為一名生物學家, 我可以深深地研究一些 和我們共享同一個星球 而非常奇妙的生物: 螢火蟲。
Now, for many of you, I know that fireflies might conjure up some really great memories: childhood, summertime, even other TED Talks. Maybe something like this.
我知道,對大部分人來說,螢火蟲 總會召喚出美好的回憶: 童年,夏天, 甚至其他的 TED 演講。 例如這樣。
My seduction into the world of fireflies began when I was back in graduate school. One evening, I was sitting out in my backyard in North Carolina, and suddenly, these silent sparks rose up all around me, and I began to wonder: How do these creatures make light, and what's with all this flashing? Are they talking to one another? And what happens after the lights go out? I've been lucky enough to answer some of these questions as I've explored this nocturnal world.
我對螢火蟲世界的迷戀 要追溯到讀研究所的時候。 一天晚上,我坐在院子裡, 當時我在北卡羅來納州, 突然間,這些悄無聲息的花火 就在我身邊升起了, 我當時開始想: 這些小傢伙是怎麼製造光的呢? 這樣一閃一閃的又是怎麼回事呢? 是它們在對話嗎? 這些亮光熄滅以後會發生什麼呢? 我很幸運, 這些年在夜的王國中探訪, 讓我已經可以回答 其中的一些問題了。
Now if you've ever seen or even heard about fireflies, then you'll know how magically they can transform our everyday landscape into something ethereal and otherworldly, and this happens around the globe, like this hillside in the Smoky Mountains that I saw transformed into a living cascade of light by the eerie glows of these blue ghost fireflies, or a roadside river that I visited in Japan as it was giving birth to the slow, floating flashes of these Genji fireflies, or in Malaysia, the mangrove trees that I watched blossom nightly not with flowers but with the lights of a thousand — (Bleep! Bleep!) — fireflies, all blinking together in stunning synchrony. These luminous landscapes still fill me with wonder, and they keep me connected to the magic of the natural world.
如果你見過螢火蟲 或者只是聽說過螢火蟲的故事 那你一定了解它們是 如何能夠魔術般地 把無常的景象轉化得 空靈和如同仙境般的美麗, 而這發生在世界各處: 比如在(美國)大煙山的山坡上, 我看到這些藍色精靈般的 螢火蟲用它們奇異的光 造出了一個流動的光的瀑布, 而在日本一條路邊的小河, 我看到這些源氏螢火蟲舞出一道道 緩慢流動的光帶, 或在馬來西亞的紅樹林, 每晚所綻放的, 不是花朵, 而是一千隻——(嗶!嗶!) ——螢火蟲的光芒, 它們一起閃爍著, 讓人難以置信的同步。 這些發光的景觀 還是讓我驚愕, 它們讓我感觸到 自然界的奇蹟。
And I find it amazing that they're created by these tiny insects. In person, fireflies are charming. They're charismatic. They've been celebrated in art and in poetry for centuries. As I've traveled around the world, I've met many thoughtful people who have told me that God put fireflies on Earth for humans to enjoy. Other creatures can enjoy them too. I think these graceful insects are truly miraculous because they so beautifully illuminate the creative improvisation of evolution. They've been shaped by two powerful evolutionary forces: natural selection, the struggle for survival, and sexual selection, the struggle for reproductive opportunity. As a firefly junkie, the past 20 years have been quite an exciting ride. Together with my students at Tufts University and other colleagues, we've made lots of new discoveries about fireflies: their courtship and sex lives, their treachery and murder. So today I'd like to share with you just a couple of tales that we've brought back from our collective adventures into this hidden world.
而讓我更驚奇的是,這樣的景象 是由如此小的昆蟲創造的。 我本身覺得,螢火蟲是迷人的。 它們充滿魅力。 幾個世紀以來,它們不斷在藝術 和詩歌裡受到讚頌。 我曾在世界各地旅行, 遇過許多有思想的人, 他們告訴我, 上帝把螢火蟲放在世上, 是為了讓人類欣賞。 別的生物也同樣欣賞它們。 我覺得這些優雅的昆蟲是個奇蹟, 它們如此優美地詮釋了 進化中那充滿想像力的即興創作。 它們是受兩種強大的進化力量 影響形成的: 天擇是為了生存的奮鬥; 而性擇, 是為了爭取繁衍的機會而努力。 作為一個螢火蟲迷,過去的二十年 是讓我非常興奮的一場旅程。 我和在塔夫茨大學的學生們 還有同事一起, 發現了關於螢火蟲的許多新鮮事: 它們的求愛和性生活, 它們的背叛和謀殺。 所以今天我想和你們分享 幾個故事,這是從我們深入到這個 這個隱秘的世界後一系列的探險後 帶回來的。
Fireflies belong to a very beautiful and diverse group of insects, the beetles. Worldwide, there are more than 2,000 firefly species, and these have evolved remarkably diverse courtship signals, that is, different ways to find and attract mates. Around 150 million years ago, the very first fireflies probably looked like this. They flew during the daytime and they didn't light up. Instead, males used their fantastic antennae to sniff out perfumes given off by their females. In other fireflies, it's only the females who light up. They are attractively plump and wingless, so every night, they climb up onto perches and they glow brightly for hours to attract their flying but unlit males. In still other fireflies, both sexes use quick, bright flashes to find their mates. Here in North America, we have more than 100 different kinds of firefly that have the remarkable ability to shine energy out from their bodies in the form of light. How do they do that? It seems totally magical, but these bioluminescent signals arise from carefully orchestrated chemical reactions that happen inside the firefly lantern. The main star is an enzyme called luciferase, which in the course of evolution has figured out a way to wrap its tiny arms around an even smaller molecule called luciferin, in the process getting it so excited that it actually gives off light. Incredible.
