Interactive transcript · 165 lines
Good morning and a very warm welcome to TalkCast, your daily digest of the most fascinating
早上好，热烈欢迎收听 TalkCast，这是为您带来的每日精彩文摘，包含了最令人着迷的
developments in science, technology, and the world around us.
科学、技术以及我们周围世界的最新进展。
Today is September 19th, 2026, and we are absolutely delighted to have you join us for your morning
今天是2026年9月19日，我们非常高兴能有您的陪伴，一同开启早晨
dose of curiosity.
这剂好奇心食粮。
Good morning, everyone.
大家早安。
Yes, grab your favorite morning beverage, sit back, and get ready.
是的，端上一杯您最喜爱的早晨饮料，舒适地坐下，准备好。
We have got an incredible lineup for you today.
今天我们为您准备了精彩绝伦的节目阵容。
We are talking about virtual armies of AI making medical history, a massive revelation about our
我们将探讨 AI 虚拟大军创造医学历史，以及一个重大的揭示——关于我们
favorite giant dinosaur, a brand new scar on the face of the moon, and some surprising news about
最喜爱的巨型恐龙，月球表面的一道全新疤痕，以及一些令人惊讶的新闻——关于
how your breakfast might help you fight off plastic pollution.
您的早餐如何帮助您抵抗塑料污染。
It is a packed episode, Benjamin.
这真是内容丰富的一期，本杰明。
Let us dive straight into our top story, which comes from the cutting edge of medicine and
让我们直奔头条新闻，它来自医学前沿和
artificial intelligence.
人工智能。
Researchers have successfully used a cooperative team of AI agents to discover a highly promising
研究人员成功利用了一个协作的 AI 智能体团队，发现了一项非常有前景的
new drug to treat lung cancer.
用于治疗肺癌的新药。
Now, wait a second, Charlotte.
等等，夏洛特，稍等片刻。
When you say a team of AI agents, what exactly do you mean?
当你说到 AI 智能体团队时，你究竟是什么意思？
I think most of us are used to thinking of AI as just a single chatbot, like something we type
我想我们大多数人习惯于把 AI 仅仅看作一个单一的聊天机器人，就像我们输入
questions into.
问题的工具。
Are these AIs actually working together like human scientists?
这些 AI 实际上像人类科学家一样协同工作吗？
That is precisely what makes this so revolutionary.
这正是使其如此具有革命性的地方。
Instead of using a single large language model, a virtual biotechnology company put thousands of
一家虚拟生物技术公司没有使用单一的大语言模型，而是投入了数千个
specialized AI agents to work.
专业化的 AI 智能体投入工作。
These agents are autonomous software entities, each designed with a specific role.
这些智能体是自主的软件实体， 每个都设计有特定角色。
For instance, one AI agent might act as a chemist, designing molecules, while another acts as a
例如，一个 AI 智能体可以扮演化学家，设计分子，而另一个则扮演
biologist, testing how those molecules might interact with human cells.
生物学家，测试这些分子如何与人体细胞发生相互作用。
They even have manager agents to coordinate the workflow.
他们甚至有管理者智能体来协调工作流程。
That is absolutely mind -blowing.
那简直太令人震撼了。
It sounds like a virtual corporate boardroom where nobody ever sleeps, nobody complains about the
这听起来像是一个虚拟的企业会议室，那里没有人睡觉，没有人抱怨
coffee, and everyone is focused on curing cancer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Exactly.
咖啡，每个人都专注于每周7天、每天24小时地治愈癌症。确实如此。
And the results of this collaboration speak for themselves.
而这项合作的成果不言自明。
This virtual workforce managed to design, analyze, and optimize a highly effective drug candidate in
这支虚拟工作团队成功设计、分析并优化了一种高效的候选药物，且
a fraction of the time it would take human researchers.
所用时间仅为人类研究人员所需时间的一小部分。
We are talking about compressing years of laboratory guesswork into just a couple of weeks.
