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The cosmos had taken its first step towards the beautiful place it is today.
宇宙向形成今天的绚丽多彩迈出了第一步
All thanks to irregularity, imperfection, a lack of order.
都归功于宇宙的不规律，瑕疵以及缺乏秩序
So next time someone complains that you have made a mistake,
所以下一次，如果有人抱怨你犯了错误
tell him that may be a good thing
告诉他这或许是件好事
because without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist.
因为如果没有瑕疵，你我都将不复存在
13.5 billion years ago, the universe was mostly hydrogen gas
135亿年前，宇宙主要由氢气构成
with gravity doing what gravity does
万有引力发挥其作用
which is to slowly pull it into vast clouds.
缓慢地将氢气汇聚成广阔的云层
Hydrogen is the simplest of gasses.
氢气是最简单的气体
But it has a very special property.
却有一种罕见的特性
It's a tremendous source of power.
它是个巨大的能量来源
Heat hydrogen to around 10 million degrees
将氢气加热至约一千万度
and it begins to produce the energy that makes the stars shine
它便产生出能够使恒星发光的能量
and supplies the universe with warmth and light.
并为宇宙提供温暖和光亮
To see how this works,
为进一步理解
let's imagine we can make a small star here on earth.
让我们想象可以在地球制造一颗小恒星
First, we need plenty of hydrogen gas,
首先，我们需要足够的氢气
about a sports stadium full would be perfect.
最好能充满整个体育场
Next we need to imagine squishing this hydrogen together,
接着，想象将氢气压缩
just as gravity does in space.
就像太空中的万有引力那样
As the hydrogen compacts,
伴随着氢气的压缩
the atoms of gas starts bouncing off each other
气体原子逐渐相互排斥
and the temperature begins to rise.
温度开始上升
By the time it's compressed down to the size of a soccer ball,
在压缩至足球大小时
the hydrogen reaches the critical 10 million degrees.
氢气到达临界的一千万度
And a process called nuclear fusion begins.
核聚变便开始了
The hydrogen starts to fuse together,
氢开始聚合到一起
making a new, heavier material, helium.
生成一种新的更重的物质，氦
With every step of this tiny bump and grind,
通过一步步微小的撞击和摩擦
some matter gets converted into pure energy.
一些物质转变为纯粹的能量