螢火蟲屬於一種非常美麗, 而且多樣的昆蟲群,甲蟲。 全世界有超過 2000 種 螢火蟲的種類, 而它們都衍生了有各式各樣的 求愛信號, 也就是,找尋和吸引 伴侶的不同方式。 大約 1.5 億年前, 最初的螢火蟲可能長得像這個樣子。 它們在白天飛, 而且不發光。 取而代之的是, 雄性用它們靈敏的觸鬚 來嗅聞雌性散發的香味。 其它的螢火蟲族群中, 只有雌性螢火蟲會發光。 它們有迷人的豐滿身體,沒有翅膀, 所以每天晚上,它們爬上岸邊, 持續幾個小時地發出明亮的光芒, 吸引正飛舞著的, 但不會發光的雄性。 還有些螢火蟲種類,雄性和雌性 都會用快速閃動的亮光 來尋找它們的配偶。 就在北美洲這裡, 我們有超過 100 種 不同種類的螢火蟲, 它們都有非凡的能力, 將身體裡的能量 轉化成光。 它們是怎麼做到的呢? 這看起來完全像魔術, 但這些動物所發出的光信號 需經過螢火蟲的燈籠中的 多種化學反應的精密協調。 主角是一種螢光素酶, 在漫長的進化中, 成功地把它的小染色體臂 包裹住了一個更小的螢光素分子, 這個過程中它受到激發, 以致發出了光。 不可思議。
But how could these bright lights have benefited some proto-firefly? To answer this question, we need to flip back in the family album to some baby pictures. Fireflies completely reinvent their bodies as they grow. They spend the vast majority of their lifetime, up to two years, in this larval form. Their main goal here, like my teenagers, is to eat and grow. And firefly light first originated in these juveniles. Every single firefly larva can light up, even when their adults can't.
但是這些亮光是如何讓 一些原始螢火蟲受益的呢? 要回答這個問題,我們需要先回顧 螢火蟲的族譜, 我們來看幾張小螢火蟲的照片。 在生長過程中, 螢火蟲完全變異了它們的身體, 它們生命中絕大部分的時間, 長至兩年, 都花在幼蟲期。 這時候它們主要的目標, 就像我青少年的孩子, 是吃和長大。 螢火蟲第一次發光 是在它們的青少年期。 每一隻螢火蟲幼蟲都可以發光, 即便它們長大以後不能發光。
But what's the point to being so conspicuous? Well, we know that these juveniles make nasty-tasting chemicals that help them survive their extended childhood, so we think these lights first evolved as a warning, a neon sign that says, "Toxic! Stay away!" to any would-be predators. It took many millions of years before these bright lights evolved into a smart communication tool that could be used not just to ward off potential predators but to bring in potential mates. Driven now by sexual selection, some adult fireflies like this proud male evolved a shiny new glow-in-the-dark lantern that would let them take courtship to a whole new level. These adults only live a few weeks, and now they're single-mindedly focused on sex, that is, on propelling their genes into the next firefly generation. So we can follow this male out into the field as he joins hundreds of other males who are all showing off their new courtship signals. It's amazing to think that the luminous displays we admire here and in fact everywhere around the world are actually the silent love songs of male fireflies. They're flying and flashing their hearts out. I still find it very romantic.
