(单词翻译:单击)
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This is Scientific American — 60-Second Science. I'm Christopher Intagliata.
Random numbers are hugely important for modern computing. They're used to encrypt credit card numbers and emails. To inject randomness into online gaming. And to simulate super complex phenomena, like protein folding or nuclear fission.
But here's the dirty secret: a lot of these so-called random numbers are not truly random. They're actually what's known as "pseudo random numbers," generated by algorithms. Think of generating random numbers by rolling dice. If you know the number of dice, it's simple to figure out something about the realm of possible random numbers—thus putting probabilistic limits on the randomness.
But truly random numbers can be generated through quantum mechanical processes. So researchers built a photonic chip—a computer chip that uses photons instead of electrons. The chip has two lasers: one shoots continuously; the other pulses at regular intervals. Each time the two lasers meet, the interference between the light beams is random, thanks to the rules of quantum mechanics. The chip then digitizes that random signal, and voila: a quantum random number generator. The study is in the journal Optica.
It's not the first time this sort of thing's been built. But compared to old prototypes, this chip is much smaller—a sixth the size of a penny—and works at high speeds, too. Meaning small and fast enough for a smartphone? The researchers say that's an entirely predictable outcome.
Thanks for listening for Scientific American — 60-Second Science Science. I'm Christopher Intagliata.
参考译文
这里是科学美国人——60秒科学。我是克里斯托弗·因塔利亚塔。
随机数字对于现代计算系统极为重要。因为可以用随机数字对信用卡和邮件进行加密。同时随机数字可以为网络游戏增加随机性。还可以模拟超级复杂的现象，比如蛋白质的结构以及核裂变。
但是有一个不可告人的秘密：很多这些所谓的随机数字实际上不是随机的。它们实际上是由算法产生的“伪随机数”。想想摇骰子产生的随机数字。如果你知道骰子的数量，很容易计算出可能产生的随机数字，这就限制了随机的概率性。
但是真正的随机数字可以通过量子力学过程产生。所以，研究人员制造了一个光子芯片——这种计算机芯片用光子代替了电子。该芯片有两个激光器：一个激光器连续不断地发射激光，而另外一个则以固定的间隔发射脉冲。根据量子力学的规则，每次两种激光相遇，这两束光束之间的干扰是随机的。随后芯片会将随机的信号数字化，这就是量子随机数生成器。该研究结果发表在《光学》期刊上。
这并不是第一个量子随机数生成器。但与之前的相比，这个芯片更小，相当于一便士的六分之一，而且它以高速运转。这是不是表明对智能手机来说它已经足够小足够快了？研究人员表示，结果完全在预料之中。
谢谢大家收听科学美国人——60秒科学。我是克里斯托弗·因塔利亚塔。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
重点讲解
重点讲解：
1. inject into 添加，注入(某种特性)；
例句：We hope to inject new interest into our work.
我们希望使我们的工作饶有趣味。
2. instead of 代替…；而不是…；
例句：We just had soup instead of a full meal.
我们没有吃全餐，只喝了汤。
3. thanks to 幸亏；归因于；
例句：Thanks to his hands, everything seems to come alive.
幸亏他的帮忙，一切都似乎有了好转。
4. compared to 与…相比；和…比起来；
例句：Compared to his present existence,before had been splendour.
和他目前的生活相比，以前的日子可谓显赫的了。
