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地球是一个相对较小且微不足道的地球行星 earth a relatively small and insignificant terrestrial planet in the
宇宙规模宏大，但有一个特征使这个世界真正 grand scale of the cosmos but there is one feature that makes this world truly
在其保护性气氛下隐约可见的特殊生物 special looming beneath its protective atmosphere simple and complex organisms
数十亿年的繁荣发展，已经塑造了 thrive for billions of years evolution has shaped the inhabitants of
地球最终创造了能够把握复杂性的有情生活 Earth eventually creating sentient life capable of grasping the complexities of
宇宙人类经常仰望星星 the universe humans have often looked to the Stars
想知道我们是否真的独自在广阔的空间中漂流 and wondered if we're in fact alone drifting through the vastness of space
虽然看起来有生命的生命是极为罕见的， while it appears sentient life is exceedingly rare is it possible that
简单的细胞生活在我们通常拥有的宇宙中相对普遍 simple cellular life is relatively common in the cosmos we have customarily
雄辩地将我们对生命的搜索限制在了星际可居住区 limited our search for life to the circumstellar habitable zone eloquently
这就是所谓的Goldilocks区，它是围绕恒星的一系列轨道， called the Goldilocks zone this is a range of orbits around a star that
提供足够的辐射能，以将液态水支撑在容器表面 provides enough radiant energy to support liquid water on the surface of a
给定足够大气压的行星 planet given sufficient atmospheric pressure
计算居住区域最需要考虑几个因素 several factors are considered for calculating the habitable zone the most
重要的是，恒星的大小和类型会推动恒星 important being the size and type of star hotter stars will push the
更宜居的区域，而较冷的恒星将需要 habitable zone further out whereas cooler stars will require
行星运行得更近，以留在我们太阳系的这个区域内 planets orbiting much closer to remain within this zone for our solar system
内边缘距太阳约1.42亿公里，外边缘 the inner edge is around 142 million kilometers from the Sun the outer edge
大约有2.4亿公里，几乎没有把地球放在内缘 is around 240 million kilometers that puts earth barely within the inner edge
居住区和火星外边缘的科学家们令人难以置信 of the habitable zone and Mars beyond the outer fringe incredibly scientists
正在推测生命在悄悄绕行的异国世界中的存在 are speculating about the existence of life on an exotic world quietly orbiting
穿过太阳系外层，有一个密集的行星状大气，富含 through the outer solar system with a dense planet like atmosphere rich in
氮气天气会产生甲烷雨和稳定的液体 nitrogen weather that produces methane rain and stable bodies of liquid on the
土星的卫星土卫六是我们太阳系中最独特，最令人兴奋的世界 surface Saturn's moon Titan is the most unique and exciting world in our solar
系统这个橙色的月亮是冻结的 system this orange moon is a frozen yet
易燃的世界，液态烃比所有 flammable world with hundreds of times more liquid hydrocarbons than all the
地球上已知的石油和天然气储量，为什么我们要考虑 known oil and natural gas reserves on earth so why are we considering the
泰坦生命的存在毕竟将近十亿五千万 existence of life on Titan after all it's almost one and a half billion
到目前为止，距太阳距离在可居住区之外 kilometres away from the Sun well outside of the habitable zone so far in
太阳光以光速行进需要一个多小时的事实 fact that sunlight traveling at well the speed of light takes over an hour to
到达土卫六，表面温度足够冷 reach Titan and temperatures on the surface are cold enough to make
现在，南极洲似乎是一个热带天堂，但令人惊讶的发现 Antarctica seem like a tropical paradise nevertheless astonishing discoveries now
建议在适当的元素下，细胞生命可以在这些条件下蓬勃发展 suggest that given the right elements cellular life might thrive in these
严酷的条件 frigid conditions [Music]
1655年由荷兰天文学家克里斯蒂安·惠更斯·泰坦（Christiaan Huygens Titan）发现 discovered in 1655 by the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens Titan was
土星的第一个已知卫星，太阳系中只有第六个已知的月亮 the first known moon of Saturn and only the sixth known moon in the solar system
在地球的月亮和木星的伽利略卫星之后 after Earth's moon and the Galilean moons of Jupiter
惠更斯将其命名为土星I Luna Latin，因为土卫六的卫星来自土卫六 Huygens named it Saturn I Luna Latin for Saturn's moon the name Titan came from
威廉·赫歇尔（William Herschel）的儿子约翰·赫歇尔（John Herschel）发现了- John Herschel the son of William Herschel who had discovered - and
土卫二他建议神话中的泰坦兄弟姐妹的名字 Enceladus he suggested names of the mythological Titans brothers and sisters
希腊神话中希腊土星Chronos的土卫六是 of Chronos the Greek Saturn in Greek mythology the Titans were a race of
传说中统治的盖亚和天王星的强大后裔 powerful deities descendants of Gaia and Uranus that ruled during the legendary
今天的黄金时代，我们知道土卫六是土星和地球的第六个椭圆形月亮 Golden Age today we know Titan as the sixth ellipsoidal moon from Saturn and
与其他卫星相比，我们太阳系中唯一一个拥有浓密大气的月亮 the only moon in our solar system with a dense atmosphere compared to the other
土星土卫六的主要卫星名不虚传 major moons of Saturn Titan truly lives up to its name
