Plutonium is a metal you do not meet in a kitchen drawer.

Plutonium is a metal鈽是一種金屬，you do not meet in a kitchen drawer不是你會在廚房抽屜裡看到的東西。

It is a chemical element (symbol Pu) that is radioactive: its atoms slowly break apart and give off energy that can harm living things, and that people have learned to use. It is made in nuclear reactors more than it is dug from the ground as a common ore, and it is used in some kinds of nuclear power and in nuclear weapons.

It is a chemical element它是一種化學元素（symbol Pu符號 Pu），that is radioactive帶有放射性：its atoms slowly break apart它的原子會慢慢分裂，and give off energy並釋放出能量，that can harm living things這能量會傷害生物，and that people have learned to use人類也學會利用它。 It is made in nuclear reactors它多半是在核子反應爐裡製造出來的，more than it is dug from the ground as a common ore而不是像一般礦石那樣從地底挖出來，and it is used in some kinds of nuclear power它被用在某些核能發電上，and in nuclear weapons也用在核子武器上。

That double life — electricity and bombs — is why the word feels grave in the news.

That double life這種雙重身分 — electricity and bombs ———既能發電也能造炸彈—— is why the word feels grave in the news就是這個字在新聞裡聽起來很沉重的原因。

It sits in the same naming line as uranium and neptunium: after the far worlds in the sky. Scientists named it after Pluto, the body then still called a planet, plus the usual element ending.

It sits in the same naming line as uranium and neptunium它跟 uranium（鈾）和 neptunium（錼）屬於同一套命名系統：after the far worlds in the sky都是以天上遙遠的星體命名的。 Scientists named it after Pluto科學家用 Pluto（冥王星）為它命名，the body then still called a planet那時候冥王星還被算作行星，plus the usual element ending再加上元素常見的字尾。

Handle the idea with care in speech: it is a science and politics word, not a metaphor for "something strong".

Handle the idea with care in speech說話時要小心使用這個詞：it is a science and politics word它是科學和政治用語，not a metaphor for "something strong"不是用來比喻「很強大」的意思。