Still, I take it--I gather--here's what I'm told--

别人告诉了我这么一个例子
that the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics says that,

量子力学的正统理论认为
despite what many of us might've otherwise believed,

尽管有很多人可能不相信
the fundamental laws of physics are not, in fact, deterministic.

物理学的基本定律事实上也不是确定性的
What does that mean?

这意味着什么
Suppose we've got some sort of radioactive atom,

假定我们有某种放射性原子
which has a certain chance of decaying.

它们以一定的几率衰变
What does that mean? Well, it means that,

这意味着什么好的这意味着
you know, there's maybe, let's say,

就是说有可能
that in the next 24 hours it will break down.

这个原子会在未来的二十四小时内分裂
Eighty percent of atoms

我们设定未来二十四小时中
that are set up like that break down in the next 24 hours;

有百分之八十的原子会分裂