Brea的大小最接近，但仍小三倍 Brea is the closest in size but it's still 3 times smaller evidence suggests
在土星形成期间，任何大卫星都被 that during the formation of Saturn any large moons were either absorbed by
剧烈的碰撞，或者只是在经过时从其轨道弹出 dramatic collisions or simply ejected from their orbits while passing too
拉亚和我都非常接近强大的泰坦，据信这是 closely to the mighty Titan both Raya and I evidence are believed to be the
泰坦历史早期从壮观的碰撞中遗留的残骸 remnants from spectacular collisions early in titans history
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泰坦直径5,000 150公里 titans diameter of 5,000 150 kilometers
大约是地球直径的一半，几乎和火星一样大 is about half the diameter of Earth and nearly as large as Mars making it the
太阳系中第二大卫星，仅次于木星的木卫三。 second largest moon in the solar system after Jupiter's Ganymede while Titan
如果我们除去浓密的气氛，看起来会更大，很明显木卫三胜了 appears larger if we remove the dense atmosphere it's clear Ganymede wins the
叹息甚至汞的直径小于泰坦 sighs contest even mercury has a diameter smaller than Titan
但是，相比之下，汞比泰坦和木卫三的总和浓 however mercury is denser than both Titan and Ganymede combined compared to
我们自己的卫星土卫六大50％，土卫四密度大80％ our own moon Titan is 50% larger and 80% more massive Titans density is
体积相对较小，因此重力比地球小86％ relatively low for its volume so it has about 86 percent less gravity than Earth
这意味着您跳得比地球上快了八倍 which means you could jump almost eight times higher than you could on earth
站在土卫六的表面上，您将遇到平均温度 standing on the surface of Titan you would experience an average temperature
距太阳负179摄氏度的泰坦距离产生了 of negative 179 degrees Celsius Titans distance from the Sun yields this
禁止和持续严寒的环境仅占百分之一 forbidding and persistently frigid environment a mere one percent of the
太阳的光照达到土卫六，这意味着中午会显得非常暗淡 sun's illumination reaches Titan this means mid day would appear extremely dim
但它会比全光照下所观察到的照明亮度高300倍 yet it would be 300 times brighter than the illumination observed under a full
距土星泰坦120万公里的地球月球仅需 moon on earth orbiting 1.2 million kilometres from Saturn Titan takes only
如果您可以透过朦胧的气氛看到，则需要16天才能完成一个轨道 16 days to complete one orbit if you could see through the hazy atmosphere
站在土星表面四次出现十一点 while standing on the surface Saturn would appear eleven point four times
从地球表面看，与我们自己的月亮相比，天空更大 larger in the sky compared to our own moon as seen from the surface of Earth
土卫六的轨道偏心率很高，这意味着它的轨道不是很远 Titans orbital eccentricity is rather high which means its orbit is not very
圆形，因此在轨道的一侧更靠近土星 circular and thus passes closer to Saturn on one side of its orbit
就像我们自己的月亮泰坦被潮汐锁定并在上方同步旋转一样 like our own moon Titan is tidally locked and synchronous rotation above
土星的赤道意味着它总是向土星显示相同的面孔 Saturn's equator this means it always shows the same face toward Saturn and
它的日等于它的轨道周期 its day is equal to its orbital period
由一半水冰和一半岩石材料组成的土卫六具有堆积密度 composed of half water ice and half rocky material Titan has a bulk density
每立方厘米1.88克，其含水硅酸盐芯约为3400 of 1.88 grams per centimeter cube its hydrous silicate core is about 3400
围绕核心的直径为数公里的不同层 kilometres in diameter surrounding the core are several layers of different
冰的结晶形式是由水和 crystalline forms of ice a liquid subsurface ocean composed of water and
在地壳下发现氨，这可能是由于内部的热量和压力 ammonia is found under the crust this is possible due to heat and pressure within
土卫六内部和某种程度上来自土星的潮汐力量相结合 Titans interior and to some extent tidal forces from Saturn which combined
产生足够的热量以将液态水维持在其上方的表面以下 produces enough heat to sustain liquid water below its surface above the
地下海洋是地球上稀薄的水冰壳，地壳位于 subsurface ocean is a thin water ice crust on earth the crust sits on top of
上地幔由缓慢流动的高压热岩石组成 the upper mantle which is made up of hot high-pressure rock that slowly flows
长期以来，导致土地质量发生了变化， over long periods of time causing land masses to shift as they have since the
土卫六上的Pangea时间，但地表特征在30分钟内偏移了30公里 time of Pangaea on Titan however surface features shifted by 30 kilometers over a
仅两年的时间，这表明泰坦的外壳没有附着 period of only two years this indicates the crust of Titan is not attached to
相反，它实际上漂浮在欧罗巴和 the interior instead it actually floats atop a global ocean like Europa and
土卫二科学家相信生命条件可能存在 Enceladus scientists believe the conditions for life could exist within
在地球上的地下海洋层中，我们发现生命在蓬勃发展 the subsurface ocean layer here on earth we find life thriving around
海洋最深处的热液喷口，没有阳光 hydrothermal vents in the deepest parts of the ocean where no sunlight