我们谈论的是将数年实验室的摸索压缩到仅仅几周之内。
That is a massive game changer for medicine.
这对医学来说是一个巨大的颠覆者。
Usually, bringing a drug from a basic idea to the preclinical trial stage costs millions of dollars
通常，将一种药物从基本构想推进到临床前试验阶段需要耗资数百万美元
and takes ages.
并且耗费漫长时间。
If we can use these AI co -scientists to streamline the process, we could see life -saving treatments
如果我们能利用这些 AI 协作者来精简这一流程，我们将能看到挽救生命的疗法
developed at an unprecedented pace.
以前所未有的速度开发出来。
Indeed, Benjamin.
确实如此，本杰明。
It shows that the future of scientific research might not just be humans using tools, but humans
这表明，科学研究的未来可能不仅仅是人类使用工具，更是人类
managing teams of digital experts.
管理数字专家团队。
Now, speaking of giants, let us travel back in time for our next story.
说到巨兽，让我们在下一个故事中穿梭回过去。
It turns out that the Tyrannosaurus rex was much more energetic than we previously thought.
事实证明，霸王龙比我们此前认为的要更加精力充沛。
Ah, the king of the dinosaurs.
啊，恐龙之王。
What has T -Rex been up to lately?
霸王龙最近有什么新动态？
Well, aside from being dead for 66 million years, of course.
嗯，当然，除了它已经灭绝了6600万年之外。
Well, scientists have recently analyzed the chemical makeup of T -Rex teeth.
好吧，科学家们最近分析了霸王龙牙齿的化学成分。
By studying the oxygen isotopes preserved in the enamel, they were able to calculate the animal's
通过研究牙釉质中保存的氧同位素，他们能够计算出这种动物的
average body temperature.
平均体温。
And guess what?
而且你猜怎么着？
Their blood was as hot as human blood, averaging around 97 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 36
它们的血液和人类的血液一样热，平均在华氏97度左右，大约是36
degrees Celsius.
摄氏度。
Wow, 97 degrees?
哇，97度？
That's incredibly warm.
那真是令人难以置信地温暖。
For a long time, people assumed dinosaurs were cold -blooded like modern lizards, meaning they had to
很长一段时间以来，人们一直假设恐龙像现代蜥蜴一样是冷血动物，这意味着它们必须
bask in the sun to get going and were generally slow and sluggish.
晒太阳才能活动，而且通常行动迟缓、慵懒。
But this changes everything, doesn't it?
但这改变了一切，不是吗？
It absolutely does.
这绝对是的。
A body temperature that high and stable suggests that T -Rex was warm -blooded or endothermic.
如此高且稳定的体温表明霸王龙是温血动物，即内温动物。
This means they generated their own body heat.
这意味着它们能产生自己的体温。
This high metabolism would have allowed them to be incredibly active, fast -running predators rather
这种高新陈代谢使它们能够成为非常活跃、奔跑迅速的捕食者，而不是
than slow scavengers.
缓慢的食腐动物。
Imagine a multi -ton beast running at high speeds with the metabolism of a warm -blooded mammal.
想象一下，一只重达数吨的巨兽，以温血哺乳动物的新陈代谢速度高速奔跑。
That is terrifying.
那太可怕了。
And on a related note, there was another fantastic dinosaur discovery recently, right here in North Dakota.
顺便提一下，最近就在北达科他州，还有一个极好的恐龙发现。
A high school science teacher out fossil hunting discovered four massive footprints that experts
一位在寻找化石的高中科学老师发现了四个巨大的脚印，专家们
have now confirmed as the first ever reported trackway of an adult T -Rex.
现已确认这是有史以来首次报道的成年霸王龙足迹链。
That is an extraordinary story of citizen science, Benjamin.
本杰明，这真是一个非凡的公众科学故事。
Finding fossilized gones is one thing, but footprints show us a moment in time, how the animal
发现石化的骨头是一回事，但脚印向我们展示了时间中的一个瞬间，即这种动物
actually moved across the landscape.
