返回首页

NinaJablonski_BodyHair_2020E-_为什么我们的毛发会长在这么随机的地方？_-
We have lots in common with our closest primate relatives . 我们与其他灵长类近亲有许多共同点。
But comparatively , humans seem a bit... underdressed . 但相对而言,人类穿着 似乎有些……单薄。
Instead of thick fur covering our bodies, many of us mainly have hair on top of our heads— and a few other places. 我们没有厚重的毛发覆盖身体, 毛发主要集中在我们的头顶 和其他几个地方。
in common with:与…一样; primate:n.大主教;灵长类的动物;首领;adj.灵长目动物的;首要的; relatives:n.亲戚;亲属;同类事物;(relative的复数) comparatively:adv.比较地;相当地; underdressed:v.穿得太单薄,使穿得过于随便(underdress的过去分词和过去式) mainly:adv.大多;大部分;主要地;首要地;
So, how did we get so naked ? And why do we have hair where we do? 我们是怎么变得这么光秃秃的？ 我们的毛发又为何会长在那些地方？
Human hair and animal fur are made of the same stuff : filaments of the protein keratin that grow out of organs known as follicles , which go through cycles of growth and shedding . 人类毛发和动物毛 是由同样的材料做成的: 从称为毛囊的器官中长出, 经历生长和脱落循环的角蛋白丝。
naked:adj.裸体的;无装饰的;无证据的;直率的; stuff:n.东西:物品:基本特征:v.填满:装满:标本: filaments:n.[植]花丝;细丝(filament的复数);[电子]灯丝;电加热丝; protein:n.蛋白质; keratin:n.[生化]角蛋白;角素,角质; grow out of:产生于;因长大而丢弃;长得太高大; organs:n.[生物]器官;机构;风琴(organ的复数); follicles:n.淋巴结,[生物]小囊(follicle复数); shedding:v.去除;摆脱;使落下;掉落(货物);(shed的现在分词)
Across mammalian species , hairs have been modified for numerous purposes, ranging from the soft fluff covering rabbits to the rigid quills protecting porcupines . 哺乳动物中,毛发已演化出多种用途, 从覆盖兔子的柔软绒毛 到保护豪猪的硬刺。
But for many mammals , hair grows in two layers consisting of a shorter undercoat of ground hairs covered by longer guard hairs. 许多哺乳动物的毛发生长为两层, 由较短的毛作为底层毛发, 上面覆盖较长的保护毛。
Together, they help insulate the animal’s body and protect its skin. 它们一起幫助动物的身体 与外界隔绝并保护其皮肤。
mammalian:adj.哺乳类动物的;n.哺乳类; species:n.[生物]物种;种类; modified:adj.改进的,修改的;改良的;v.修改;缓和;(modify的过去分词); numerous:adj.许多的,很多的; fluff:n.绒毛;蓬松毛团;没多大意义的娱乐;vt.抖松;搞糟;弄砸;使松散 rigid:adj.严格的;僵硬的,死板的;坚硬的;精确的; quills:n.鹅毛笔(戏剧名); porcupines:[脊椎]豪猪;[脊椎]箭猪; mammals:n.哺乳动物;(mammal的复数) layers:n.层;表层;层次;阶层;v.把…分层堆放;(layer的第三人称单数和复数) consisting:v.由…组成;由…构成;在于;存在于(consist的现在分词) undercoat:n.底漆;上衣;下层绒毛;内层油漆; insulate:vt.隔离,使孤立;使绝缘,使隔热;
Human hairs, on the other hand , are kind of a combination of these hair types. 另一方面来说,人类的毛发 综合了这些类型的毛发。
Unfortunately , hair is rarely found in fossils , making it hard for researchers to pinpoint when and how our ancient ancestors lost their coats. 不幸的是,化石中鲜少发现毛发, 使研究人员很难确定古代的祖先 在何时以及如何失去他们的外衣。
But scientists have developed some working hypotheses . 但科学家们已提出一些现行的假说;
on the other hand:另一方面; combination:n.结合;组合;联合;[化学]化合; Unfortunately:adv.不幸地; rarely:adv.很少地;难得;罕有地; fossils:n.[古生]化石(fossil复数形式); pinpoint:vt.查明; adj.精确的; n.针尖; hypotheses:n.假定;臆测(hypothesis的复数);
It seems that, millions of years ago in Africa, early hominins first transitioned out of trees and adopted a more active lifestyle. 似乎在数百万年前的非洲, 早期的古人类从树居 转型为活动性较高的地面生活,