渗透，所以不难想象泰坦之内的生活会蓬勃发展 penetrates so it's not hard to imagine that life could be thriving within Titan
地下海洋，但​​这只是地球上生命的一种潜力 subsurface ocean but that's only one potential for life on this planet like
月亮 moon
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泰坦浓密的橙色气氛是我们可以看到的最明显的特征 Titans thick orange atmosphere is the most distinguishable feature we can see
从太空看，它的橙色很可能是由杂聚物分子产生的 from space it's orange color is likely produced by hetero polymer molecules
这些低价留置权的艺术就像是有机沉淀物， called low liens these art are like organic precipitates that are thought to
由太阳对泰坦中甲烷的光解引起的反应中形成 form in reactions resulting from the sun's photolysis of methane in Titans
富含氮的气氛，而在当今地球上找不到人造留置权 nitrogen-rich atmosphere while faux liens are not found on modern-day earth
它们在外太阳系的冰月卫星上非常丰富，证据表明 they are rather abundant on icy moons in the outer solar system evidence suggest
尽管留置权可能会促进益生元化学的形成 that though liens may facilitate the formation of prebiotic chemistry this
可能对生命起源有重大影响，占98.4％ could have a significant implication of the origins of life composed of 98.4%
氮泰坦拥有太阳中唯一的富氮大气 nitrogen Titan has the only nitrogen-rich atmosphere in the solar
除地球系统外，剩余的1.6％由 system aside from earth the remaining 1.6 percent is composed of
大气中主要是甲烷和少量氢气，没有氧气 mostly methane and a little hydrogen with no oxygen in the atmosphere you
虽然无法呼吸泰坦 wouldn't be able to breathe on titan though
还有痕量的其他碳氢化合物，例如甲烷乙炔 there are trace amounts of other hydrocarbons like methane acetylene
丙烷和其他气体，例如氩氦气甚至氰化氢泰坦 propane and other gases such as argon helium and even hydrogen cyanide Titan's
大气层是地球大气层的2倍，是地球大气层的7.3倍 atmosphere is 2 times thicker than Earth's atmosphere and about 7.3 times
在每个表面积上更大的质量站立在您会感觉到的表面上 more massive on a per surface area basis standing on the surface you'd feel about
比地球上的压力大50％，相当于地球上的压力 50% more pressure than you would on earth that's equivalent to the pressure
当您在地球上水下15英尺潜水时，您会感到 you'd feel when diving 15 feet underwater on earth as a result you
不需要压力服就能在Titan上生存，但是您需要 would not require a pressure suit to survive on Titan but you would need
呼吸氧气，如果没有隔热服，您将冻结在 oxygen to breathe and without an insulated suit you would freeze where
在泰坦（Titans）浓密的大气层和低重力的作用下，您可以在几秒钟内站起来 you stood in seconds given Titans thick atmosphere and low gravity you could fly
就像一只鸟，翅膀系在手臂上 like a bird with a set of wings strapped to your arms the physical exertion
所需的可能肯定类似于在地上游泳 required might be similar to swimming through water on earth surely this
那些尝试这样做的人将不胜感激 knowledge would greatly have been appreciated for those who attempted such
一个世纪前地球上的泰坦漫画可笑的壮举低重力挣扎着 comical feats a century ago on earth Titans low gravity struggles to retain
它的大气层非常松散地环绕着月亮，并且旋转得更快 its atmosphere that wraps rather loosely around the moon and rotates much faster
中空层比其表面高出600公里 than its surface the mesosphere extends 600 kilometres above the surface that's
大约比国际空间站绕地球旋转高2倍 about 2 times higher than the International Space Station orbits earth
像地球上所有的卫星一样，比地球的中层高约480公里 and about 480 kilometers higher than Earth's mesosphere like all the moons in
我们的太阳系土卫六缺少磁层来屏蔽它 our solar system Titan lacks a magnetosphere required for shielding its
太阳风带来的大气层，但是泰坦花了95％的时间 atmosphere from the solar wind however Titan spends 95% of its time
在土星的磁层中，该图显示了土卫六在外面 within Saturn's magnetosphere this graphic illustrates Titan just outside
土星的保护性磁层在16天之内的短时间内 of Saturn's protective magnetosphere for a short period of time during its 16 day
在太阳和土星的磁层周围围绕着这颗天然气巨行星运行 orbit around the gas giant both sunlight and Saturn's magnetosphere
或形成难以置信的浓雾的中心地带1000公里 or central to the formation of titans incredibly thick haze 1000 kilometers
土卫六上方的氮和甲烷分子被分解为 above Titan's surface nitrogen and methane molecules are broken down as
光子和高能粒子与链条中的大气碰撞 photons and highly energized particles collide with the atmosphere in a chain
正离子和电子触发的许多化学反应 of chemical reactions triggered from positive ions and electrons a multitude
当这些化合物变大时，就会形成碳氢化合物 of hydrocarbons are formed as these compounds grow larger they begin to sink
土卫六大气层中的重量不断增加，因此土卫六大气层中的水深 deeper within Titan's atmosphere due to their increasing weight within the lower
大气中，这些大的原子和分子聚集体从中受益 atmosphere these large aggregates of atoms and molecules benefit from
最终产生基于碳的气溶胶的有利条件 favorable conditions ultimately producing carbon-based aerosols which
