美國在把植物培養成間諜

Traditionally, most spying and intelligence gathering has been done by highly trained human operatives. But the US military has a plan to enlist a smart network of plants to help it stay one step ahead of its enemies.

傳統的間諜和情報收集工作都是由受過專業訓練的操作員來完成的。然而美國軍方卻計劃招集整編一羣聰明的植物，讓自己先敵一步。

These flora won't be sneaking into secret labs or engaging in close combat, but will be used to monitor the environment for chemical attacks or even electromagnetic pulses, says the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

據美國國防高級研究計劃局發言人稱，這些植物不會潛入祕密實驗室或者與敵人近身搏鬥，而是被用於檢測使用化學武器的環境甚至電磁脈衝。

The program is called Advanced Plant Technologies or APT, and while it's only just being launched, eventually DARPA is hoping to create a self-sustaining network of plants that can be monitored remotely for any signs of environmental shift.

這個項目被稱爲高級植物技術，或簡稱APT。雖然這個項目剛剛起步，美國國防高級研究計劃局卻計劃最終建立一個可持續的植物生態網，通過遠程監控瞭解任何環境變化的跡象。

"Plants are highly attuned to their environments and naturally manifest physiological responses to basic stimuli such as light and temperature, but also in some cases to touch, chemicals, pests, and pathogens," says DARPA's Blake Bextine.“

植物對其生長的環境具有高度的適應性，會對光線和溫度等一般刺激產生自然的生理反射，在某些情況下，對異物觸碰，化學物質，寄生蟲，致病菌等也會產生生理反射。”

"Emerging molecular and modelling techniques may make it possible to reprogram these detection and reporting capabilities for a wide range of stimuli , which would not only open up new intelligence streams, but also reduce the personnel risks and costs associated with traditional sensors."

“日益發展的分子技術和模塊技術或許能重新改造植物的這種勘察和報告功能，使之能適用於更廣範圍的刺激類型，這不僅能開拓新的情報工作，還能減少傳統的間諜行動帶來的人員風險和人力損失。”

In other words, plant spies could help to keep human spies out of danger, and at the same time wouldn't cost as much or require the same level of maintenance as standard hardware sensors.

換句話說，植物間諜可以幫助人們讓人類間諜免於身處險境，同時又不會花費或要求和標準的硬件傳感器一樣的維護成本。

To do this, DARPA is planning to alter plant genomes or genetic material so that certain environmental triggers result in certain biological responses, that can then be picked up on satellite or using other types of remote monitoring tech.

爲了達到研究目的，美國國防高級研究計劃局打算改變植物的基因組或稱基因物質，如此一來特定的環境刺激就會激發植物身上的特定生物反射，生物反射信息進而被衛星或其他遠程控制設備接收。

DARPA says its existing ground, air, and space tech is capable of watching for changes in plant temperature, composition, and light reflections from a distance, some of the responses that could be used as warnings.

該局稱自己現有的土壤、空氣和空間技術可以在一定的距離之外觀測植物溫度、組織結構和光反射的變化，這些植物反應中有一些可以用作警告的信號。

So far that's as much detail as DARPA has offered, but it says the plants could eventually recognise pathogens in the air or even be used by communities to detect landmines. It's now inviting researchers to propose potential modifications for these plant operatives.

該局目前提供的技術信息就只有這些，不過他們還稱，植物將最終可以識別空氣中的病原體，還能幫助軍事組織檢測地雷。現在他們正向研究者們發出邀請，邀請他們對可能實施在植物間諜身上的基因概念做出建議。

To be successful, the genetic alterations mustn't damage the plants' capacity to thrive and deal with microbes, insects, and other plants, DARPA says, adding that previous efforts in this area have ended up sucking out resources the foliage needs to actually live.

該局稱，爲了達到實驗目標，對植物做出的基因改良不能破壞植物原有的發育機能以及對抗微生物，害蟲和其他植物的機能。他們還補充說，過去這一領域的研究最終都掠奪了植物實際生存所需要的資源。

Contained lab and greenhouse tests will be run before we see any plant spies out in the field, with oversight from regulators and biosafety groups.

不久我們就會看到地裏長出的植物間諜，它們受到來自生物安全區的遠程監控。但在那之前還需要進行控制實驗條件的實驗室測試和溫室測試。