Hold FAST,aliens aren't invading

2020-12-05吉林通化市第一中学

疯狂英语·新悦读 2020年11期

关键词：过滤器区分吉林

吉林通化市第一中学李波

难词探意

1.vastness/vɑːstnəs/n.巨大；广阔

2.filter/΄fıltə(r)/n.过滤器

3.distinguish/dı΄stıŋɡwıʃ/v.区分；辨别

4.browse/ˌbraʊz/v.浏览

On 28th April,2020,Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope(FAST),nicknamed “China's Eye of Heaven”,officially began its search for intelligence beyond Earth.

It seems that The Three-Body Problem,a science fiction by Chinese author Liu Cixin,has so deeply influenced minds that everybody is worried about the possibility of the Earth being invaded by an advanced civilization beyond Earth.Given the vastness of the universe,such worries are unnecessary,at least for now.Of the 1,800 planets discovered,fewer than 20 can support life,and the closest one,Gliese 581,is 20.4 light years from Earth.

And that's life of any kind.According to Robin Hanson's great filter theory,there is less than a one-in-a-million chance of that life developing into higher intelligence or a civilization.And since their distance from China could even be millions or billions of light years away,if they travel at the speed of light it would take them at least millions of years to reach us.

Therefore,do not worry about aliens invading us because that won't happen anytime soon.However,that does not mean FAST's job is meaningless.As humankind's most sensitive radio telescope,FAST can best collect signals from the universe.Researchers can distinguish even a 4 Hz difference in the signals received,meaning it can best distinguish between man made and alien-made signals.Even the signals from a non-alien civilization are useful,because they might contain some hidden information leading to the discovery of new stars or planets.

With FAST joining the cause,humankind can browse the universe more deeply than ever before and increase knowledge about the universe.And whatever it achieves is the best evidence of China's advanced technology in astronomy and the study of the universe.

On Monday,the Pentagon released three short video clips about UFOs,shot by the US navy.More exploration will be required to rule out aliens.China's efforts in this regard will be essential.

Reading

Check

1.What can we learn about The Three-Body Problem?

A.It has caused a lot of panic.

B.It's anti-scientific literature.

C.It promotes the wisdom of aliens.

D.It is a novel about the science of the universe.

2.Why does the author mention Robin Hanson?

A.To introduce his theory.

B.To let Liu Cixin have a comparison.

C.To remove people's fears of alien invasion.

D.To let readers know about aliens'intelligence.