直接影响泰坦的气候 directly affects Titans climate you
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土卫六的气候受到唯一的调节 Titans climate is uniquely regulated by
存在冲突的环境影响大气 the presence of conflicting environmental effects atmospheric
甲烷会在表面上产生温室效应，没有它，土卫六就会成为 methane creates a greenhouse effect on the surface without which Titan would be
相反，碳基气雾剂 far colder conversely carbon-based aerosols that
产生浓厚的大气雾气有助于抗温室效应 produce the thick atmospheric haze contributes to an anti greenhouse effect
反过来，这会将90％的阳光反射回太空，从而抵消了一部分 this in turn reflects 90% of sunlight back into space canceling a portion of
温室效应并使其表面明显比其低温 the greenhouse effect and making its surface significantly colder than its
上层大气季节AB和持续流动紧缩持续约 upper atmosphere seasons AB and flow-on tightening each lasting about
卡西尼号航天器抵达土星七年半地球 seven-and-a-half earth years when the Cassini spacecraft arrived at Saturn in
2005泰坦（Titans）北极在任务结束时已进入冬季 2005 Titans North Pole was in the middle of winter by the end of its mission
卡西尼（Karsini）见证了北极变化的季节变化 Cassini witnessed the seasons change as the North Pole emerged into the light of
在季节性变化期间，南极的春天转变为秋天 spring in the South Pole transitioned into fall during the seasonal change
科学家有趣地在南极发现了巨大的冰云 scientists discovered a monstrous ice cloud over the South Pole interestingly
这种云在平流层中形成了一个对流层之上的稳定区域 this cloud formed in the stratosphere a stable region high above the troposphere
发现活跃天气层的地方有全球风和泰坦平流层 where the active weather layer is found global winds and Titan stratosphere
将气体从温暖的半球中的极传输到寒冷的极中 transport gases from the pole in the warm hemisphere to the pole in the cold
在冷极的半球，温暖的空气以沉陷的过程沉入 hemisphere at the cold pole the warm air sinks in a process known as subsidence
下沉的气体是烟雾，如碳氢化合物和含氮混合物 the sinking gases a mixture of smog like hydrocarbons and nitrogen bearing
称为腈x'的化学药品，可应对 chemicals called nitrile x' and counter colder and colder temperatures on the
下降的方式不同的气体将在不同的温度下冷凝，从而导致 way down different gases will condense at different temperatures resulting in a
在200高度的一定高度范围内的云层 layering of clouds over a range of altitudes at an altitude of 200
公里，南极上方也观察到有害的冰云 kilometres a noxious ice cloud was also observed above the South Pole
实验确定，奇异的冰云是氢的组合 experiments determined that the exotic ice cloud is a combination of hydrogen
氰化物和大环型化学苯两种化学物质 cyanide and the large ring shaped chemical benzene the two chemicals
似乎同时凝结形成冰粒，而不是 appear to have condensed at the same time to form ice particles rather than
一个被层叠在另一个漂浮在这些奇异云层之下的顶部 one being layered on top of the other drifting below these exotic cloud
地层是甲烷雨云，其形成方式与 formations are methane rain clouds that form in a remarkably similar way as
液态甲烷从地表蒸发时，云在地球上活动 clouds do on earth as liquid methane evaporates from the surface clouds are
到达温度和空气结合的高度时形成 formed when it reaches an altitude where the combination of temperature and air
凝结的压力已经成熟，通常只有1％的泰坦被 pressure is ripe for condensation typically only 1% of Titan is covered by
尽管出现了8％的快速云爆发， clouds though outburst of rapid cloud expansion by 8% has occurred as the
云层积聚着厚厚的液态甲烷雨滴，导致 clouds accumulate thick droplets of liquid methane rain down giving rise to
表面特征与地球极为相似 surface features strikingly similar to earth
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饰以山谷沙丘 adorned with mountains valleys dunes
河流海洋湖泊泰坦表面覆盖着类似地球的特征 rivers seas and lakes Titan surface is covered with earth-like features making
这是科学界中一项令人兴奋的研究， it an exciting study among the scientific community yet there are
表面上的奇特怪异特性，而不是沙子或尘土 surprisingly bizarre characteristics on its surface instead of sand or dirt
泰坦表面覆盖有非硅酸盐颗粒，这些颗粒基本上是 Titan surface is covered by non silicate granules the granules are essentially
碳氢化合物在大气中形成的长链塑料 plastics formed in the atmosphere as hydrocarbons produce longer chain
掉落到表面的分子包括被发现的丙烯 molecules that fall to the surface these include propylene which is found
在普通的家用塑料中，我们每天都会使用一种相当特殊的现象 in common household plastics we use every day a rather peculiar phenomenon
表明这些颗粒是带电的沙丘 indicates these granules are electrically charged sand dunes on earth
沿风的方向成形 are shaped in the direction the wind blows
但泰坦沙丘奇怪地形成了与流行相反的方向 but titans dunes are curiously formed in the opposite direction of the prevailing
当强风干扰表面的非硅酸盐颗粒时 winds when strong winds disturbed the non silicate granules on the surface an
