十種身懷絕技的昆蟲(上)

Many people are afraid of insects, probably because they're creepy, disgusting, freaky, and scary. But despite their weird appearances, many insects possess incredible abilities that will put other animals, and even us humans, to shame. Despite their miniscule sizes and simple brains, these lowly creatures hold the key to solving some of mankind's greatest problems. Just like…

在很多人眼裏，昆蟲因其詭異的出沒、畸形、醜陋甚至恐怖的外形被列爲可怖的存在。但是撇開外表因素不說，事實上這些其貌不揚的小生靈，大多擁有着令其他動物，甚至人類羞慚的"超能力"。儘管它們的身體很"迷你"，大腦也很簡單，但是它們卻可以解決一些對人類來說無方可解的難題。比如……

roaches

10.蟑螂

Cockroaches are perhaps the most disliked creatures in the whole world. Despite that, they're also the most powerful. Just the mere presence of a single cockroach can make the strongest, most powerful men jump, run, and scream like a girl.

蟑螂估計是世界上最令人討厭的昆蟲了。儘管如此，它們也堪稱世界上最強大的生物。只要一隻小小的蟑螂出現，就可以讓最剽悍的人瞬間化身爲驚叫逃竄的小女孩。

What most people don't know is that cockroaches have significant value to the medical world. A number of researchers nowadays are studying cockroaches for their potential in curing some of man's most dreaded diseases. Scientists have discovered that the brains of cockroaches contain "nine antibiotic molecules … that protect them from voracious, lethal bacteria". So, what does this have to do with modern day medicine? Well, the antibacterial molecules found in the brains of cockroaches are more powerful than the antibiotics we use today. In fact, the antibacterial properties of these disgusting insects are far more effective than some of our modern medicine that they make "prescription drugs look like sugar pills". Laboratory tests show that the antibacterial molecules found in cockroaches can easily cure MRSA—a bacterial infection more deadly than AIDS—and E. e from their amazing healing power, cockroaches also have the incredible ability to survive nuclear explosions. When Hiroshima and Nagasaki were annihilated by atomic bombs, the only sole survivors were cockroaches. However, it's important to note that this amazing ability has its limitations. When exposed to 100,000 radon units, cockroaches will die.

大多數人不知道的是，蟑螂這種昆蟲具有很高的醫用價值。當代許多研究者都致力於開發蟑螂在治療某些人類絕症過程中的作用。而科學家們也已經在蟑螂的大腦中檢測出了"九種抗菌素分子……使它們免疫於貪婪而致命的細菌"。那麼，這對現代醫藥有什麼貢獻呢？研究證明，在蟑螂大腦裏檢測到的抗菌素分子，比我們現在使用的抗生素更強效。事實上，這種噁心的小蟲子對細菌的抵抗力遠遠強於某些現代醫藥，跟它們比起來，"處方藥簡直就像是糖丸"。除了驚人的治癒力，蟑螂還能奇蹟般地在覈爆炸中倖存。當初日本的廣島和長崎被原子彈夷平，唯一生存下來的就是蟑螂。當然，蟑螂的這一"超能力"也不是無限的。暴露在100000標準單位的氡氣下，即使是打不死的小強也難逃死劫了。

9.蜜蜂

Bees are one of the most intelligent insects in the animal world. Not only do they have their own sophisticated means of communication, they also have extraordinary navigation skills despite the fact that their eyesight is limited.

蜜蜂是動物界中最具智慧的昆蟲之一。它們不僅有其特有的一套複雜的溝通方式，還擁有非凡的"航空"技巧——儘管事實上它們的視野很有限。

It's common knowledge that honey bees can communicate with each other. They perform a series of movements called a "waggle dance" to tell each other where food is located or which spot is best for building a new colony. However, what many people don't know is that the dance is extremely advanced. Honey bees know that the Earth is round, and they take this fact into consideration when they're learning the location of a certain food source. Aside from that, they can also calculate angles very easily just by reading their waggle dances. For example, if a bee dances from a 12 to 6 o'clock direction, that means food or home is located directly away from the sun. In contrast, a 6 to 12 o'clock movement signifies that bees are to "fly straight forward towards the sun". A 7 to 1 o'clock movement means that the bees are to fly "to the right of the sun"e from communicating with each other, honey bees also navigate their surroundings through other means like remembering visual landmarks, taking the sun's position into consideration, and using the Earth's electromagnetic field.

衆所周知，蜜蜂可以跟彼此溝通。它們用一套被稱爲"搖擺舞"的舞姿來傳遞信息，告知同伴食物的所在地或者建築蜂巢的最佳據點。然而大多數人不知道的是，這套"搖擺舞"其實十分先進。蜜蜂天生就知道地球是圓的，而且它們也已經在尋找食源的時候將這一事實列入考慮。除此之外，蜜蜂還可以通過同伴的"搖擺舞"輕而易舉地計算出角度。例如，當一隻蜜蜂沿12點鐘到6點鐘的方向飛舞時，這代表着食源或者蜂巢在與太陽正相反的方向。反之，當它沿6點鐘到12點鐘的方向飛舞時，就是在告訴同伴"小夥伴們，筆直地朝着太陽飛吧"。而當它沿着7點鐘向1點鐘方向飛舞，那麼蜜蜂的飛行部隊就該朝向太陽的右側前進了。除了獨特的溝通技巧，蜜蜂還會在飛行過程中通過記憶明顯的地標，參考太陽的方位，利用地球的電磁場等方式爲自己"導航"。

sts

8.蝗蟲

Locusts are one of the most efficient pilots in the insect world. These winged creatures, which many people consider to be menaces, can fly great distances without using too much energy. For many years now, scientists have been studying them, and they found out that even though these insects don't produce great amounts of thrust and lift, they're capable of sustaining a steady flight rate. Their ability to maintain a steady flight rate doesn't change even if the winds and temperature become unfavorable. This amazing ability enables them to travel vast distances without wasting much energy.