但是為什麼 它們要如此顯眼? 我們知道這些幼蟲 會製造難吃的化學物, 以保護自己安全度過漫長的童年。 所以我們認為,最開始進化出 這些亮光是作為一種警告, 這就像一個霓虹燈, 喊著:「有毒!走開!」 嚇唬任何可能的捕食者。 這之後又經過了好幾百萬年的時間, 這些亮光才進化成為 一種聰明的溝通工具, 不止是用來躲避可能的捕食者, 也用來吸引可能的伴侶。 現在來談談關於性擇, 一些成年螢火蟲, 就像這只驕傲的雄蟲, 演化出一個在黑暗中閃亮的燈籠, 這個燈籠會讓它的求愛 達到一個全新的水平。 這些成蟲只有幾個星期的壽命, 這時候它們一心只想著交配, 讓自己的基因繁衍出 下一代的螢火蟲。 我們可以跟著這隻雄蟲到野外去, 它置身於數百隻其他雄蟲中, 它們都在炫耀著它們新的求愛信號。 想想看,我們在這裡 和世界各地讚歎的 這些光亮, 它們其實是雄性螢火蟲 靜默無聲的情歌。 它們飛舞著,閃耀著它們的真心, 我至今認為,這太浪漫了。
But meanwhile, where are all the females? Well, they're lounging down below surveying their options. They have plenty of males to choose from, and these females turn out to be very picky. When a female sees a flash from an especially attractive male, she'll aim her lantern in his direction, and give him a flash back. It's her "come hither" sign. So he flies closer and he flashes again. If she still likes him, they'll strike up a conversation. These creatures speak their love in the language of light.
但同時,雌性螢火蟲在哪裡呢? 它們懶洋洋地待在低處, 審視著這些可能性。 有充足的雄性螢火蟲可供它們選擇, 而這些雌螢火蟲是非常挑剔的。 當一隻雌螢火蟲看到 一隻特別吸引人的雄性 發出的閃光時, 她會把她的燈籠朝向雄螢火蟲, 也給他一個閃光回應, 這是她在說「到這兒來」。 雄螢火蟲於是飛近她,再次閃光, 如果雌螢火蟲仍然喜歡他, 他們就開始聊起天來。 這種生物用光的語言 訴說他們的愛情。
So what exactly do these females consider sexy? We decided to conduct some firefly opinion polls to find out. When we tested females using blinking LED lights, we discovered they prefer males who give longer-lasting flashes. (Laughter) (Applause) I know you're wondering, what gives these males their sex appeal? Now we get to see what happens when the lights go out.
那麼,到底什麼對這些 雌螢火蟲來說是性感的呢? 我們決定在螢火蟲中做些民意調查 來尋求答案。 當我們用閃光的 LED 燈 測試雌螢火蟲時, 我們發現它們更喜歡 可以持久發光的雄性。 (大笑 )(鼓掌) 我猜你們想知道, 是什麼給予雄螢火蟲性吸引力? 那我們就要來看看 燈光熄滅後發生了什麼。
The first thing we discovered is that once a male and female hook up like this, they stay together all night long, and when we looked inside to see what might be happening, we discovered a surprising new twist to firefly sex. While they're mating, the male is busy giving the female not just his sperm but also a nutrient-filled package called a nuptial gift. We can zoom in to look more closely inside this mating pair. We can actually see the gift — it's shown here in red — as it's being passed from the male to the female. What makes this gift so valuable is that it's packed with protein that the female will use to provision her eggs. So females are keeping their eyes on this prize as they size up potential mates. We discovered that females use male flash signals to try to predict which males have the biggest gifts to offer, because this bling helps the female lay more eggs and ultimately launch more of her own offspring into the next generation.
我們發現的第一件事, 是一旦雄螢火蟲和雌螢火蟲 纏綿在一起時, 它們就會一整晚呆在一起, 我們再朝裡面看看, 看看正在發生什麼, 我們驚人地發現一個 螢火蟲性行為的轉折。 當它們交配時, 雄螢火蟲不止忙著 向雌螢火蟲射精, 還給她一個富含營養的袋子, 叫做新婚彩禮。 我們可以放大,更近地看看 在交配的螢火蟲的體內。 我們可以看到這個禮物—— 在這裡它看起來是紅色的—— 它正從雄螢火蟲傳向雌螢火蟲。 這個禮物如此珍貴, 是因為它有豐富的蛋白質, 這是雌螢火蟲產卵所必需的營養。 所以雌螢火蟲在評估 它們潛在的伴侶時, 都心繫於這個禮物。 我們發現雌螢火蟲 努力通過雄性的閃光信號 來預測哪些雄性 可以提供最豐厚的禮物, 因為這個閃光寶貝可以幫助 雌螢火蟲產下更多的卵, 以至於在新一代螢火蟲中, 可以有更多是她自己的後代。
So it's not all sweetness and light. Firefly romance is risky. For the most part, these adult fireflies don't get eaten because like their juveniles they can manufacture toxins that are repellent to birds and other insectivores, but somewhere along the line, one particular group of fireflies somehow lost the metabolic machinery needed to make their own protective toxins. This evolutionary flaw, which was discovered by my colleague Tom Eisner, has driven these fireflies to take their bright lights out into the night with treacherous intent. Dubbed "femme fatales" by Jim Lloyd, another colleague, these females have figured out how to target the males of other firefly species. So the hunt begins with the predator — she's shown here in the lower left — where she's sitting quietly and eavesdropping on the courtship conversation of her intended prey, and here's how it might go. First the prey male flashes, "Do you love me?" His own female responds, "Maybe." So then he flashes again. But this time, the predator sneaks in a reply that cleverly mimics exactly what the other female just said. She's not looking for love: she's looking for toxins. If she's good, she can lure this male close enough to reach out and grab him, and he's not just a light snack. Over the next hour, she slowly exsanguinates this male leaving behind just some gory remains. Unable to make their own toxins, these females resort to drinking the blood of other fireflies to get these protective chemicals. So a firefly vampire, brought to you by natural selection.
