1.Scientific-unit revamp
科學(xué)單位重新定義
After decades of work, the redefinition of four units of measure should get the go ahead in late 2018. At the General Conference on Weights and Measures in November, delegates from 58 countries will vote on adopting new definitions of the ampere, the kilogram, the kelvin and the mole. These will be based on exact values of fundamental constants, rather than on arbitrary or abstract definitions. If approved, the changes should take effect in May 2019.
經(jīng)過幾十年的努力昧辽，2018年底，4個(gè)測量單位將獲批進(jìn)行（go ahead）重新定義。在2018年11月舉行的國際度量衡（Weights and Measures）大會(huì)上，來自58個(gè)國家的代表將就是否采用安培、千克懒震、開爾文、摩爾4個(gè)單位的新定義進(jìn)行投票（vote on進(jìn)行真是個(gè)好詞啊）橘荠。新定義將基于基本常數(shù)（fundamental constants）的精確值（exact values）制定，而非隨意（arbitrary）或抽象的定義郎逃。如果投票通過（approved此處為上文的投票通過）哥童，新版定義（changes所以說在文章中還是要根據(jù)上下文來啊）將于2019年5月生效。
2.Climate landmarks
氣候里程碑
Countries that have signed on to the 2015 Paris climate agreement will outline how much progress they have made towards meeting their individual commitments to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions — all in the hope of holding the average global temperature to 1.5–2 °C above pre-industrial levels — as part of a report called the Facilitative Dialogue 2018. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will also release a special report outlining the consequences of a 1.5-degree temperature increase. And in September, California Governor Jerry Brown will host a major climate conference in support of the Paris agreement.
簽訂2015巴黎氣候協(xié)定的國家將簡單總結(jié)（outline）各自在實(shí)現(xiàn)其溫室氣體減排承諾方面所取得的進(jìn)展（progress）褒翰，各方一致希望將全球平均氣溫控制在比前工業(yè)化時(shí)期高1.5-2℃的水平贮懈，以此作為“促進(jìn)對話2018”報(bào)告的部分內(nèi)容。政府間（Intergovernmental）inter就是…間氣候變化專門委員會(huì)還將發(fā)布一份特別報(bào)告优训，概述氣溫上升1.5℃造成的各種后果朵你。2018年9月，加州州長杰里·布朗將舉辦一場重要的氣候大會(huì)型宙，以支持巴黎協(xié)定撬呢。
3.Open access
開放存取
Who will blink first in the stand-off between German scientists and publishing giant Elsevier? Around 200 German institutions were set to lose access to Elsevier journals from 1 January until the sides could reach an agreement in a long-running battle over subscription prices. Open-access advocates will also watch the fate of the website Sci-Hub — which provides unauthorized free access to millions of paywalled papers — after a US court order in November shut down some of its domains.
在德國科學(xué)家與出版巨頭愛思唯爾之間的對峙（stand-off ）中，哪一方會(huì)先妥協(xié)（blink）愿意指眨眼妆兑？如果雙方在這場關(guān)于訂閱價(jià)格的長期爭論（battle）中不能達(dá)成共識魂拦，那么200多家德國機(jī)構(gòu)將從2018年1月1日開始毛仪，失去愛思唯爾期刊（journals）的訪問權(quán)（lose access to ）或者說失去訪問…的資格。開放存取的擁護(hù)者同時(shí)也在關(guān)注Sci-Hub網(wǎng)站的命運(yùn)芯勘。去年11月箱靴，美國一法院下令關(guān)閉了（shut down）該網(wǎng)站部分域名（domains）后，該網(wǎng)站仍能提供對數(shù)百萬付費(fèi)論文（paywalled papers）的未經(jīng)授權(quán)的免費(fèi)訪問荷愕。
4.Power play
高壓攻勢
Midterm elections are approaching in the United States. History suggests that whichever party controls the White House — in this case, the Republicans — is likely to lose seats in Congress. But it’s not clear whether Democrats will be able to flip enough positions in the House of Representatives or the Senate to gain a majority in either chamber. Eyes will also be on the record number of scientists running for local, state and federal offices. Elsewhere, the United Kingdom will enter phase two of Brexit negotiations to determine the nation’s scientific collaboration with the European Union after the country leaves the bloc in 2019.
美國即將進(jìn)行（approaching）主語為美國中期選舉衡怀。歷史表明（suggests），無論哪個(gè)黨派控制白宮（當(dāng)下（in this case）是共和黨）安疗，都可能失去國會(huì)的席位抛杨。但目前尚不清楚民主黨能否在眾議院（Representatives）或參議院贏得足夠席位（flip enough positions），使之成為其中任何一個(gè)議院（chamber）的多數(shù)黨（majority）荐类。同樣值得關(guān)注的（Eyes will also be on the）還有尋求（running for）地方怖现、州和聯(lián)邦公職（offices）的科學(xué)家人數(shù)達(dá)到空前水平（record 有記錄的就是空前的）。此外玉罐，英國將進(jìn)入脫歐談判的第二階段屈嗤，以確定2019年脫歐（bloc指集團(tuán)）之后與歐盟的科研合作事項(xiàng)。