当晶粒相互碰撞时会产生静电荷 electrostatic charge is produced as the grains collide with each other this
电荷提供足够的内聚力，使谷物可以在 charge provides enough cohesion that the grains can stick together for months at
一段时期，尤其是由于泰坦的影响，低重力科学家将其与 a time particularly because of titans low gravity scientists compared this to
如果包装花生和装运箱，您可能会观察到相同的效果，如果 the same effect you might observe with packing peanuts and shipping boxes if
您曾经将手臂卡在一堆包装花生中，您可能会注意到 you've ever stuck your arm in a pile of packing peanuts you probably notice that
其中一些由于摩擦电荷而粘在您的手臂上，同样的效果可以 some of them stuck to your arm due to a frictional charge the same effects can
如果用气球在头发上摩擦，静电会消失 be observed if you rub a balloon against your hair the electrostatic charge lifts
不像我们中的许多卫星，将气球拉开时，头发就会向上 your hair up as you pull the balloon away unlike many of the moons in our
太阳系的泰坦表面相对较光滑 solar system Titans surface is relatively smooth with
很少有撞击坑，这有两个原因 few impact craters there's a couple of reasons for this firstly Titans thick
大气破坏了大多数与之碰撞的物体 atmosphere destroys most objects colliding with it before they can ever
到达地表，其次认为是地质过程 reach the surface and second it's believed geological processes may have
重塑了泰坦的表面，尽管自从 reshaped Titans surface although tightening has been around since the
在半个八亿年前的太阳系形成过程中 formation of the solar system four and a half billion years ago its surface is
年轻得多，因为泰坦是如此冷酷的证据 much younger because Titan is so cold evidence
表明低温晶界是重塑泰坦表面的力 suggests that cryovolcanoes are the force reshaping Titan surface
不像地球上的火山喷出热岩浆，这些东西会喷射出挥发性物质，例如 unlike volcanoes on earth that erupt hot magma these things eject volatile such
从某种意义上讲，它们是水，氨或甲烷，是冰火山，最有可能 as water ammonia or methane in a sense these are ice volcanoes and most likely
泰坦大气中发现的甲烷的来源 the source of methane found in Titan's atmosphere an area of the surface known
由于Xanadu地区是一个较大的反射赤道区域， as the Xanadu region is a large reflective equatorial area about the
澳大利亚大小，到处都是山丘，之后被山谷和峡谷所割裂 size of Australia it's filled with hills and cut by valleys and chasms after
在惠更斯太空探测器上搭乘卡西尼号飞船 hitching a ride on the Cassini spacecraft the Huygens space probe
于2005年1月14日降落在Xanadu地区附近的泰坦表面 landed on the surface of Titan near the Xanadu region on January 14 2005 taking
三个小时穿越泰坦的浓密气氛 three hours to descend through Titans thick atmosphere
惠更斯成为第一个登陆外太阳系的探测器，也是唯一的探测器 Huygens became the first probe to land in the outer solar system and the only
探测降落在我们自己以外的月球上的数据，它发送回用于 probe to land on a moon other than our own it sent back data and images for
着陆后大约90分钟，并且仍是所有飞机中最遥远的着陆点 about 90 minutes after touchdown and remains the most distant landing of any
人造工艺品，虽然从惠更斯的影像中看不到湖泊或海洋 human-made craft although no lakes or oceans were seen from Huygens images it
似乎降落在一个尝试过的湖床上， appears to have landed in a tried of lake bed the rounded stones scene in
惠更斯照相机的正面与地球上的河石惊人地相似， front of Huygens camera are strikingly similar to river stones on earth that
由流动的水塑造，科学家认为着陆点被 are shaped by flowing water scientists believe the landing site is covered by
季节性降雨期间会产生液态甲烷，但随着季节的变化阳光 liquid methane during seasonal rains but as the seasons change sunlight
在这些图像中看到，蒸发的液体通向干燥的湖床 evaporates the liquid leading to the dry lakebed seen in these images
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titin的特色还在于山脉 titin also features mountains on its
地面雷达测高仪提示高度变化通常不超过 surface radar altimetry suggests height variation is low typically no more than
150米的偶然海拔变化已发现500米，并且 150 meters occasional elevation changes of 500 meters have been discovered and
泰坦（Titan）的山脉有时可达数百米甚至超过一米 Titan has mountains that sometimes reach several hundred meters to more than one
公里高，而令人惊叹的美丽山脉相对 kilometer in height while stunningly beautiful mountains are relatively
常见但令人难以置信的发现是液体在表面流动会破碎 common but the incredible discovery of flowing liquid on the surface shatters
除地球以外，与其他世界的任何共性都是分子化合物 any commonality with other worlds besides earth h2o a molecular compound
在1.17亿个湖泊中发现，这些湖泊遍布地球上的每个大陆 found in 117 million lakes dotting the surface of every continent on earth yet
这仅占地球水的不到1％，而其中的97％被发现 this accounts for less than 1% of Earth's water a whopping 97% is found in
覆盖我们星球71％的广阔海洋 a vast global ocean covering 71% of our planet our proximity to the Sun
促进液态水稳定的海洋和充满水的湖泊 facilitates the stable bodies of liquid water oceans and lakes filled with water
