经济学人双语精读前面给大家分享的内容是关于微软转型要求文化变革的，随着人类计算机科技的不断发展，人们对于太空的探究也在逐渐被提上各国的日程，AI的出现，更让人类对未来的发展充满了各种期待和憧憬，今天的这篇文章同样来自经济学人，我们来看看，AI是如何处理太空图象的，怎么样？是不是很有意思？
很多第一次来访问西贝博客的朋友可能还不知道如何通过外刊阅读来提高自己的英语水平，可以看看这两篇文章：文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
英语学习：怎么利用经济学人（The Economist）来学英语（上）文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
英语学习：如何利用经济学人（The Economist）学英语（下）文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
Much of the information that is beamed back from space is useless. Pictures taken by satellites orbiting the Earth might take days to download, only to show lots of cloud obscuring 1 the area of interest. The subject matter may also be surrounded by irrelevant information. All this uses up a lot of valuable bandwidth.文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
上标注解：文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
1.obscuring文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
- adj. 模糊的；晦涩的；昏暗的
下面来看一个来自华盛顿邮报的例子：文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
- Flights throughout the Amazon were halted on Friday as heavy smoke obscured the visibility in the skies.— Washington Post, "As fires rage in the Amazon, international pressure mounts on Brazil to take action," 23 Aug. 2019
- 由于周五的浓烟遮住了天空能见度，整个亚马逊河流域的航班都暂停了。
从太空传回的信息大多是无用的。在地球轨道上运行的卫星所拍摄的照片可能要花好几天才能下载回地面，结果却只看到目标区域被重重云层遮盖。主要内容还可能伴随着大量无关紧要的信息。这一切耗费了大量宝贵的带宽。文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
Processing data in space, before transmission 2, would reduce clutter, but this can be tricky. Cosmic rays randomly flip the ones and zeroes that computers operate on, introducing unpredictable errors. High levels of radiation can also damage electronic circuits 3. KP Labs, based in Gliwice, Poland, is building a satellite to overcome some of these problems. Their device, called Intuition-1, is controlled by a neural network, a form of artificial intelligence modelled on the human brain. The satellite is what is known in the trade as a 6U CubeSat, which means it is composed of six standard-sized 10x10x11.5cm modules.文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
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文章源自西贝博客-https://qinghe.me/speeding-up-the-processing-of-space-images.html
2.transmission
- n. 传送, 传播, 传达
来看一个来自CNN的例子：
- Two countries have interrupted measles transmission, having had no new cases for 12-35 months.— Jack Guy, CNN, "Four European countries lose measles-free status as anti-vax movement drives outbreaks," 29 Aug. 2019
- 两个国家已经中断了麻疹的传播，12-35个月没有出现新病例。
3.circuits
- n. 电路，回路；环道；一圈；巡回
来看一个来自时代周刊的例子：
- While stars frequently make the rounds of the late night circuit to promote their various projects, Ferrell apparently decided to do it all in one night.— Melissa Locker, Time, "Here Are the Funniest Moments From Ron Burgundy's Late Night Takeover From 'iPhone Glasses' for Teens to Impressions," 9 Aug. 2019
- 虽然，明星们都经常在深夜巡回演出来宣传他们的各种项目，但费雷尔显然决定在一个晚上完成所有的活动。
传输前在太空先行处理数据可以减少无用信息，但操作起来有难度。宇宙射线会导致计算机二进制信息的1和0发生随机翻转，导致不可预测的错误。强辐射也可能损坏电路。位于波兰格利维采（Gliwice）的KP实验室（KP Labs）正在打造一颗卫星来克服其中一些问题。这颗卫星名为“直觉一号”（Intuition-1），由一个神经网络（一种模拟人脑的人工智能形态）控制。按业内的说法，这是一种6U立方卫星（6U CubeSat）——由六个10x10x11.5cm的标准尺寸模块组成。
Intuition-1 will be equipped with a hyperspectral imager, which takes 150 pictures of every scene it looks at. Each picture is at a different spectral frequency, so contains different information. The neural network stitches 4 these together using powerful graphics chips hardened against radiation. The developers have also built error correction into their software.
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4.stitches
- n. 缝针；针法；缝线；线步（stitch的复数）
看一个来自华盛顿邮报的例子：
- There’s nothing childish about these sure-handed stitches, Shaw says.— Washington Post, "Don’t sleep on this Smithsonian quilt exhibit," 1 Aug. 2019
- 肖说，这些缝线真的没有什么孩子气。
“直觉一号”将配备一台高光谱成像仪，对每一目标场景拍摄150张照片，每张照片的光谱频率不同，因而包含不同信息。卫星内的神经网络运用经抗辐射加固的图形芯片将照片拼合起来。开发人员还在软件中加入了纠错功能。
Intuition-1 will view a 15km-wide swathe of Earth at a resolution 5 of 25 metres per pixel. This will be able to reveal details such as how well crops are growing or allow the number of trees in a forest to be counted.
