水母能帮我们解决塑料污染问题吗？
Can jellyfish help us solve our problems?
Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.
大家好。这里是BBC教学英语的《六分钟英语》节目。我是尼尔。
And I'm Georgina.
我是乔治娜。
Of all the weird and wonderful creatures living under the sea,
生活在海底的所有怪异奇妙生物中，
perhaps the strangest are jellyfish
最奇怪的或许是水母
– those rubbery, cone-shaped creatures found floating in the water,
——那些漂浮在水中的凝胶状、圆锥形生物，
their long tentacles trailing behind.
其长长的触手拖在后面。
Some jellyfish species have a bad reputation for scaring away tourists, clogging up fishing nets, and even blocking power station pipes.
一些水母因吓跑游客、堵塞渔网、甚至堵塞发电站管道而臭名昭著。
But with more and more plastic rubbish ending up in the sea,
但随着越来越多的塑料垃圾最终进入海洋，
these days you're as likely to swim into a plastic bag as a jellyfish.
现在你像水母一样有可能游进塑料袋里。
Now scientific research is discovering that these rubbery sea creatures might provide an answer
现在，科学研究发现，这些凝胶状海洋生物或许能提供解决之法
- a sticky solution to the problem of plastic pollution.
——用黏黏的东西解决塑料污染问题。
In this programme, we’ll be learning how jellyfish mucus could provide the answer to plastic waste in the seas.
在本期节目中，我们将学习水母产生的黏液如何为海洋中的塑料垃圾提供解决之法。
And of course we'll be learning some related vocabulary along the way.
当然，我们在这个过程中也会学习一些相关的词汇。
But first it's time for my quiz question.
但首先是我的测验问题时间。
Georgina, you mentioned jellyfish scaring away beach goers with their sting,
乔治娜，你提到水母蜇人会把去海滩的人吓跑，
but what is the best way to treat jellyfish stings?
但被水母蜇到后最佳处理方法是什么？
Is it: a) with ice, b) with salt, or c) with vinegar?
是a）用冰，b）用盐，还是c）用醋？
Well, Neil, I have been stung by a jellyfish before,
好吧，尼尔，我以前被水母蜇过，
and I think the best way to treat them is, c) with vinegar.
我认为最佳处理方法是c）用醋。
OK, Georgina, we'll find out later if that's right.
好的，乔治娜，我们稍后将揭晓那是否正确。
Now, as I mentioned, in recent years,
正如我提到的，近年来，
tiny pieces of plastic called microplastic, have been a significant problem for the world's seas and oceans.
被称为微塑料的塑料小颗粒已经成为全世界海洋的一个重大问题。
They've been found all over the world
世界各地都发现了微塑料
– in Arctic ice, at the bottom of the sea and even inside animals, including humans.
——在北极冰层，在海底，甚至在包括人类在内的动物体内。
Slovenian scientist, Dr Ana Rotter, heads Go Jelly,
斯洛维尼亚科学家安娜· 罗特博士是Go Jelly的负责人，
a European research team of jellyfish ecologists looking into the problem.
Go Jelly这个由水母方面的生态学家组成的欧洲研究小组正在研究这个问题。
Here she is speaking to BBC World Service programme, People Fixing the World:
以下是她在BBC全球服务节目People Fixing the World中谈到的：
Microplastics, plastics in general, are being an increasing problem – they're everywhere.
微塑料，总体来说就是塑料这个东西，正在成为一个日益严重的问题——它们无处不在。
When I was a little girl we were more environmentally friendly, not knowing…
当我还是个小女孩的时候，我们更环保，不知道塑料这回事……
so we never used plastic bags to go shopping,
所以我们购物从不使用塑料袋，
we always went with a cloth bags,
我们总是带着布袋子，
we never used plastic to put our vegetable in it,
我们从来不用塑料袋装蔬菜，
single-use spoons, or forks, knives… this is for me something unheard-of when I was a little girl.
当我还是个小女孩的时候，一次性勺子或叉子，刀子对我来说是前所未闻的。
Dr Rotter says when she was a child, people were more environmentally friendly
罗特博士说，当她还是个孩子的时候，人们更环保
- not harmful to the environment or having the least possible impact on it.
——不对环境造成伤害或对环境的影响最小。
At that time, there were very few single-use plastics – plastic items,
那时候，很少有一次性塑料制品——塑料产品 ，
like spoons and forks, designed to be used just once, then thrown away.
比如设计的只用一次就扔掉的勺子和叉子。
Single-use plastic bags, for example, were unheard-of
例如，一次性塑料袋是前所未闻的
- surprising or shocking because they were not previously known about or commonly used.
——令人惊讶或震惊，因为它们以前不为人所知或并不常用。
The situation since then has changed dramatically.
从那时起，情况发生了巨大改变。
In fact, there's been such an increase in microplastics that today
事实上，微塑料增长如此之快以至于现在
the UN lists plastic pollution as one of the world's top environmental threats.
联合国将塑料污染列为世界头号环境威胁之一。
But how do jellyfish fit into the story?
但这里面是如何有了水母的身影？
Well, it's the 'jelly' part of jellyfish,
嗯，是“jellyfish”中的“jelly”部分，
and specifically their sticky, jelly-like mucus that is key.
