Why is space so smooth and the contents of the cosmos so evenly distributed? According to the plain-vanilla big bang model of the universe's origins, space could be jaggedy or warped in all manner of curious ways.

为什么空间如此平滑，宇宙的物质分布如此均匀？根据最少假设的宇宙起源的大爆炸模型，空间可能取各种参差不齐的或让人惊奇的扭曲的方式。

The current standard explanation is that just after its birth the universe went through a period of breakneck expansion in which regions of space were pulled apart faster than the speed of light, ironing out all the wrinkles. The driving force behind this "inflation" was a hugely energetic field that briefly dominated the cosmos before dissolving into other matter and radiation.

目前的标准解释是，刚出生后的宇宙经历了一段时间的急速扩张，空间区域被拉开的速度超过光的速度，因而消除了所有的皱纹。 "暴胀"背后的驱动力是一个巨大的能量场，短暂地主导了宇宙，然后衰变成其他物质和辐射。

Quantum theory says that every field has an associated particle - in this case the inflaton. Its existence would have some intriguing implications. Quantum fluctuations in the inflaton field make it very difficult to turn off completely, so parts of the original cosmos will still be inflating, making for a "multiverse" of independently developing universes.

量子理论认为，每一个场都有一个关联的粒子——暴胀亦然。它的存在有一些有趣的影响。暴胀场的量子涨落很难完全消除，所以原来宇宙的某些部分仍然会暴胀，产生自主演化的"多元宇宙"。

Direct evidence for the inflaton won't be coming any time soon, though. At a minimum, you would require an accelerator capable of producing a trillion times the LHC's energy density, says Paul Steinhardt of Princeton University. "But then you have to figure out what to accelerate such that, when it collides, it would produce inflatons."

虽然暴胀子的直接证据将不会很快出现，因为至少，你将需要一个能产生大型强子对撞机能量密度万亿倍的加速器，普林斯顿大学的Paul Steinhardt说。 "但你必须弄清楚什么加速碰撞时，会产生暴胀子"。

• contents [´kɔ:ntents]   n.容纳物；要旨   (初中英语单词)
• explanation [,eksplə´neiʃən]   n.解释；说明；辩解   (初中英语单词)
• briefly [´bri:fli]   ad.简短地；简略地   (初中英语单词)
• existence [ig´zistəns]   n.存在；生存；生活   (初中英语单词)
• capable [´keipəbəl]   a.有能力；能干的   (初中英语单词)
• energy [´enədʒi]   n.活力，精力；能力   (初中英语单词)
• universe [´ju:nivə:s]   n.天地；全人类；银河系   (高中英语单词)
• expansion [ik´spænʃən]   n.扩大；膨胀；发展   (高中英语单词)
• particle [´pɑ:tikl]   n.微粒；极小量   (高中英语单词)
• minimum [´miniməm]   n.最小量 a.最小的   (高中英语单词)
• energetic [,enə´dʒetik]   a.精力旺盛的；有力的   (英语四级单词)
• independently [,indi´pendəntli]   ad.独立地；自由地   (英语六级单词)
• density [´densiti]   n.浓(稠)密；密度   (英语六级单词)
• accelerate [ək´seləreit]   v.加速；变快；促进   (英语六级单词)