時差N小時:科學(xué)家如何研究致命的疾病? How Do Scientists Study Deadly Diseases?

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唐，我有個小問題想問你，

What do the Ebola virus,anthrax, and the avian fluhave in common?

埃博拉病毒、炭疽熱和禽流感這些疾病有哪些共同的特點?

After all, they're some of the most dangerous, deadlydiseases around.

歸根到底，它們是最危險、最致命的疾病。

On today's A Moment ofScience, we're looking at aless expected link among these types of disease: therisk that's involvedin researching them.

在今天的科學(xué)一刻節(jié)目里，我們將探索與這些疾病有關(guān)但很少被關(guān)注的聯(lián)系：即研究它們所產(chǎn)生的風(fēng)險。

You see, scientific research into how dangerous diseases work is an inherently risky business.

眾所周知，關(guān)于高危疾病的科學(xué)研究總是非常危險的。

Byincreasing the amount of information that's available about lethal organisms such asanthrax,research also increases the risk of those pathogens being used for nefarious purposesbybioterrorists.

通過研究炭疽熱等致命微生物，我們可以加深對這類病毒的認(rèn)知，但是與此同時，這種研究也增提高了風(fēng)險，因為這些致命病毒有可能被生化恐怖分子利用。

On the other hand, though, the more we know about these pathogens, the better equippedweare to predict the risks associated with them, develop vaccines that can prevent theirspread, orto treat illness quickly in the case of an outbreak.

換句話說，我們對這些病原體了解得越多，我們就可以更好地應(yīng)對與這些疾病相關(guān)的風(fēng)險，并可以研發(fā)疫苗以預(yù)防它們的傳播，或者一旦疫病大規(guī)模爆發(fā)我們可以迅速控制疫情。

Any research that has the potential to be used toward both beneficial and destructivepurposeshas a special classification.

如果某類研究可以同時被用于有益或者有害目的，那么這種研究有一個特殊的分類。

It's called Dual Use Research of Concern, or, DURC for short.

這種類別被稱為雙重用途研究，或簡稱為DURC。

DURC is highly regulated.

雙重用途研究的監(jiān)管很嚴(yán)格。

Scientists need special security clearance if their work has dual useconcern.

如果科學(xué)家的工作中有被定義為雙重用途的，那么他們需要經(jīng)過特殊的安全檢查。

They must have specialized training, they use top notch safety equipment, and theirwork iscarefully and constantly reviewed.

他們必須受到特殊的訓(xùn)練，他們使用的是最高級別的安全設(shè)備，并且他們的工作也要接受持續(xù)細(xì)致的審查。

Most importantly, though, projects stamped with theDURC classification have todemonstrate that the potential benefits of the knowledge they willgenerate outweigh theirrisks.

最重要的是，被定義為雙重用途研究的項目需要證明其產(chǎn)生的收益會超過所帶來的風(fēng)險。

DURC made a lot of headlines in 2012, thanks to a group of scientists who study the avian flu.

2012年，雙重用途研究制造了相當(dāng)多的頭條新聞，這要感謝那些研究禽流感的科學(xué)家團(tuán)隊。

Formore details about that risky research, tune in next time.

更多關(guān)于風(fēng)險研究的資訊，請關(guān)注下期節(jié)目。