我们如此熟悉，泰坦挑战我们最疯狂的想象 are so familiar to us that Titan challenges our wildest imagination as
太阳系中唯一能在其上保持稳定液体的房屋 the only other home in our solar system to hold stable bodies of liquid on its
地表，但与地球不同，土卫六的湖泊和海洋没有充满水 surface but unlike earth Titan's lakes and seas are not filled with water
当卡西尼号航天器于2004年开始研究土星系统时， when the Cassini spacecraft began studying the Saturnian system in 2004 it
在泰坦南极附近观察到一个黑暗特征 observed a dark feature near Titan South Pole
叫做安大略湖，后来被证实是碳氢化合物湖 called Ontario lacus this was later confirmed to be a hydrocarbon lake
充满液态甲烷，乙烷和丙烷的主要成分 filled with liquid methane ethane and propane the main components found in
安大略湖天然气是泰坦南部发现的最大湖泊 natural gas Ontario lacus is the largest lake found in Titan's southern
半球Lacus当然是拉丁文，对于湖雷达测量表明 hemisphere lacus is of course Latin for Lake radar measurements indicate the
安大略湖的平均深度极浅，范围从40 average depth of Ontario lacus is extremely shallow ranging from 40
厘米至3米，最大深度为7米（约23英尺）， centimeters to 3 meters and a maximum depth of 7 meters or about 23 feet with
甲烷在氧气存在下是极易燃的化合物， methane being an extremely flammable compound in the presence of oxygen it's
很难想象这些东西会像水一样在湖岸上拍打 difficult to imagine this stuff lapping against a lakeshore as water does on
地球，这当然是一件好事，泰坦的气氛中缺少氧气 earth it's certainly a good thing Titans atmosphere is lacking oxygen when Titans
北极从15年的冬季黑暗中出现，卡西尼号发现了 North Pole emerged from 15 years of winter darkness Cassini discovered a
湖叫景宝湖，这张令人惊叹的红外照片 lake called Jing PO lacus this stunning photo of the infrareds picking
卡西尼号捕获了反射，因为太阳光被表面反射了 reflection was captured by Cassini as sunlight was reflected off the surface
湖中有数十个较小的湖泊 of the lake dozens of smaller lakes have been
在泰坦的北极地区发现，其中一些长达50公里 discovered in Titan's North Pole region some of them up to 50 kilometers across
似乎缺乏阳光并收紧了极地区域，防止了这种情况 it seems the lack of sunlight and tightens polar region prevents this
蒸发造成的湖泊高度集中 rather high concentration of lakes from evaporating
但湖泊并不是在泰坦表面上发现的唯一惊喜，它也具有三个C but lakes aren't the only surprise found on Titan surface it also has three C's
位于北极附近的液态甲烷 of liquid methane located near the North Pole
l'chayim re是泰坦岛上的第二大海洋，它比苏必利尔湖更大 l'chayim re is the second largest sea on Titan it's larger than Lake Superior on
表面积为126000平方公里的地球 earth with a surface area 126 thousand square kilometers and contains enough
液态甲烷充满密歇根湖三遍 liquid methane to fill Lake Michigan three times over
YJ Amari比安大略省的湖泊更深，平均20至40米， YJ Amari is much deeper than Ontario lacus averaging 20 to 40 meters with
某些深度超过200米的部分有几条碳氢化合物河流入 some parts exceeding 200 metres in depth several hydrocarbon rivers flow into
像阿毛里（Aaury）最长的一个，跨过四百公里 like a Amaury the longest one stretching four hundred kilometers across the
地面雷达观测显示，泰坦第二大海的表面是 surface radar observations showed the surface of Titans second largest sea was
像玻璃一样光滑，波高不超过一毫米 smooth as glass with waves no taller than one millimeter this was a
给定泰坦的大气密度波可能是令人困惑的发现 confounding discovery given titans atmospheric density waves can be
以比地球低的风速产生，应该高出七倍 generated at lower wind speeds than on earth and should be seven times higher
泰坦的礼貌降低了重力，或者液体是如此粘稠，以至于波动 courtesy of titans lower gravity either the liquid is so viscous that waves
在观测过程中，很难形成或更有可能发生表面风的现象很少 struggle to form or more likely surface winds were minimal during observations a
土卫六上的一年等于地球上的30年，所以它的季节相当长 year on Titan is equal to 30 years on earth so its seasons are rather long
在漫长的黑暗冬天里，爱茉莉有时会平静下来， it's possible like a amore is seasonably calm during the long dark winter while
在暑假期间，太阳的能量可能会在泰坦巨浪中驱动更强的风，因此 the sun's energy may drive stronger winds during titans long summer and thus
产生更高的波浪在La观察到另一个相当奇特的现象 produced higher waves another rather peculiar phenomenon was observed in La
乔亚·玛丽（Joya Mari）和前身为魔幻岛（Magic Island）的观测资料显示了进化过程 Joya Mari and formerly known as Magic Island observations show the evolution
克塞尼亚湖中的一处短暂景象见证了这座小岛的消失， of a transient feature within the lake Ksenia witness this island disappear and
随着时间的推移重新出现，潮汐海平面或海浪无法解释 reappear over time which can't be explained by tides sea level or sea
底线变化我们不确定，但科学家推测氮 floor changes we're not sure but scientists speculate that nitrogen
形成气泡，泰坦海洋停留了一段时间 bubbles formed and titans oceans sit on the surface for a period of time
创建一个最终消散泰坦最大海洋的临时岛 creating a temporary island that eventually dissipates titans largest sea
