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CarolynMarshall_Soil_2020E-_为什么这具两千年前的尸体没有腐烂？_-
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| In 1984, two field workers discovered a body in a bog outside Cheshire, England. |
1984 年,两名矿工在英国柴郡外的 林道沼泽里发现了一具尸体。 |
| Officials named the body the Lindow Man and determined that he’d suffered serious injuries , including blunt trauma and strangulation . |
官方将这具尸体 命名为林道人（Lindow Man）, 并判定他曾受过重伤, 包括钝性损伤和绞勒痕迹。 |
| But the most shocking thing about this gruesome story was that they were able to determine these details from a body over 2,000 years old. |
但这段可怕的故事里最令人震惊的是, 人们能从一具两千多年前的尸体中 发现这些细节。 |
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bog:n.沼泽;泥塘;vt.使陷于泥沼;使动弹不得;vi.陷于泥沼;动弹不得; determined:adj.决定了的:v.决定;(determine的过去分词和过去式) injuries:n.伤害,损伤;挫伤;(injury的复数) blunt:adj.钝的,不锋利的;生硬的;直率的;v.使迟钝; trauma:n.[外科]创伤(由心理创伤造成精神上的异常);外伤; strangulation:n.[医]绞窄;勒杀;钳制;压缩; gruesome:adj.可怕的;阴森的;
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| Typically , decomposition would make such injuries hard to detect on a body buried just weeks earlier. |
一般来说, 即使是尸体下葬近有数星期, 尸体腐化会使这些创伤难以察觉。 |
| So why was this corpse so perfectly preserved ? |
那么为什么这具尸体 保存如此完好？ |
| And why don't all bodies stay in this condition? |
为什么并非所有的尸体 都能维持这一状态？ |
| The answers to these questions live six feet underground. |
问题的答案 就在地面六英尺之下。 |
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Typically:adv.代表性地;作为特色地; decomposition:n.分解,腐烂;变质; detect:vt.察觉;发现;探测; corpse:n.尸体; preserved:v.保护;维护;保留;保存;保养;(preserve的过去式和过去分词)
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| It may not appear very lively down here, but a single teaspoon of soil contains more organisms than there are human beings on the planet. |
地下乍一看很难发现生命的痕迹, 但一茶匙土所含的微生物数量, 比全球的人口都多。 |
| From bacteria and algae to fungi and protozoa , soils are home to one quarter of Earth’s biodiversity . |
从细菌、藻类到真菌、原生生物, 土壤里生存着地球上 1/4 生物种类。 |
| And perhaps the soil’s most important inhabitants are microbes , organisms no larger than several hundred nanometers that decompose all the planet’s dead and dying organic material. |
土壤里最重要的居民 或许是微生物, 它们的大小仅有几百纳米, 却能分解地球上 所有死亡或濒死的有机物。 |
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teaspoon:n.茶匙;一茶匙的量; organisms:n.[生物]生物体(organism的复数);[生物]有机体; bacteria:n.[微]细菌; algae:n.[植]藻类;[植]海藻; fungi:n.真菌;菌类;蘑菇(fungus的复数); protozoa:n.[无脊椎]原生动物;[无脊椎]原生动物类(Protozoan的复数); biodiversity:n.生物多样性; inhabitants:n.居民(inhabitant的复数); microbes:n.细菌,[微]微生物;微生物类(microbe的复数形式); nanometers:n.[计量]毫微米(即十亿分之一米); decompose:v.腐烂;(使)分解; organic:adj.有机的;不使用化肥的;绿色的;有机物的;n.分子有机体;
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| Imagine we drop an apple in the forest. |
想象我们在森林里扔了一颗苹果, |
| As soon as it contacts the soil, worms and other invertebrates begin breaking it down into smaller parts; absorbing nutrients from what they consume and excreting the rest. |
它一旦接触到土壤, 虫子等无脊椎动物便开始将其分解, 一边吸收营养, 一边排泄废物。 |
| This first stage of decomposition sets the scene for microbes. |
这是分解的第一步, 为后续的微生物分解做好了准备。 |
| The specific microbes present depend on the environment. |
不同环境中 生存的微生物也有所不同。 |
| For example, in grasslands and farm fields there tend to be more bacteria, which excel at breaking down grass and leaves. |
比如,草地和田地里细菌较多, 它们擅长分解草和树叶。 |