在昆蟲的世界，蝗蟲該是最高效的飛行員之一。這些被人視作威脅的帶翼昆蟲，可以在不花費過多體力的前提下飛行很遠的距離。多年以來，科學家們一直在對蝗蟲進行研究。他們發現，即使在撲翼飛行時產生的推力和升力都不大，蝗蟲仍舊可以保持平穩的飛行速度。而且蝗蟲的這一能力還不受風和氣溫的影響。有這項絕技傍身，蝗蟲就可以穿越遼闊的大地，同時也不耗費過多的體力。

What's more amazing is that locusts have the capacity to twist their wings during flights. By doing so, they can preserve and even control the quantity of lift they generate. This, in turn, helps in keeping their flight at a consistent rate. This additional feature enables them to fly up to 80 kilometers in one day without requiring a rest.

更讓人拍手稱奇的是，蝗蟲還可以在飛行過程中扭曲它的翅膀。這樣，蝗蟲就可以維持甚至控制撲翼時產生的升力。反過來，對升力的維持和控制又可以幫助它們保持平穩的飛行速度。這項"附加技能"保證了蝗蟲可以在一天的時間裏毫不停歇地飛行80公里。

flies

7.螢火蟲

Fireflies' amazing ability to produce their own light is a wonder in the animal kingdom, and a source of inspiration and joy for many of us. As a child, you've probably experienced that magical feeling that comes upon seeing the twilight flickering of these amazing creatures for the first time.

螢火蟲爲自己點燈的特異功能是昆蟲王國的奇聞異事，也是很多人靈感與歡樂的來源。夜色如水，螢火蟲閃着微弱的光亮在四下明明暗暗，相信第一次看見這景象的記憶，是很多人孩童時期尤爲夢幻且奇異的經歷。

One thing that we, as humans, can learn from fireflies is how to use energy efficiently. Fireflies were designed by Nature to use energy without wasting much of it through heat. The light bulbs we have in our homes only use 10% of their total energy in producing light. The remaining 90% becomes wasted heat energy. On the other hand, the amazing bodies of fireflies were designed to use 100% of the energy to produce light. If fireflies were like light bulbs, in that they use only 10% to make light and the remaining 90% is released as heat energy, they would almost certainly burn to over, just like bees, fireflies can talk with each other too. Fireflies use their ability to produce light to signal each other that they are available for mating. Male fireflies give off distinct flash patterns (each species has their own unique patterns) that signal the female fireflies that they are "single". On the other hand, if the female fireflies are interested in mating, they too would reply by flickering.

作爲人類，我們應該像螢火蟲學習的是如何有效地利用能源。螢火蟲是造物主手下的節能戰士，它們利用本身的能源發光，但是不會在發光的過程中產生多餘的熱能。而我們家用的燈泡在照明時只能利用能源的10%，剩下的90%都被轉化成了沒用的熱能。如果螢火蟲像燈泡一樣，只能利用10%的能量發光，剩下的都轉化成熱能，那估計它們就只能一個個的"自焚"了。此外，螢火蟲也可以像蜜蜂一樣彼此溝通，不過它們的溝通方式跟蜜蜂有所不同。螢火蟲通過尾部的閃光給異性發出求偶信號。雄性螢火蟲發出一組獨特的閃光信號（不同種類的螢火蟲閃光模式有所不同），通知雌蟲它們目前"單身"。另一方面，如果雌蟲也想要交配，那麼它們就會同樣通過閃光的方式來回應。

s

6.跳蚤

Fleas are harmful not only to your pets, but also to you and your family. Despite that, they have something in them that deserves human admiration: these insects are capable of jumping 150 times their own height! Now, this might not sound really amazing if you view it in insect terms, but if you look at it in a human perspective, then you'll find that the fleas plaguing your pets are indeed incredible creatures.

跳蚤不僅對你的寵物不利，對你和你的家人也是個威脅。儘管如此，它們身上仍有一些閃光點值得稱讚。比如，跳蚤可以跳到它本身身高150倍的高度。當你把它看作是一隻小蟲子的時候，也許這並不算什麼。但是試想如果它是一個人，那你就能理解，這些在你的寵物身上禍害的小蟲子是多麼的不可思議了。

Consider this. A certain person, let's call him Bill, is 5'9" tall. If he were a flea, then he would be able to jump 862.5 feet into the air, which would be defying gravity to the highest extent. Just imagine how different our world would be if we possessed this amazing flea ability. There would be fewer cars, less pollution, less expenses, etc. So, the next time you crush a flea, think of what it can do.

讓我們來試想一下，假設有一個叫比爾的人，身高五英尺九寸。如果他是一隻跳蚤，那麼他就可以跳到862.5英尺高的空中。這必將成爲對抗地心引力能跳到的最高記錄。想象一下如果我們都身懷跳蚤這項絕技，那麼世界將會是另一番景象：車輛會減少，污染會減輕，花費也會下降……所以，下次當你逮到一隻跳蚤的時候，想象一下它的"超能力"吧。

翻譯：程錦 來源：前十網