实际上是如何在地貌上移动的。
The teacher described it as a truly pivotal moment in his life, and it's easy to see why. Absolutely.
这位老师将其描述为他生命中一个真正关键的时刻，这很容易理解为什么。当然。
It's the ultimate field trip story for his students.
对他的学生来说，这是终极的野外考察故事。
From prehistoric Earth, let's look up at our nearest neighbor in space.
让我们从史前的地球，仰望空间中我们最近的邻居。
It seems the moon has a brand new feature. Yes.
看来月球有了一个全新的特征。是的。
A NASA spacecraft, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, has spotted a giant new crater on the moon.
美国宇航局的一艘航天器——月球勘测轨道飞行器，在月球上发现了一个巨大的新陨石坑。
It's about 222 meters wide, and scientists are calling it a once -in -a -century discovery.
它宽约222米，科学家称其为百年一遇的发现。
Wait, once in a century?
等等，一个世纪才一次？
Don't asteroids hit the moon all the time because it has no atmosphere to burn them up?
难道小行星不会因为月球没有大气层烧毁它们而一直撞击月球吗？
They do, but most are tiny.
确实如此，但大多数都很微小。
An impact large enough to create a crater of this size is extremely rare in modern times.
在现代，一次足以产生如此大小陨石坑的撞击是极其罕见的。
What makes this particular crater, named the Magetchen Crater, so special is how fresh it is.
这个被称为“马格钦陨石坑”的特别陨石坑之所以如此特殊，是因为它非常新鲜。
When an asteroid impacts the moon, it excavates fresh, bright rock and dust from beneath the
当小行星撞击月球时，它会从地表下方挖掘出新鲜、明亮的岩石和尘埃
surface, throwing it outward in lines called rays.
表面，将其向外抛射成被称为“辐射纹”的线条。
Over millions of years, solar radiation and space weathering darken this dust.
数百万年来，太阳辐射和太空风化使这些尘埃变暗。
But this new crater's debris still gleams brightly, meaning it formed very recently. Fascinating.
但这个新陨石坑的碎片仍然闪闪发光，这意味着它形成的时间非常近。太迷人了。
So it is basically like a fresh scar on the lunar surface, and we got there just in time to see it shining.
所以它基本上就像是月球表面上的一个新伤疤，而我们正好及时赶到，看到了它在闪耀。
It really reminds us that the solar system is still a dynamic active place.
这真的提醒了我们，太阳系仍然是一个充满活力且活跃的地方。
It certainly is.
当然是这样。
And our ability to observe these cosmic events is about to get a massive upgrade.
我们观测这些宇宙事件的能力即将获得巨大的升级。
NASA has just powered on the instruments of its new $4 billion Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope,
美国宇航局刚刚启动了其耗资40亿美元的新型南希·格雷斯·罗曼太空望远镜的仪器，
and it has successfully detected starlight for the very first time.
并且它有史以来第一次成功地检测到了星光。
Ah, the Roman Telescope.
啊，罗曼望远镜。
This is the one designed to have a field of view that is a hundred times larger than the Hubble
这是一台被设计为视野比哈勃大一百倍的望远镜，
Space Telescope, right?
太空望远镜，对吧？
It is like looking at the universe through a wide -angle lens instead of a straw. Exactly.
这就像是通过广角镜头而不是麦管看宇宙。一点没错。
And there's even more good news.
还有更多的绝佳消息。
After analyzing its fuel reserves and trajectory, NASA engineers realized that the telescope has
在分析了其燃料储备和轨道后，NASA 的工程师们意识到该望远镜具有
enough gas to operate for 22 years.
足够的燃料来运行22年。
That's more than double their original expectations.
这比他们最初的预期多了一倍以上。
Double the lifespan.
延长双倍的寿命。
That is like buying a car and finding out the gas tank magically holds twice as much fuel.
