20100603 Undersea Robots Go Green (1)

Undersea Robots Go Green

Undersea robots no longer depend on batteries for power

What can stay at sea for possibly years at a time, run on natural energy and will do what you tell it with no questions asked? It's certainly not a human or a sea creature. Is it an alien from another pianet? No! It's an undersea robotic glider now being used for the exploration of our oceans' abysses.

The first green undersea robot

Scientists have been experimenting with this torpedo-shaped, undersea robotic glider since December 2007. This green glider, powered by heat energy harvested from the ocean, is the first self-propelled undersea vehicle to journey great distances for long periods of time. However, since this glider depends on battery power to operate the onboard instruments and rudder, it is technically a hybrid.

Its potential

Unlike most battery-powered undersea robotic gliders, this one's energy source is virtually unlimited. Consequently, study of the oceans' depths around the clock for multiple years at a time is no longer out of the question. Gliders in this category are designed for long-term, long distance journeys that are impossible or impractical for humans to make. Thanks to this glider and other inventions of this nature, exploring our blue oceans is becoming more efficient and greener all the time.

exploration n. 勘查/探測/探索

eg: Human exploration of space never seems to cease.

=> 人類對太空的探索似乎從未停止。

eg: The research team started an in-depth exploration of the South Pole last year.

=> 這個研究團隊去年開始在南極深度的勘查。

propell v. 推進

self-propelled adj. 不用人拉動的/自力推進的/機動式的

=> push itself forward

eg: a self-propelled vacuum cleaner 自行推動的自動吸塵器

eg: a self-propelled boat 機器推動的船

around the clock 日以繼夜地(當副詞片語使用)

eg: Three shifts of workers worked together around the clock to meet the deadline.

=> 三個班的工作者日以繼夜地趕工要在限期內完工。

eg: The witness was guarded by the police around the clock.

=> 證人二十四小時受到警方的保護

abyss n. 深淵/深坑/深處

torpedo-shaped 魚雷形狀的

glider n. 滑翔機

rudder n. (船的)舵/(飛機的)方向舵

=> a rudder guides the direction of the ship

virtually adv. 差不多

=> almost entirely

virtually unlimited

=> almost entirely unlimited

//== Chat room ==//

an alien from another planet

alien n. 外星人/外國的/不同性質的

alien n. 外國人/外僑

定居在外國的外僑可能是resident alien或是illegal alien

resident alien 合法居留者

illegal alien 非法居留者

immigrant 移民的人

immigration 移民/移居

immigration 入出境管理

Customs 海關

eg: go through immigration

immigration lost

//== Grammar on the Go ==//

Consequently, study of the ocean depths around the clock for mltiple years at a time is no longer out of the question.

=> The study of the ocean depth around the clock for multiple years at a time is possbile.

out of the question 不可能

=> impossible

out of the question

eg: For Sarah, taking a vacation this summer is out of the question.

eg: Try to use my cellphone to make a phonecall is completely out of the question.

======================================

out of question 無庸置疑

這裡的question為抽象名詞，意思為質疑

=> 因此out of question變成了質疑之外，也就是「無庸置疑」了

=> 請和out of the question區分

//== More Information ==//

Sending humans down to explore the ocean depths can be very dangerous. However, with the development of undersea robots, the danger factor has been removed making the impossible possible. Here are three once impossible things undersea robots have helped humans do.

Discover Titanic's grave

Recover gold and other treasures from ships that sunk centunes ago

Extract oil from the Gulf of Mexico