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As soon as:一…就; contacts:v.联系,联络;(contact的第三人称单数) worms:n.蠕虫;寄生虫;幼虫;v.蠕动,曲折行进;(worm的第三人称单数和复数) invertebrates:n.[无脊椎]无脊椎动物(invertebrate的复数); absorbing:adj.引人入胜的;精彩的;v.吸收;吞并;同化;理解;(absorb的现在分词) nutrients:营养盐;[食品]营养素; consume:v.消耗;吃;毁灭;烧毁; excreting:vt.排泄;分泌; specific:adj.特殊的,特定的;明确的;详细的;[药]具有特效的;n.特性;细节;特效药; grasslands:n.[畜牧]草原;大草原(grassland的复数形式); excel:v.超过;擅长;
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| But in this temperate forest there are more fungi, capable of breaking down complex woody materials. |
但这片温带森林里的真菌更多, 它们能够分解结构复杂的木材。 |
| Looking to harvest more food from the apple’s remains, these microbes release enzymes that trigger a chemical reaction called oxidation . |
为从苹果残骸里获得更多的食物, 这些微生物开始释放生物酶, 并导致氧化反应。 |
| This breaks down the molecules of organic matter, releasing energy, carbon , and other nutrients in a process called mineralization . |
这会分解有机物分子, 释放能量; 而碳和其它营养物质 则会发生矿化作用—— |
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temperate:adj.温和的;适度的;有节制的; capable:adj.能干的,能胜任的;有才华的; complex:adj.复杂的;合成的;n.复合体;综合设施; woody:adj.木质的;多树木的;木头似的; release:v.释放;发射;让与;允许发表;n.释放;发布;让与; enzymes:n.[生化]酶(enzyme的复数);酶类,酵素; trigger:n.触发器; v.触发; chemical:n.化学制品,化学药品;adj.化学的; reaction:n.反应,感应;反动,复古;反作用; oxidation:n.[化学]氧化; molecules:n.[化学]分子,微粒;[化学]摩尔(molecule的复数); releasing:n.释放;松释动作;脱扣释放;v.释放;排放;(release的现在分词); carbon:n.[化学]碳;碳棒;复写纸;adj.碳的;碳处理的; process:v.处理;加工;列队行进;n.过程,进行;方法,adj.经过特殊加工(或处理)的; mineralization:n.矿化;成矿作用;供给矿质;矿体;
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| Then microbes consume the carbon and some nutrients, while excess molecules of nitrogen , sulfur , calcium , and more are left behind in the soil. |
微生物消耗碳和一些营养物质, 而剩余的氮、硫、钙分子等 被留在土壤里。 |
| As insects and worms eat more of the apple, they expose more surface area for these microbial enzymes to oxidize and mineralize . |
随着昆虫和蠕虫进食更多苹果, 它们增加了苹果 暴露于这些生物酶的表面积, 从而促进氧化和矿化反应。 |
| Even the excretions they leave behind are mined by microbes. |
甚至是它们留下的排泄物 也会被微生物分解。 |
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excess:n.超过,超额;过度,过量;无节制;adj.额外的,过量的;附加的; nitrogen:n.氮;氮气; sulfur:vt.用硫磺处理;n.硫磺;硫磺色; calcium:n.[化学]钙; expose:v.揭露,揭发;使曝光;显示; microbial:adj.微生物的;由细菌引起的; oxidize:vt.使氧化;使生锈;vi.氧化; mineralize:v.使矿物化;使含矿物;探矿;促进矿化; excretions:n.排泄,排泄物;分泌,分泌物; leave behind:留下,丢下
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| This continues until the apple is reduced to nothing— a process that would take one to two months in a temperate forest. |
这一过程会持续到苹果消失—— 在温带森林里需要 1-2 个月时间。 |
| Environments that are hot and wet support more microbes than places that are cold and dry, allowing them to decompose things more quickly. |
与干冷的地方相比, 湿热的环境适合微生物生存, 同时促使微生物加速分解进程。 |
| And less complex organic materials break down faster. |
结构较为简单的有机物 分解速度较快。 |
| But given enough time, all organic matter is reduced to microscopic mineral nutrients. |
但只要有足够的时间, 所有的有机物都会被分解为 微小的矿物营养物质。 |
| The atomic bonds between these molecules are too strong to break down any further. |
这些分子的原子键合力很强, 无法被继续分解。 |
| So instead, these nutrients feed plant life, which grow more food that will eventually decompose. |
于是,这些营养物质会滋养植物, 植物会长出更多最终能被分解的食物。 |
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microscopic:adj.微观的;用显微镜可见的; atomic:adj.原子的,原子能的;微粒子的; eventually:adv.最后,终于;
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| This constant cycle of creating and decomposing supports all life on Earth. |
这一创造和分解的链条不断循环, 养育地球上所有的生命。 |
| But there are a few environments too hostile for these multi-talented microbes— including the peat bogs outside Cheshire, England. |
