6. A computer solved a math problem that we can't check

　　6. 利用计算机解决数学难题

　　Mathematician Steven Strogatz once predicted that computer-assisted solutions to math problems will eventually extend beyond human comprehension. His prediction appears to have finally come true.

　　数学家斯蒂文·斯特罗加茨曾经预言，通过计算机的帮助解决数学问题，将来总有一天人类会看不懂计算机给出的结果。好吧，现在他的预言实现了。

　　Earlier this year, a computer solved the longstanding Erdős discrepancy problem. Unfortunately, human mathematicians aren't entirely sure about the solution because it's as long as all of Wikipedia's pages combined.

　　2014年年初，研究人员使用计算机解决了一道数学界的难题--埃尔德什差异问题。可不幸的是，数学家们还无法确定这个结果是否正确，因为这个结果比维基百科所有网页加在一起的长度还要长。

　　7. An artificial chromosome was built from scratch

　　7. 人造染色体

　　In what was the year's biggest artificial life breakthrough, researchers from New York University Langone Medical Center reconstructed a synthetic and fully functional yeast chromosome. Incredibly, they were also able to insert their own special additions to the chromosome, including a chemical switch that allows scientists to "scramble" it into thousands of different variations to make subsequent gene editing even easier. It's an important proof of concept that could lead to designer organisms and artificial chromosomes in humans.

　　2014 年人造生命的最大突破应该来自于纽约大学朗贡医学中心的研究者们，他们人工合成了一个功能完整的酵母菌染色体。令人难以置信的是，他们还在这个染色体内添加了自己设计的一种化学开关，使对染色体的观察更容易更方便。这项技术预示着人工合成人类染色体的目标也即将实现。

　　8. A venture capitalist firm appointed an AI to the board

　　8. 人工智能

　　Some say it was a media stunt, but it might be the start of a larger trend: Hong Kong-based Deep Knowledge ventures appointed a machine learning program, called VITAL, to its board of directors. It's said to be an "equal member" that will uncover trends "not immediately obvious to humans" in order to make investment recommendations. The system will pour over massive data sets, apply machine learning, and then predict which life sciences companies are the best investments.

　　有人说这可能是媒体的一个噱头，但无论如何它有可能成为一种大趋势。香港的一家风险投资公司任命一个名为“VITAL”的计算机系统为其董事会的一员。“VITAL”被认为公正无私，用它来做投资建议时能避免“人为主观因素”。这一系统使用机器学习算法分析数据，以此来对生命科技公司进行评估以便进行正确投资。

　　9. A double amputee received two mind-controlled arms

　　9. 心灵控制义肢

　　Les Baugh became the first human to ever receive two shoulder-level thought-controlled prosthetic arms. It's not permanent, but the researchers at Johns Hopkins are hoping that the arms will eventually become a permanent add-on.

　　莱斯·鲍格成为了世界上第一个双臂全部截肢并接受心灵控制义肢的人。虽然这还不是永久性的义肢，但是约翰·霍普金斯大学的研究人员希望最终可以为患者提供永久性的产品。

　　In other major cybernetic breakthroughs, researchers created an artificial hand that feels, and the first mind-controlled prosthetic hand with 10 degrees of freedom. Also, these wearable limbs took us a step closer to creating Doctor Octopus.

　　在神经控制的领域里，研究人员们已经研制出了有知觉的人造手、灵活的10轴机械臂以及穿戴式假肢等。这样看来，我们很快就能成为章鱼博士了。

　　10. A cloaking device that hides objects in the visible spectrum

　　10. 隐身衣

　　We've seen so-called invisibility cloaks before, but nothing quite like this one.

　　我们曾经见到过所谓的隐身衣，不过下面提到的这款却完全不同于以往。

　　Researchers at the University of Rochester developed a cheap and surprisingly effective cloaking device that's being heralded as the first to perform 3D, continuously multidirectional cloaking in the visible spectrum of light. To do it, they combined four standard optical lenses that keeps an object hidden — even as the viewer moves side to side. The system could eventually be used to eliminate blind spots in vehicles or let surgeons see through their hands during surgery.

　　罗切斯特大学的研究人员研发出了一套便宜但高效的隐身装置，第一次使用3D技术操控，能在可见光范围内对多种方向达到隐身效果。这套装置使用4个标准光学透镜将一个物体隐藏，即使观察者来回移动也看不到物体。这项技术可用于为机动车扫除盲点，还可以让医生在做手术时能看到被自己的手挡住的部分。