十分鐘猶勝十年挖掘
As climate change is altering the natural world at an unprecedented pace, some scientists have become increasingly aware of the need to record the current features of the earth.
隨著氣候變遷正以前所未見的速率改變自然世界，有些科學家開始意識到有需要把握時間紀錄下地球的樣貌，
alter(v.)改變at…pace以…(移動的)步調;(發生的)速度;節奏unprecedented(adj.)史無前例的、空前的、絕無僅有的precede(指時間或空間上)處在…之前，先於in the preceding chapter在前一章中=in the previous chapterin the following chapter在接下來這一章中=in the subsequent chapterbe or become aware of~了解到;意識到;體認到
Therefore, they have launched the “Earth Archive” project to map the earth through laser scanning in a bid to capture landscapes such as forests and glaciers as well as ancient monuments that are quickly vanishing.
因此他們開始了一項名為「地球檔案館」的計畫，使用雷射掃描紀錄下地球的樣貌，捕捉森林、冰河和古蹟遺址等正快速消失的風景。
map(n.)地圖(v.)繪製…的地圖；在地圖上標示through(prep.)透過=viain a bid to為了、試圖達到~=in an attempt to RV=in an effort to RVglacier(n.)冰河;冰川monument(n.)紀念碑ancient monument 歷史遺跡;名勝古蹟=historic monument=historic sites
Spearheaded by Dr. Chris Fisher and his colleague Dr. Stephen Leisz, both from Colorado State University, the Earth Archive aims to employ light detection and ranging (henceforth referred to as LiDAR) to document the surface of the entire earth.
「地球檔案館」計畫由克羅拉多州大學費雪博士和他的同事萊茲主持，目標是利用光偵測和測距技術（LiDAR），紀錄下整個地表的樣貌，
spearhead(v.)領導(攻擊或行動等)、當⋯⋯先鋒、帶頭做lead-led-led帶領;帶頭employ(v.)運用light detection and ranging光偵測和測距技術(LiDAR)referred to as…被稱作是…document(v.)紀錄=record
The technique works by sending laser pulses to the earth’s surface from a LiDAR-equipped aircraft and measuring the amount of time the pulses take to bounce back.
這項技術透過搭載LiDAR技術的飛機向地球表面發送雷射脈衝，並測量反射回來的時間，
laser pulses雷射脈衝LiDAR-equipped=equipped with LiDAR
The researchers then calculate the distance to given objects and surfaces to build 3D maps of the region.
研究者們接著計算某物體或地貌的距離，建置該區域的3D地圖。
given(adj.)特定的;給定的
LiDAR has figured prominently in archaeological fieldwork in the past decade.
過去十年來，LiDAR在考古學研究調查中扮演重要的角色，
figure(v.)出現prominently(adv.)突出地;重要地arch(a)eological(adj.)考古的arch(a)eology(n.)考古學fieldwork(n.)田野調查;實地考察
With its aid, researchers have yielded images of long-lost cities in densely forested parts of Africa, buried roads in ancient Rome, and remains of a metropolis hidden deep in the Honduran rainforest.
在LiDAR技術的幫助下，研究者譜出原本埋在非洲森林深處消失已久的古城、埋藏起來的羅馬古道，以及藏在洪都拉斯雨林深處的古城遺跡。
densely(adv.)密集地;濃密地remains(n.)遺跡;殘骸metropolis(n.)大城市、大都會
The LiDAR-enabled scans revealed more information about these sites in ten minutes than Fisher and his colleagues could have uncovered in a decade of research on the ground.
LiDAR掃描技術只花十多分鐘就找出比研究者耗費十年挖掘還要更多的資訊。
-enabled配有(某種設備或技術)的;可以使用(某種系統、裝置或設計)的; 由…操控的;依靠…運作的voice-enabled software聲控軟體uncover(v.)挖掘;挖出
As promising as the Earth Archive and LiDAR may seem, there are still many hurdles to overcome.
儘管地球檔案館和LiDAR未來應用潛力很大，但仍有許多障礙需要克服。
(As)adj. as S V….儘管=although S V…hurdle(n.)跨欄（比賽）、障礙、難題=difficulty=obstacle
Kevin Tansey, Professor of Remote Sensing at the University of Leicester, recognizes the potential benefits of the project, but says LiDAR is expensive.
萊斯特大學遙感探測學教授坦西認可這項計畫未來可能帶來的好處，但他說LiDAR成本高昂，
Even Fisher admits that the project will require around $10 million just to scan most of the Amazon rainforest within the next three years. Obtaining permission to map some areas could also prove to be difficult.
甚至連費雪也承認，該計畫僅在未來三年內掃描亞馬遜熱帶雨林大範圍區域就要斥資1000多萬美元；獲得某些地區繪製地圖的許可也相當困難。
permission(n.)許可
That said, Fisher believes that once these difficulties are resolved, the resulting images could be “the ultimate gift to future generations.”
儘管如此，費雪相信，一旦解決了這些難題，得到的圖像將是「給後代最棒的禮物」。
That (being) said=Despite what has been said儘管如此