特别是它们黏黏的、胶状黏液，那是关键所在。
Here's Dr Rotter again, explaining more to BBC World Service programme, People Fixing the World:
罗特博士再次向BBC全球服务节目People Fixing the World作了更多解释：
The mucus – this is a like a viscous substance that is being excreted from a jellyfish,
该黏液——也就是水母分泌的黏性物质，
might have they are called absorptive properties…
可能具有他们所说的吸附性……
so it means that the particles - various particles can attach to this mucus…
所以这意味着塑料颗粒——各种颗粒可以附着在这种黏液上……
so, could we use jellyfish and their mucus as a magnet for the microplastic particles?
所以，我们可以利用水母和其分泌的黏液来吸附微塑料颗粒吗？
Jellyfish produce a thick, sticky liquid called mucus.
水母会产生一种叫做黏液的粘稠液体。
Dr Rotter has discovered that this mucus has strong absorptive properties.
罗特博士发现，这种黏液具有很强的吸附性。
It can absorb, take in liquids and other substances and hold them in.
它可以吸收液体和其它物质，把它们粘住。
One of the substances jellyfish mucus absorbs are the particles that make up microplastics.
水母产生的黏液所吸附的物质之一是构成微塑料的塑料颗粒。
By trapping these tiny pieces of floating plastic,
通过吸附这些漂浮的塑料小颗粒，
the mucus acts like a magnet
这种黏液就像磁体一样
– an object that attracts certain materials, like metal, or in this case, microplastic waste.
——这种物体能吸附某些材料，如金属，或者在这种情况下是指微塑料废物。
As rising sea temperatures and overfishing of their natural predators have boosted jellyfish numbers,
海水升温和对水母天敌的过度捕捞使水母数量激增，
this novel way of using their mucus couldn't have come at a better time.
这个时候这种利用水母所产生的黏液的新方法简直再及时不过了。
Dr Rotter's research is still in the early stages,
罗特博士的研究仍处于早期阶段，
but it's hoped that jellyfish mucus could hold the key to a future free of microplastic polluted oceans.
但人们希望水母的黏液能够成为未来海洋摆脱微塑料污染的关键。
Which is a big prize for the cost of few jellyfish stings.
以少数人被水母蜇伤为代价，这就是一个巨大的奖励。
Speaking of which, Neil, what was the correct answer to your quiz question?
说到这，尼尔，你测试问题的正确答案是什么？
Right, I asked you the best way to treat jellyfish stings.
好的，我问你处理水母蜇伤的最佳方法。
What did you say, Georgina?
你说是什么，乔治娜？
I said it's c) with vinegar.
我说是c）用醋。
Which is… the right answer!
那是正确答案！
Well done.
不错啊。
Vinegar inactivates the sting's venom,
醋可以降低毒刺细胞活性，
so remember to pack a bottle of vinegar the next time you head to the beach!
所以下次去海滩的时候记得带一瓶醋！
In this programme, we've been hearing how scientists are using jellyfish mucus
在本期节目中，我们一直在听科学家们是如何利用水母的黏液
- a thick, sticky liquid produced in their bodies,
——其体内产生的粘稠液体，
to break down microplastics in the sea.
来分解海洋中的微塑料。
Our addiction to single-use plastics
我们对一次性塑料制品的依赖，
– plastic items which are used only once, then thrown away,
——一次性塑料制品是指只用一次就扔掉的塑料物品，
and which often get washed out to sea,
它们经常被冲到海里，
has created a situation which is definitely not environmentally friendly
已经造成了一种绝对不环保的情况。
- that means having minimal impact on the environment.
环保是指对环境的影响最小。
Until quite recently, the problems of micropollution and single-use plastic were unheard-of
直到最近，微量污染和一次性塑料制品的问题还是前所未闻的
- surprising or shocking because of not having been previously known about.
——令人惊讶或震惊，因为之前都不为人知。
Scientists are hoping that the mucus's absorptive qualities – it's ability to absorb liquids and other substances and hold them,
科学家们希望水母黏液的吸附性，也就是它吸收液体和其它物质并把它们粘住的能力，
will allow it to trap particles of plastic floating in the sea,
能够令其捕获到漂浮在海洋中的塑料颗粒，
making jellyfish mucus a magnet for pollution
这使水母黏液成为能够吸附污染的“磁体”
– an object that attracts certain materials - usually metals but in this case, microplastic waste.
——这种物体会吸附某些材料——通常是金属，但在这种情况下是指微塑料废物。
That's all for this programme,
以上就是本期节目的全部内容，
but to hear more about how these amazing sea creatures could help clean our oceans,
但如果想了解更多关于这些神奇的海洋生物如何帮助清洁海洋的内容，
why not check out People Fixing the World from the BBC World Service?
何不收听BBC全球服务节目People Fixing the World？
And to hear more interesting items on trending topics,
想了解更多关于热门话题的趣谈，
why not join us again soon here at 6 Minute English?
何不下次继续收听我们的《六分钟英语》呢？
Bye for now!
再见了！
Bye!
拜！