但有些环境却令这些 能干的微生物难以适应—— 包括英国柴郡外的 那片泥炭沼泽。 |
| Peat bogs are mostly made of highly acidic Sphagnum mosses . |
泥炭沼泽中 基本上都是强酸性的泥炭藓苔。 |
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decomposing:v.腐烂;(使)分解;(decompose的现在分词) hostile:adj.敌意的; n.敌对分子; peat:n.泥煤;泥炭块;泥炭色; bogs:n.[地理]沼泽(bog的复数);v.陷于泥淖;陷入困境(bog的第三人称单数); highly:adv.高度地;非常;非常赞许地; acidic:adj.酸的,酸性的;产生酸的; Sphagnum:n.泥炭藓;水藓; mosses:n.[植]苔藓,藓类;[植]苔藓植物(moss的复数);
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| These plants acidify the soil while also releasing a compound that binds to nitrogen, depriving the area of nutrients. |
这些植物会酸化土壤, 并释放出一种化合物。 这种物质会与氮结合, 使土壤里的营养物质流失。 |
| Alongside cold northern European temperatures, these conditions make it impossible for most microbes to function. |
再加上欧洲北部的寒冷气候, 这些条件 使得大部分微生物无法正常工作。 |
| With nothing to break them down, the dead mosses pile up, preventing oxygen from entering the bog. |
由于没有微生物能将其分解, 枯死的藓苔逐渐堆积, 因此氧气无法进入沼泽。 |
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acidify:vi.[化学]酸化;变酸;vt.使…成酸;使…酸化; compound:v.合成; adj.混合; n.大院; binds:v.约束;捆绑;系;装订;n.窘境;(binds是bind的第三人称单数) depriving:v.剥夺;使丧失;使不能享有;(deprive的现在分词) pile:n.桩;堆;摞;桩柱;v.堆放;摞起;叠放;放置;
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| The result is a naturally sealed system. |
结果形成了一个自然的密闭空间。 |
| Whatever organic matter enters a peat bog just sits there— like the Lindow Man. |
任何进入泥炭沼泽的有机体 都会维持原样—— |
| The acid of the bog was strong enough to dissolve relatively simple material like bone, and it turned more complex tissue like skin and organs pitch black. |
沼泽所含的酸性物质足够强, 能够溶解构造较为简单的物质, 比如骨头, 并让皮肤、器官等结构复杂的组织 变成黑色。 |
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naturally:adv.自然地;自然而然地;轻而易举;天生地;大方地; dissolve:v.溶;使(固体)溶解;解除;终止;解散;消除;n.(电影、电视等画面的)渐隐 relatively:adv.相当程度上;相当地;相对地; tissue:n.纸巾,手巾纸;(人、动植物细胞的)组织; organs:n.[生物]器官;机构;风琴(organ的复数); pitch:v.抛:用力扔:针对:触地:n.场地:程度:力度:推销的话:纵摇:
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| But his corpse is otherwise so well-preserved , that we can determine he was healthy, mid-20s, and potentially wealthy as his body shows few signs of hard labor. |
但除此以外, 他的尸体保存完好—— 我们能推断出他死前很健康。 年龄为 20 多岁, 可能生活富足,因为他的身体没有 太多从事强力劳动的痕迹。 |
| We even know the Lindow Man’s last meal— a still undigested piece of charred bread. |
我们甚至知道林道人最后一餐 吃了什么—— 一片还未消化的干面包。 |
| Scholars are less certain about the circumstances of his death. |
学者们还不清楚他死亡的原因。 |
| While cold-blooded murder is a possibility, the extremity of his injuries suggest a ritual sacrifice . |
或许他死于一场冷血的谋杀, 但尸体创伤的严重程度表示 他也可能作为献祭品死于祭祀。 |
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well-preserved:adj.保养得很好的;保存得很好的; potentially:adv.可能地,潜在地; undigested:adj.未经整理的;未出售的;未经消化的;未被市场吸收的; charred:adj.烧焦的; v.(使)烧黑,烧焦; (char的过去分词和过去式) Scholars:n.学者们(scholar的复数); circumstances:n.情况;环境;情形;(circumstance的复数) cold-blooded:adj.[生理]冷血的;残酷的,无情的;怕冷的; extremity:n.极端;绝境;非常手段;手足; ritual:n.仪式;惯例;礼制;adj.仪式的;例行的;礼节性的; sacrifice:n.牺牲;舍弃;祭献;祭祀;祭品;v.牺牲;献出;作祭献
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| Even 2,000 years ago, there’s evidence the bog was known for its almost supernatural qualities; a place where the soil beneath your feet wasn’t quite dead or alive. |
即便在两千年前, 有证据表明,当时的人们认为 沼泽具有超自然力量—— 在那里,你脚下的土壤 并没有绝对的死亡与生命。 |
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evidence:n.证据,证明;迹象;明显;v.证明; supernatural:adj.超自然的;神奇的,不可思议的;n.超自然现象;不可思议的事; beneath:prep.在…之下;adv.在下方;
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