在北极地区也发现了Kraken Mari是40万 is also found in the north polar region the Kraken Mari is four hundred thousand
平方公里，几乎与得克萨斯州以传奇般的名字命名的面积相同 square kilometers that's almost the same size as Texas named after the legendary
海怪Kraken Mari分为两部分，两岸相连 sea monster Kraken Mari is split in two parts with a strait connecting each side
由于泰坦的关系，它的大小与直布罗陀海峡大致相同 that's roughly the same size as the Strait of Gibraltar because of titans
绕轨道偏心时，土星经过时会受到来自土星的更多潮汐力 orbital eccentricity it experiences more tidal forces from saturn as it passes
最接近行星，这可能会导致一米的潮汐产生强烈的 closest to the planet this may cause tides of one meter generating strong
街上的潮流和漩涡亲切地昵称为喉咙。 currents and whirlpools in the street affectionately nicknamed the throat of
Kraken，我们只讨论了一些主要 Kraken we've only discussed a few of the major
土卫六上的湖泊和海洋至少我们知道36个湖泊和三个海洋 lakes and seas on Titan there's at least 36 lakes we know of and three seas
它们总共含有地球上300倍的石油储量，而 together they contain 300 times the volume of oil reserves on earth while
泰坦的湖泊和海洋令人着迷，其中最令人兴奋的部分是 Titan's lakes and seas are incredibly intriguing the most exciting part is the
生命在其中繁荣发展的可能性 possibility of life thriving within them
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泰坦是否存在生命是最有趣的问题之一 whether or not life is present on titan is one of the most intriguing questions
科学家目前正在研究泰坦的浓稠气氛是一种汤 currently being researched by scientists Titans thick atmosphere is a soup of
适用于益生元化学或潜在的复杂有机化合物 complex organic compounds ideal for prebiotic chemistry or potentially
异国生活评论家断言泰坦太冷了，液态水不存在 exotic life critics assert that Titan is far too cold for liquid water to exist
在其表面上，因此使生命不可能发展的可能性我们知道 on its surface and thus making it unlikely that life could develop we know
水是地球上所有生命的溶剂，但是如果我们将水替换为 that water is the solvent of all life on Earth but what if we replaced water with
液态烃，尽管水是更强的溶剂，但化学性更强 a liquid hydrocarbon although water is a stronger solvent it's more chemically
具有反应性，并且可以通过水解分解大的有机分子 reactive and can break down large organic molecules through hydrolysis if
如果在泰坦上使用液态甲烷作为溶剂，那么它将不会面临风险 weif on titan used liquid methane as a solvent then it would not face the risk
的生物分子被生活在水中的水解生命形式破坏 of its biomolecules being destroyed through hydrolysis life-forms living in
泰坦河，湖泊或液态碳氢化合物的海洋会吸收氢 titans rivers lakes or seas of liquid hydrocarbons would intake hydrogen in
氧与乙炔（而不是葡萄糖）反应生成甲烷 place of oxygen react it with acetylene instead of glucose and produce methane
相比之下，二氧化碳代替了地球上的一些发动机 instead of carbon dioxide by comparison some methen engines on earth obtain
通过使氢气与二氧化碳反应生成甲烷和水来产生能量 energy by reacting hydrogen with carbon dioxide producing methane and water if
存在足够多的产甲烷寿命，然后 methanogenic life existed in sufficient numbers then a measurable effect of the
应当观察到氢气和土卫六的大气 hydrogen and Titan's atmosphere should be observed
奇怪的是，科学家们发现附近的氢气和乙炔的水平 curiously scientists have found levels of hydrogen and acetylene near the
表面远低于预期的扩散物理原理 surface to be much lower than expected the physics of diffusion causes the
较高浓度的氢和泰坦大气层向下流动 higher concentration of hydrogen and Titans upper atmosphere to flow downward
以每秒1025个分子的速度，但靠近表面向下 at a rate of 1025 molecules per second but near the surface the downward
流动的氢气显然消失了，这可能是甲烷生成的结果 flowing hydrogen apparently disappears could this be the result of methanogenic
发现钛表面上消耗生命的氢 life consuming hydrogen on titan surface while this discovery
暗示了泰坦生命的真正潜力，一些科学家警告说其他 suggests a real potential for life on Titan some scientist caution that other
诸如人为错误或气象过程之类的解释更有可能 explanations like human error or meteorological processes are more likely
矿物催化剂也可能使 it's also possible that a mineral catalyst is present that enables
氢并沉降以发生化学反应，但我们不知道有任何这种反应 hydrogen and settling to react chemically but we don't know of any such
迄今为止的催化剂和一种发现可能比我们更令人惊讶 catalyst to date and the discovery of one might be more surprising than if we
假设确实在泰坦上复活了，实际上确实在泰坦上找到了生命 actually did find life on titan assuming life did arise on titan how could it
在没有液态水的情况下形成稳定的细胞，地球细胞依靠磷脂 form a stable cell without liquid water on earth cells rely on a phospholipid
双层保护结构，将细胞内部与 bilayer the protective structure that separates the inside of the cell from
外界这些脂肪分子需要水才能存在科学家开始 the outside world these fatty molecules require water to exist scientists began