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5.resolution
- n. 正式决定, 决议
- 决心, 决定
- 坚决; 坚定; 坚毅
- 解决, 解答
- 分辨力, 分辨率[度]
在看一个来自华盛顿邮报的例子：
- The deadline for a budget resolution is nearly a month away.— Washington Post, "Fellow Democrat declares Michigan governor’s roads plan dead," 29 Aug. 2019
- 到预算决议的最后期限还有近一个月。
“直觉一号”将以每像素25米的分辨率拍摄15公里范围内的地球图像。这能够显示诸如作物长势或森林树木数量等细节。
But instead of transmitting back every last bit of image data, the satellite will summarise 6 what the user requests as useful information. This might, for instance, be a heat-map showing areas of weeds in a field or the location of a forest fire. Reducing the data load means that some of this information can be transmitted live.
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6.summarise
- vt. 总结, 概述
来看一个来自纽约客杂志的例子：
- More dramatic moments could unfold on Wednesday, but congressional hearings are often summarized by single moments.— David Rohde, The New Yorker, "Mueller Testimony: “The President Was Not Exculpated”," 24 July 2019
- 更戏剧性的时刻可能会在周三上演，但国会听证会往往是用一个瞬间来概括的。
但该卫星并不会把图像数据巨细靡遗地传回地球，而是提炼出用户所请求的有用信息，例如显示农田内的杂草区域或森林火灾位置的热点图。数据量减少意味着一些信息可被实时传输。
The satellite will be used to prove that a hardened 7 neural network can survive in space. This could pave the way for other space applications. For example, the Curiosity rover on Mars was successfully upgraded in 2016 with a set of algorithms to detect “interesting” rocks for investigation 8, instead of picking them randomly. A neural network could provide future rovers and deep-space probes with a better ability to make decisions.
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7.hardened
- adj. 变硬的,坚毅的
来看一个来自经济学人杂志的例子：
- Mr Sou thinks that media coverage of protests in Hong Kong has hardened pre-existing views in Macau.— The Economist, "Why Macau is impervious to the turmoil in Hong Kong," 22 Aug. 2019
- Sou先生认为，媒体对香港抗议活动的报道强化了澳门先前的观点。
8.investigation
- n. (正式的)调查,侦查
- 科学研究;学术研究
- After investigating, authorities allegedly identified Biles-Thomas as the shooter, the statement says.— Diane Herbst, PEOPLE.com, "Man Allegedly Killed by Simone Biles' Brother Was Young Barber Who 'Had Many Dreams'," 30 Aug. 2019
- 声明说，当局经调查据称指认比尔斯·托马斯为枪手。
该卫星将用于证明一个经加固的神经网络能在太空持续使用。这可以为其他太空应用铺平道路。例如，火星上的好奇号探测车在2016年成功升级，运用一套算法来挑选“有趣”的岩石进行研究，而不再是随机选取。神经网络可为未来的星球探测车和深空探测器提供更好的决断力。
The neural network and hyperspectral 9 imager have already been built and tested by KP labs. The kit will go into a satellite body being constructed 10 by Clyde Space, a satellite producer based in Scotland, and launched in 2022. After that there will be more intelligence in space.
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9.hyperspectral
- adj.高光谱的
关联例句：
- Data compression is a key problem in the applications of hyperspectral images.
- 数据压缩是高光谱图像处理应用中的一个关键问题。
10.constructed
来看一个来自国家地理杂志的例子：
- The social construct of race became tightly tethered to legal status, causing problems that ripple down to the present day.— National Geographic, "400 years ago, enslaved Africans first arrived in Virginia," 13 Aug. 2019
- 种族的社会结构与法律地位紧密相连，导致问题波及到今天。
KP实验室已制造并测试了上述神经网络及高光谱成像仪。该套件将安装到由苏格兰卫星制造商Clyde Space制造的一颗卫星上，于2022年发射。往后，太空将变得更智能。
其实，掌握了外刊阅读的方法以后，你真的并不会觉得外刊阅读有多难，这中间最重要的就是要掌握足够多的英语词汇，并在此过程中熟悉长难句，因为无论是在考研英语、CATTI考试、专业四级、八级考试中都是非常重要的得分项。
还可以看看其他的外刊阅读文章：
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