所以這不全是甜蜜和柔光, 螢火蟲的羅曼史也飽含危險的。 大部分情況下, 成年螢火蟲不會被吃掉, 因為像它們幼蟲時候一樣, 它們可以製造毒素, 讓鳥兒和其他食蟲動物躲開它們。 但在歷史的某一頁, 螢火蟲中的某一種類, 莫名其妙地就失去了這種代謝機制, 無法製造自己的防衛毒素。 這個進化中的小瑕疵, 是由我的同事湯姆·艾斯納發現的, 這促使這些螢火蟲 不懷好意地 在黑夜中點亮自己。 這是被我另一個同事吉姆·洛伊 稱為「蛇蠍美人」的雌性螢火蟲, 它們搞清楚了吸引 其他類型的雄螢火蟲的套路。 這場狩獵是從捕食者開始的—— 她在左下方這裡, 正安靜地坐著, 在偷聽她想要捕食的螢火蟲 求愛的對話, 接下來會發生的也許是如此。 首先,那個將被捕食的 雄螢火蟲說:「你愛我嗎?」 他自己的雌螢火蟲回答說, 「可能吧。」 所以接下來他又閃爍起來。 但這次,是捕獵者狡猾地在回答, 她很聰明,逼真地模仿 其他雌螢火蟲剛說過的話。 她不是在尋找愛:她在尋找毒素。 如果她是個中好手, 她可以勾引這隻雄螢火蟲繼續靠近, 直到抓住他, 他不止是一餐發光的小點心。 再接下來的一個小時,她慢慢地 把這隻雄螢火蟲的血抽光, 只剩下一具血淋淋的軀殼。 因為不能製造自己的毒素, 這些雌螢火蟲依靠 喝其他螢火蟲的血, 來得到這些有防衛作用的化學物質。 所以,在天擇下, 吸血鬼螢火蟲誕生了。
We still have a lot to learn about fireflies, but it looks like many stories will remain untold, because around the world, firefly populations are blinking out. The main culprit: habitat loss. Pretty much everywhere, the fields and forests, the mangroves and meadows that fireflies need to survive, are giving way to development and to sprawl.
還有很多關於螢火蟲的 故事等待我們去發現, 但可能許多故事會永遠保持著緘默, 因為在世界各地,螢火蟲 在眨眼的瞬間已經滅絕。 罪魁禍首是:棲息地的消失。 世界各地的許多曠野和森林, 紅樹林和草地, 這些螢火蟲生存需要的環境 都讓路給開發和擴張。
Here's another problem: we've conquered darkness, but in the process, we spill so much extra light out into the night that it disrupts the lives of other creatures, and fireflies are especially sensitive to light pollution because it obscures the signals that they use to find their mates.
還有另一個問題: 我們已經征服了黑暗, 但在這個過程中, 我們把這麼多多餘的光投向夜晚, 這讓其他生物的生活陷入混亂, 螢火蟲對光害尤其敏感, 因為這讓它們用來尋找配偶的 信號變得模糊不清。
Do we really need fireflies? After all, they're just one tiny bit of Earth's biodiversity. Yet every time a species is lost, it's like extinguishing a room full of candles one by one. You might not notice when the first few flames flicker out, but in the end, you're left sitting in darkness. As we work together to craft a planetary future, I hope we can find a way to keep these bright lights shining.
我們真的需要螢火蟲嗎? 畢竟,它們只是地球生物多樣性中 一個微小的點。 然而每次一種生物滅絕, 就像在一間擺滿蠟燭的房間裡 一個接一個地熄滅蠟燭。 你可能不會注意 最初搖曳熄滅的那些火焰, 但最後,只剩下你獨自坐在黑暗中。 在我們一起努力為這個星球 創造美好的未來時, 我希望我們可以找到一種方法 讓這些明亮的小燈籠繼續閃耀。
Thank you.
謝謝。
(Applause)
(鼓掌)