It could be whatever you want

可以是任何你想要的發明

made from anything you choose

用你想要的東西製作

in any shape or size.

做成任何形狀和尺寸

That kind of creative freedom sounds so liberating, doesn't it?

這樣的創造聽起來很自由，不是嗎？

Or does it?

真的自由嗎？

If you're like most people, you'd probably be paralyzed by this task.

如果你和大多數人相同，你可能會被這個任務嚇得目瞪口呆

Without more guidance, where would you even begin?

沒有任何的指引，你要如何開始呢？

As it turns out, boundless freedom isn't always helpful.

結果顯示，無限的自由不一定是好事

In reality, any project is restricted by many factors,

實際上，任何的計畫都被許多因素所限制

such as the cost,

像是成本

what materials you have at your disposal,

能讓你任意使用的材料

and unbreakable laws of physics.

以及不可變的物理定律

These factors are called creative constraints,

這些因素稱為創作限制

and they're the requirements and limitations

這些是我們必須面對的需求和限制

we have to address in order to accomplish a goal.

如此才能達成目標

Creative constraints apply across professions,

創作限制適用於各領域

to architects and artists,

像是建築師、藝術家

writers,

作家

engineers,

工程師

and scientists.

以及科學家

In many fields, constraints play a special role

在許多領域中，限制扮演著特別的角色

as drivers of discovery and invention.

它是發現和發明的先驅

During the scientific process in particular,

尤其在科學的過程中

constraints are an essential part of experimental design.

限制是實驗設計重要的一環

For instance, a scientist studying a new virus would consider,

舉例來說，科學家研究新病毒時，會考慮到

"How can I use the tools and techniques at hand

「我要如何使用工具和技術

to create an experiment that tells me how this virus infects the body's cells?

來創造一個演示病毒如何感染體內細胞的實驗？

And what are the limits of my knowledge that prevent me

以及什麼是我的有限知識會阻礙我

from understanding this new viral pathway?"

了解新病毒的路徑？」

In engineering, constraints have us apply our scientific discoveries

在工程學上，限制讓我們運用在科學發現上

to invent something new and useful.

以發明全新且實用的東西

Take, for example, the landers Viking 1 and 2,

舉例來說，軌道衛星海盜一號及二號

which relied on thrusters to arrive safely on the surface of Mars.

是仰賴推進器才得以在火星表面安全著陸

The problem?

問題是？

Those thrusters left foreign chemicals on the ground,

推進器化學藥劑留在火星表面上

contaminating soil samples.

因而汙染了土壤樣品

So a new constraint was introduced.

因此一個新的限制產生了

How can we land a probe on Mars

我們要如何將探測器著陸在火星上

without introducing chemicals from Earth?

卻不引入地球的化學藥劑呢？

The next Pathfinder mission used an airbag system

下一個開拓者任務使用的是安全氣囊系統

to allow the rover to bounce and roll to a halt

能讓探測車走動和停止

without burning contaminating fuel.

而這些動作都不需要燃燒會造成污染的燃料

Years later, we wanted to send a much larger rover: Curiosity.

幾年後，我們想著陸更大台的探測車：好奇號

However, it was too large for the airbag design,

然而，好奇號大到無法使用安全氣囊裝置

so another constraint was defined.

因此又出現另一個限制

How can we land a large rover while still keeping rocket fuel

我們要如何在使用大型探測車的同時，

away from the Martian soil?

但不讓火箭燃料汙染火星土壤呢?

In response, engineers had a wild idea.

為了回應問題，工程師想出一個好點子

They designed a skycrane.

他們設計了空中起重機

Similar to the claw machine at toy stores,

類似玩具店的夾娃娃機

it would lower the rover from high above the surface.

可以將探測車從高處降落到火星表面

With each invention, the engineers demonstrated an essential habit

透過各種發明，工程師證明了科學思考

of scientific thinking -

的一個特性 -

that solutions must recognize the limitations of current technology

解決辦法必須承認現有科技的限制

in order to advance it.

如此才能更進步

Sometimes this progress is iterative,

有時，這樣的進步很反覆

as in, "How can I make a better parachute to land my rover?"

像是，「我要如何讓探測車著陸得更好？」

And sometimes, it's innovative,

而有時候，這像是革新

like how to reach our goal

像是要如何達到我們的目標

when the best possible parachute isn't going to work.

在最好的降落辦法行不通時

In both cases, the constraints guide decision-making

在以上兩個例子中，限制引導了決策

to ensure we reach each objective.

以確保我們達到目的

Here's another Mars problem yet to be solved.

還有另一個火星的問題還沒解決

Say we want to send astronauts who will need water.

我們想送太空人上去，但他們需要喝水

They'd rely on a filtration system that keeps the water very clean

他們必須仰賴過濾系統，以確保乾淨水質

and enables 100% recovery.

以及 100% 回收

Those are some pretty tough constraints,

這些是非常棘手的限制

and we may not have the technology for it now.

我們也還沒有這樣的技術

But in the process of trying to meet these objectives,

但是為了要達到目的

we might discover other applications of any inventions that result.

我們會發現其他發明裝置所產生的結果

Building an innovative water filtration system

建立創新的過濾水系統

could provide a solution for farmers working in drought-stricken regions,

可以提供解決辦法給嚴重乾旱地區的農夫

or a way to clean municipal water in polluted cities.

也能淨化受汙染城市的汙水

In fact, many scientific advances

事實上，許多科學的發展

have occurred when serendipitous failures in one field

是一個領域上失敗後的意外收穫

address the constraints of another.

然後產生其他的限制

When scientist Alexander Fleming mistakenly contaminated

科學家亞歷山大·弗萊明不慎汙染

a Petri dish in the lab,

實驗室的培養皿

it led to the discovery of the first antibiotic: penicillin.

卻因而發現第一個抗生素，盤尼西林

The same is true of synthetic dye,

同樣的情況下也發明出合成染料

plastic,

塑膠

and gunpowder.

以及火藥

All were created mistakenly,

全部都是因錯誤而創造出來

but went on to address the constraints of other problems.

但又會有其他問題的限制需要處理

Understanding constraints guides scientific progress,

我們了解限制帶領著科學的進步

and what's true in science is also true in many other fields.

科學中是如此，在其他領域也是如此

Constraints aren't the boundaries of creativity, but the foundation of it.

限制並非創意的阻礙，而是基礎