【中英双语】为什么狗狗要互相闻对方的屁屁？

《化学反应》 美国化学学会出品
You may have heard a lot about
可能你听说过很多关于
how dogs have an incredibly keen sense of smell
狗如何有令人难以置信的敏锐嗅觉的事情
and it’s true.
这是事实
An average dog’s nose is anywhere between
一只普通的狗狗的嗅觉
ten thousand to one hundred thousand times
比你敏感
more sensitive that yours.
一万到十万倍
So how can dogs with their super sense of smell
那么为什么具有敏锐嗅觉的狗狗
be so interested in their canine compatriot’s rear ends?
对同胞的屁股如此感兴趣呢？
Well folks, the answer is more complex and interesting than you think
伙计们 答案远比你想象的复杂和有趣
When a dog smells another dog’s butt,
当一只狗闻其他狗的屁股时
it’s actually collecting a bunch of information about the other dog,
实际上是在收集其他狗的信息
its diet, its gender,
有关饮食 性别
its emotional state and so on.
情绪状况等等
Think of it kind of like speaking with chemicals.
把它想像成与化学物对话
In fact, this butt-sniffing action
其实闻屁股这一行为只是
is just one of many examples of chemical communication in the animal kingdom.
动物进行化学物交流的众多方式之一
But what chemicals are packed in a fido’s rear end
但宠物狗的屁股有哪些化学物
and where do they come from?
它们来自哪里？
We talked to Dr. George Preti
我们咨询了来自
the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia.
费城莫内尔化学感官中心的George Preti博士
Dr. Preti currently studies the complexity of
Preti博士目前在研究
human body odors and pheromones.
人体气味和信息素的复杂性
But back in 1975,
但在1975年
he was on the cutting edge of dog butts science,
他对狗屁股的研究处于该领域前沿
He and his team of researchers examined
他和他的团队检查了
the anal secretions of dogs and wild coyotes.
狗和野狼的肛门分泌物
So on both sides of Sparky’s back door
斯巴基的肛门两边有
is a stinky small pouch called an anal sac.
臭烘烘的小囊称为肛门囊
This sac houses glands that excrete the chemicals
这个小囊里有分泌化学物质的腺体
dogs used to get to know each other.
狗常常通过化学物质了解对方
The apocrine gland is most responsible for that dog smell
狗身上的气味主要来自顶泌腺
but the sebaceous glands also play a part.
皮脂腺也起到一定作用
Preti discovered the primary chemical compounds
Preti发现狗产生气味的主要物质
that produce a dog’s aroma are trimethylamine
是三甲胺
and a host of short chain acids.
及大量短链酸
As you might expect,
正如你所料
anal sac secretions have a very powerful, sharp odor
由于里面的酸类物质
as a result of the acids inside.
肛门分泌物有一种非常强烈的气味
But a dog’s genetics, diet,
但是狗的基因 饮食
and the current state of their immune system
及当前的免疫系统状况
can all influence this aroma through
都会通过分泌物的化学变化
chemical changes in the secretions.
影响这种气味
You’d think the smell of dog poop
或许你认为狗屎的味道
would overpower over sensitive snout.
会使它敏感的鼻子无法忍受
But dogs have a second olfactory system
但是狗高敏感的鼻子
in their hyper-sensitive nose called the Jacobson’s organ.
有第二个嗅觉系统叫做雅各布森器官
The organ is designed specifically for chemical communication
这个器官是专门为化学物交流设计的
and it its own set of nerves in directly to the brain,
它自己的一套神经直接与大脑相连
so there’s no interference from other odors.
所以没有其他气味的干扰
The same organ is used when a dog sniffs a fire hydrant
当狗在消防栓或者有狗尿的地方嗅来嗅去时
or anywhere else there happens to be dog pee.
用的也是这个器官
So, there you have it folks.
所以伙计你懂了
Your precious pet isn’t obsessed with other dog’s butts per say.
你的宝贝宠物不会被其它狗的屁股迷住
They’re just getting to know each other
它们只是通过特殊气味
in a special aromatic way.
来了解对方
and hey speaking of aroma
说起香味你应该看
you should check out this video on why bacon smells so good
为什么培根闻起来这么香的视频
because bacon is to people, as butts are to dogs.
因为培根对人就像屁股对狗一样
Thanks for watching folks,
感谢观看
don’t forget to subscribe
记得订阅
and we’ll see you again soon.
改天见
日常化学反应
美国化学学会出品
生命化学