共同进化 对话摘录.doc

共同进化 对话摘录 THE EARTH SEEN IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT I must have gone to sleep almost immediately.When I opened my eyes again, Zeena was sitting opposite my cubicle.Verva, she said. Did you sleep well?Like a rock, I replied.Curious expression, was her reply.How long has it been? I added, enquiring as to the length of my sleep.One half of an Earth day--twelve hours, she answered.What’s ’verva’? I asked.Oh, ’good spirit, fresh energy to you’. It is a greeting we use a lot, like your ’hello’, she explained.What’s on the schedule? I enquired.Some more liquid replacement for you, was her reply. Come on. We have only two more of your Earth days and there is much to learn if you desire, and quite a few questions I have for you, too, before I return home.Zeena appeared most anxious, but how could she be more inquisitive than I? Even though, I was still reeling from awakening to find myself ’dream-bound’ and not back on Earth as I had expected.Her home! Now there’s something I’d like to know about, I thought to myself but realized almost immediately that Zeena would read it.About the size of the planet Mars in your system, she replied, right on cue. But it is not in the best of health, for our sun is slowly dying and we are being roasted with radiation. We are also losing our atmosphere. We can patch that up to a degree, but not for ever.Doesn’t sound good. What are you guys doing about it? I asked.Well, we have been looking for a new home for many of your years. The best bet is still Earth, but we cannot take your gravity, among other things. That has always been the major factor but it is also not of the right conformation for us yet. It used to be, but we are not quite like we used to be.Zeena hesitated, as if pondering whether to go on with this topic. She chose not to continue.There is every chance that the Earth is about to change in the not-too-distant future, was her revised answer.Change its conformation? I enquired, startled.It shall mutate to a diffe