那就像买了一辆车，然后发现油箱神奇地能装下两倍的燃料。
Think of all the extra science, the dark energy maps, and the exoplanets we'll be able to discover
想想所有额外的科学研究、暗能量地图，以及我们将能够发现的系外行星
with those extra 12 years.
利用这额外的12年时间。
It is an incredible bonus for the scientific community.
这对于科学界来说是一个令人难以置信的福利。
Now, Benjamin, let's move on to some quick, fascinating science briefs.
现在，本杰明，让我们进入一些简短而引人入胜的科学简讯。
First, let's look at how researchers are using modern technology to read ancient secrets,
首先，让我们来看看研究人员如何利用现代技术来读取古老的秘密，
specifically the Herculaneum papyri.
特别是赫库兰尼姆纸草书。
Ah, yes.
啊，是的。
Those are the scrolls that were carbonized and essentially turned into charcoal when Mount Vesuvius
那些是在维苏威火山喷发时被碳化，本质上变成了木炭的卷轴，
erupted nearly 2 ,000 years ago.
大约在2000年前喷发。
They are so fragile that if you try to unroll them, they literally crumble into dust. Precisely.
它们是如此的脆弱，以至于如果你试图将它们展开，它们简直就会碎成粉末。确实如此。
But scientists have developed a brilliant, if somewhat counterintuitive, method to read them.
但是科学家们开发了一种非常聪明，尽管有点违背直觉的方法来阅读它们。
To train AI systems to read the invisible ink inside these charged scrolls, scientists actually made
为了训练人工智能系统读取这些带电卷轴内部看不见的墨水，科学家们实际上制作了
their own modern scrolls, wrote on them, and then deliberately burned them in a laboratory.
他们自己现代的卷轴，在上面写了字，然后故意在实验室里烧毁了它们。
Wait, they burned their own scrolls?
等等，他们烧毁了自己的卷轴？
That sounds like a mad scientist move, but I guess it makes perfect sense.
这听起来像是一个疯狂科学家的举动，但我猜这完全说得通。
You need to know what the burned ink looks like under x -rays when you actually know what the words
当你实际上提前知道那些字是什么时，你需要了解烧焦的墨水在X射线下是什么样子的
were beforehand. Exactly.
。事先。确实如此。
By using these home -baked, charged scrolls as a training guide, the AI can learn to detect the
通过使用这些自制的、带电的卷轴作为训练指南，人工智能可以学会检测出
subtle differences between carbonized caper and carbonized ink.
碳化纸张和碳化墨水之间的微妙差异。
This technique is opening up a whole library of ancient philosophy and literature that we thought
这项技术正在打开一整个我们原以为已经失传的古老哲学和文学宝库
was lost forever.
已经永远失去了。
That is pure genius.
这真是纯粹的天才之举。
Now, for our next brief, we have some bittersweet news from the far north.
现在，在我们的下一则简讯中，我们有一些来自遥远北方的苦乐参半的消息。
Canada's very last Epi -Shelf Lake has completely vanished.
加拿大最后一个冰架外湖已经完全消失了。
It is a sad milestone, Benjamin.
这是一个悲伤的里程碑，本杰明。
For our listeners who might not know, an Epi -Shelf Lake is a highly unusual geographical feature.
对于我们可能还不了解的听众来说，冰架外湖是一种非常不寻常的地理特征。
It's a body of fresh water that floats directly on top of denser, salty ocean water, trapped behind
这是一体淡水，直接漂浮在密度更高、含盐的海洋水之上，被困在后面
a thick ice shelf.
一个厚的冰架后面。
Because the ice shelf on Ellesmere Island collapsed, the freshwater simply drained out into the ocean.
由于埃尔斯米尔岛上的冰架崩塌了，淡水直接流进了海洋。
So, a unique ecosystem that existed for thousands of years is just gone.
因此，一个存在了数千年的独特生态系统就这样消失了。
Like someone pulled the plug in a giant bathtub.
就像有人拔掉了一个巨大的浴缸里的塞子。
It is a stark reminder of how rapidly the Arctic is changing.