寻找可以使细胞生命在泰坦中蓬勃发展的化合物 looking for compounds that could allow cellular life to thrive in Titans
在甲烷湖泊和海洋中，他们发现有机化合物丙烯腈可以 methane lakes and seas they found the organic compound acrylonitrile could
形成一个中空的微观球体，称为“自动区域” form a hollow microscopic sphere that they dubbed in as autozone this
保护片将提供稳定电池所需的分隔 protective sheet would provide the separation necessary for a stable cell
事实证明，天文学家已经在太空中发现了很多这样的东西 membrane as it turns out astronomers have discovered a lot of this stuff in
泰坦的大气层，同时从智利的阿尔玛天文台观测到 Titan's atmosphere while observing it from the Alma Observatory in Chile
甲烷雨带到地面NASA戈达德研究小组估计泰坦 carried to the surface by methane rain NASA Goddard's team estimate that Titans
看起来像Amaury可能已经积累了足够的丙烯腈以形成约10 see like a Amaury could have accumulated enough acrylonitrile to form about 10
百万作为常温和每毫升或每四分之一茶匙液体 million as autosomes and every milliliter or quarter teaspoon of liquid
相比之下，每毫升沿海海洋中大约有一百万个细菌 that's compared to roughly a million bacteria per milliliter of coastal ocean
地球上的水对泰坦大气气体的进一步研究发现了一些东西 water on earth further studies of titans atmospheric gases found something
当能量施加到在气体中发现的相同气体的组合时，这是奇迹 miraculous when energy was applied to a combination of the same gases found on
泰坦生产的某些化合物包括五个核苷酸碱基 titan some of the compounds produced included the five nucleotide bases that
构成了DNA和RNA以及氨基酸的基础 constitute the building blocks of DNA and RNA as well as amino acids the
我们知道蛋白质生命的基本组成部分如果没有这些物质就不可能存在 building blocks of protein life as we know it could not exist without these
重要元素，甚至异国生命形式也可能需要 vital elements and it seems likely that even exotic life forms would require
相似的东西 something similar
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所有证据都表明令人兴奋 all the evidence suggests an exciting
泰坦生命的兴旺发展潜力 potential for life to arise and thrive in Titans
不利的环境，但是我们不能肯定地说不发送另一个 adverse environment but we just can't say for certain without sending another
研究泰坦甲烷湖泊和海洋表面的探测器 probe to study the surface of Titans methane lakes and seas which is
正是NASA正在计划的最令人兴奋的想法涉及潜水器 precisely what NASA is planning the most exciting idea involves a submersible
到2038年，这艘潜艇将发射自动驾驶汽车， autonomous vehicle launching by the year 2038 this submarine would splashdown and
泰坦最大的海域Kraken Mari成为第一个探索的潜艇 Titans largest sea the Kraken Mari becoming the first submarine to explore
外星人的深度见美国国家航空航天局增加了一艘潜艇 the depths of an extraterrestrial see the addition of a submarine to NASA's
舰队将扩大能力，以包括“泰坦”潜艇可能遇到的情况 fleet would expand their capabilities to include situations a Titan sub could
在寻找泰坦海中的生命方面被证明非常有用，但它可能 prove incredibly useful in the search for life within titan seas but it might
还提供了一些线索，说明地球上的生命是如何形成的 also offer clues to how life on Earth form with an array of sophisticated
潜艇上的自主仪器将进行观察和分析 autonomous instruments onboard the submarine would observe and analyze
从Kraken Mari的底部取样，想想我们几乎是令人毛骨悚然的 samples from the bottom of Kraken Mari it's almost eerie to think of what we
潜水时会发现甲烷的深度渗入 could find while diving the depths of a liquid methane seep several other
卡西尼号令人难以置信的发现之后，提出了飞行任务的想法 mission ideas have been proposed in the wake of Cassini's incredible discoveries
这给我们带来了无穷无尽的有趣问题，其中包括 that has left us with an endless supply of intriguing questions these include a
气球从海拔10高度环绕泰坦的大气层 balloon circumnavigating Titan's atmosphere from an altitude of 10
公里，这是一架自动飞机，可以拍摄泰坦在航行中的表面 kilometers a robotic aircraft that would photograph Titan's surface as it cruised
穿过大气层和一艘装有小型螺旋桨的船 through the atmosphere and a boat that has small propellers allowing it to
探索这些未来的泰坦海洋湖泊和河流的表面和海岸线 explore the surface and shorelines of Titan seas lakes and rivers these future
努力令人兴奋，但我们必须暂时保持耐心 endeavors are beyond exciting but we'll have to remain patient for the time
因为这些只是初步建议，我们 being since these are just preliminary proposals we
如果我们希望大胆尝试，将面临重大的工程挑战 face crucial engineering challenges ahead if we ever hope to boldly attempt
与潜艇自主研究外星海的任务 a mission to study an extraterrestrial sea with a submersible autonomous
现在的问题仍然是，我们回到美国后会找到生命吗 vehicle for now the question remains will we find life upon our return to
这个橙色的月亮，无论未来如何，泰坦将永远存在 this orange moon no matter what the future holds Titan will always remain
我们在银河系安静的角落中最不寻常的世界之一，谢谢 one of the most extraordinary worlds in our quiet corner of the galaxy thank you
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