Keeping cool became increasingly important. 因此保持凉爽变得越来越重要,
Eventually , they developed more sweat glands , which helped them lose heat by evaporating moisture through the skin. 于是,他们发育出更多的汗腺, 以幫助他们透过皮肤蒸发水分来散热。
In fact, humans have 10 times more sweat glands than chimpanzees , for instance . 事实上,举黑猩猩为例, 人类的汗腺数量是它的 10 倍。
hominins:类人猿;人族存在者; transitioned:v.过渡;转变;变迁;(transition的过去式和过去分词) adopted:adj.被收养的;被采用的;v.采用;接受;(adopt的过去式和过去分词); increasingly:adv.越来越多地;渐增地; Eventually:adv.最后,终于; glands:n.腺体(gland的复数);气封; evaporating:adj.蒸发作用的;v.蒸发(evaporate的ing形式); moisture:n.水分;湿度;潮湿;降雨量; chimpanzees:n.[脊椎]黑猩猩(chimpanzee的复数); instance:n.实例;情况;建议;v.举...为例;
But efficiently losing heat by sweating is harder to do when you’re covered in fur. 但是当你被毛皮覆盖时, 很难透过出汗有效地散热。
Scientists believe that early humans lost much of their coat around this time to help their sweat evaporate faster. 科学家认为,早期的人类 在这个时期失去了大部分毛发 来让汗水蒸发得更快。
However, if losing our hair was so advantageous , why do we have any left at all? 然而,如果脱毛有如此好处, 我们为什么还留着一些呢？
efficiently:adv.有效地;效率高地(efficient的副词形式); evaporate:vt.使…蒸发;使…脱水;使…消失;vi.蒸发,挥发;消失,失踪; advantageous:adj.有利的;有益的;
It seems that there are unique uses for hair in different parts of our bodies. 我们身体不同部位的毛发 似乎都有其独特的用途。
When it comes to the tops of our heads, temperature regulation likely played a part again. 说到我们头顶时, 温度调节似乎又是个重点。
Since early humans began venturing into the open, their heads would’ve been exposed to the scorching sun. 自早期人类开始进入 没有树木遮蔽的地区以来, 他们的头部就会暴露在烈日下。
unique:adj.独特的,稀罕的;[数]唯一的;n.独一无二的人或物; regulation:n.规则;法规;控制;规章制度;adj.规定的;必须穿戴的;必须使用的; venturing:v.敢于去(危险或令人不快的地方);小心地说,谨慎地做;(venture的现在分词) exposed:adj.无遮蔽的; v.暴露; (expose的过去分词和过去式) scorching:adj.灼热的; v.把…烧焦;
Thicker, longer-growing hair protects our sensitive scalps and keeps our brains from overheating . 长而浓密的头发 可以保护我们敏感的头皮, 并避免我们的大脑过热。
Dark tightly curled hair is most effective at keeping solar radiation off of skin. 深色且极为卷曲的头发 最能有效地防止太阳辐射照射皮肤。
Other kinds of head hair evolved as humans moved to different places. 人类移居不同的地方时, 也演化出不同类型的头发。
sensitive:adj.敏感的;感觉的;易受影响的;n.敏感的人;有灵异能力的人; scalps:n.头皮;战利品;vt.剥头皮;vi.剥头皮; overheating:n.[热]过热;v.[热]过热(overheat的ing形式); tightly:adv.紧紧地;坚固地; curled:adj.卷曲的;鬈发的;v.[纸]卷曲;环绕(curl的过去分词); effective:adj.有效的,起作用的;实际的,实在的;给人深刻印象; radiation:n.辐射;放射线;放射疗法; evolved:v.(使)逐渐形成;进化;进化形成;(evolve的过去分词和过去式)
Meanwhile , researchers think eyebrows are especially useful for communication because they sit atop active facial muscles that convey our feelings. 同时,研究人员认为眉毛 特别有助于沟通, 因为它们位于表达 我们感受的面部肌肉上。
Eyelashes have been shown to minimize airflow over our eyeballs , preventing them from drying out and catching debris . 已有证据显示睫毛可以 使我们眼球上的气流降到最低, 避免眼球干燥并防止杂质进入。
And maybe facial hair proved helpful in distinguishing identity from a distance, but we really don’t know. 也许胡子有助于从远处分辨身份, 但我们其实不确定。