这赤裸裸地提醒着我们北极的变化有多么迅速。
It certainly is.
确实如此。
Finally, let's bring things closer to home with a story that might affect your breakfast choices.
最后，让我们用一个可能会影响你早餐选择的故事来拉近与生活的距离。
A new study suggests that fermented foods could help protect our bodies from a very modern threat, nanoplastics.
一项新的研究表明，发酵食品可以帮助保护我们的身体免受一种非常现代的威胁——纳米塑料。
Oh, nanoplastics.
哦，纳米塑料。
Those are the microscopic plastic particles that are so tiny they can get into our bloodstream,
那些是极小的塑料颗粒，它们非常小，可以进入我们的血液，
often coming from food packaging, synthetic clothes, and polluted water.
通常来自食品包装、合成纤维衣服和被污染的水。
How on earth can fermented food help with that?
究竟发酵食品怎么能对此有所帮助呢？
Well, researchers discovered that certain beneficial bacteria found in traditional fermented foods,
好吧，研究人员发现，在传统的发酵食品中发现的某些有益细菌，
like yogurt, kimchi, and kefir, have a natural ability to bind to these tiny plastic particles.
比如酸奶、泡菜和开菲尔，具有与这些微小塑料颗粒结合的自然能力。
When we consume these foods, the healthy bacteria attach themselves to the nanoplastics in our
当我们食用这些食物时，健康的细菌会附着在我们体内的纳米塑料上
digestive tract, preventing them from crossing into our bodies and helping us safely flush them out.
消化道中，阻止它们 进入我们的身体，并帮助我们安全地将它们排出体外。
Well, that is the best excuse I have ever heard to have an extra helping of yogurt or kimchi.
好吧，这是我听过额外多吃一份酸奶或泡菜的最佳理由了。
It's amazing how traditional, ancient foods are helping us fight off modern, high -tech pollution.
传统而古老的食物正在帮助我们抵抗现代高科技污染，这太神奇了。
It is a wonderful example of natural solutions to modern problems.
这是利用自然解决方案应对现代问题的一个绝佳例子。
And with that healthy tip, we come to the end of today's News Digest on Talkcast.
有了这个健康小贴士，我们今天在Talkcast的《新闻简报》就结束了。
But before we sign off, we have a fun little question for our wonderful listeners today.
但在我们结束之前，我们今天为美妙的听众准备了一个有趣的小问题。
If you could name a newly discovered crater on the moon after anyone or anything, what would you
如果你能以任何人或任何事物的名字来命名月球上新发现的陨石坑，你会
name and why?
命名它，为什么？
Please write down your answers in the comments section below and take a look at what others are suggesting.
请在下方的评论区写下你的答案，并看看其他人的建议。
We always love reading your creative ideas.
我们一直很喜欢阅读你们富有创意的想法。
We certainly do.
我们当然如此。
A massive thank you to everyone for tuning in, and a special shout -out to our Talkcast members and subscribers.
非常感谢大家的收听，特别要向我们的 Talkcast 成员和订阅者表示致敬。
Your support, shares, and feedback keep this show running every single day.
您的支持、分享和反馈是节目每天持续运营的动力。
Yes, thank you so much.
是的，非常感谢。
And don't forget, if you want to practice your reading or review any of the vocabulary we used
别忘了，如果你想练习阅读或温习我们今天所使用的任何词汇
today, you can find the complete English transcript and audio of this episode on our website at www
今天，您可以在我们的网站 www 上找到本期节目的完整英文文本和音频
.talkcast .top or on our WeChat official account, which is also named Talkcast.
.talkcast.top，或者在我们的微信官方账号上，它也叫 Talkcast。
Have a fantastic, curiosity -filled morning, everyone.
祝大家度过一个奇妙且充满好奇心的早晨。
Until tomorrow, goodbye.
明天见，再见。
Goodbye, everyone.
大家再见。
Keep learning.
保持学习。