Meanwhile:adv.同时,其间;n.其间,其时; eyebrows:n.眉;眉毛;(eyebrow的复数) especially:adv.尤其;特别;格外;十分; atop:prep.在…的顶上;adv.在顶上; facial:adj.面部的,表面的;脸的,面部用的;n.美容,美颜;脸部按摩; muscles:n.肌肉(muscle的复数); convey:vt.传达;运输;让与; Eyelashes:n.睫;睫毛;(eyelash的复数) minimize:v.使减少到最低限度;降低;贬低;使显得不重要; airflow:n.气流(尤指飞机等产生的); adj.让空气自由流动的; eyeballs:n.[解剖]眼球(eyeball的复数); v.注视; debris:n.碎片,残骸; distinguishing:v.区分;辨别;分清;看清;认出;听出;(distinguish的现在分词) identity:n.身份;同一性,一致;特性;恒等式;
Evidence is stubbly at best. 证据过于粗浅。
Why we have hair in other regions is... more pungent . 为什么我们在其他部位 有毛发的问题就更……辛辣了。
Our armpits , nipples , and pubic areas are dotted with apocrine glands. 我们的腋窝、乳头和阴部 分布着顶泌腺,
They produce oily , smelly secretions which the thick, curly hair that often grows in these spots helps disperse . 它们会产生油腻有臭味的分泌物, 通常长在这些部位上的浓密卷发 有助于散播这些分泌物。
Evidence:n.证据,证明;迹象;明显;v.证明; stubbly:adj.短而硬的;断株样的;短而粗的; regions:n.地区;地域;行政区;左近;(region的复数) pungent:adj.辛辣的;刺激性的;苦痛的;尖刻的; armpits:n.腋窝(armpit的复数形式); nipples:n.乳头;乳头状物品;(机器的)喷嘴;(nipple的复数) pubic:adj.耻骨的;阴毛的;阴部的; apocrine:adj.[解剖]泌离的,顶浆分泌的; oily:adj.油的;油质的;油滑的;油腔滑调的; smelly:adj.有臭味的,发臭的; secretions:n.分泌物(secretion的复数); disperse:v.分散;驱散;疏散;散布;adj.分散的;弥散的
The secretions that waft off these hairy patches may be useful for identification . 从这些毛发部位飘出的分泌物 可能有助于识辨身分。
For example, several studies have shown that people are able to identify their own armpit odors as well as those of people they’re close with. 举例来说,多项研究显示
The final type of notable human hair is the vellus hair that covers our bodies. 最后一种值得一提的人类毛发是 覆盖我们身体的毳毛。
waft:vt.使飘荡;吹送;n.飘荡;吹拂;vi.飘荡; patches:n.斑点;小块;补丁;眼罩;v.打补丁;缝补;修补;(patch的第三人称单数和复数) identification:n.鉴定,识别;认同;身份证明; identify:v.识别:鉴定:确认:发现: odors:气味;名声(odor的复数); as well as:也;和…一样;不但…而且; notable:adj.值得注意的,显著的;著名的;n.名人,显要人物; vellus:n.毫毛;
We don't know if these hairs serve any purpose themselves, but the follicles vellus hair grows from are essential banks of stem cells that repair damaged skin after injury . 我们不知道毳毛是否有任何用途, 但从长出毳毛的毛囊 是重要的干细胞庫, 能修复受伤的皮肤。
They’re also important sites of nerve endings that convey signals of gentle touch to the brain. 它们也是神经末梢所在的重要部位, 向大脑传递温柔触摸的信号。
In fact, although it’s much finer, humans have roughly the same density of body hair as apes of comparable sizes. 事实上,尽管人类毛发比人猿细得多, 但人类的体毛密度 与体型相当的人猿几乎相同。
essential:n.要点;要素;实质;必需品;adj.完全必要的;必不可少的;极其重要的;本质的; stem:n.花草的茎或梗;高脚酒杯的脚;烟斗柄;词干;v.阻止;封堵;遏止; repair:v.修理;修补;修缮;补救;n.修理;修补;修缮; injury:n.伤害,损害;受伤处; sites:n.网站(site的复数);遗址,举办地点;v.使...位于(site的单三形式); nerve:n.神经;勇气;神经质;神经紧张;v.鼓足勇气;振作精神; roughly:adv.粗糙地;概略地; density:n.密度; apes:n.[脊椎]猿;猩猩;类人猿(ape的复数);v.模仿;仿效(ape的三单形式); comparable:adj.可比较的;比得上的;
So despite all this talk of human nakedness , we're not actually as hairless as we look. 所以尽管有这么多人类赤裸的说法, 我们实际上并不像看起来那么无毛。
despite:prep.尽管,不管;n.轻视;憎恨;侮辱; nakedness:n.赤裸;明显;赤身裸体; hairless:adj.无毛的;秃顶的;