第1852期:Hero worms

Are worms the heroes we didn't know we needed? Silent, slimy and wriggling, you might think that worms are good for nothing except bait on the end of a fishing rod. However, there is more to the humble worm than meets the eye.

蠕虫难道不是我们自己知道所需要的英雄吗？ 它静静的、黏糊糊的、扭来扭去的，你可能会认为蠕虫除了是钓鱼竿的诱饵外，然后就一无是处。 但是，这不起眼的蠕虫远不止这些。

The British naturalist Charles Darwin said that no other animal has "played such an important part in the history of the world as these lowly organised creatures". They have lived on Earth for 600 million years and have even survived five mass extinctions. So, what do worms do that is so great?

英国博物学家查尔斯达尔文说: 没有其他动物像这些低等组织的生物一样在世界历史上发挥了如此重要的作用。它们在地球上生活了 6 亿年，甚至在五次大灭绝中幸存了下来。那么，蠕虫有什么厉害之处呢？

Earthworms literally move the earth, and this is why farmers love them. As they travel, they aerate the soil by loosening, mixing and oxygenating it, which increases the ground's capacity to hold and drain water. They are effectively a small but very efficient plough. But it's not just earthworms that deserve praise.

蚯蚓确实移动了地球，这就是农民喜欢它们的原因。当它们移动时，它们通过松土、混合和充氧来使土壤通气，从而增加地面保存和排水的能力。它们实际上是一种小而高效的犁。但值得表扬的不仅仅是蚯蚓。

In 2022, a group of scientists at the Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research isolated enzymes found in wax worm saliva which are plastic-eating. These can break down polyethylene, a very common plastic that normally degrades over many years. It's hoped that by producing these enzymes on an industry-level scale, we will have a more environmentally friendly way to reduce plastic pollution.

2022 年，玛格丽塔萨拉斯生物研究中心的一组科学家分离出在吃塑料的蜡虫唾液中发现的酶。这些酶可以分解聚乙烯，这是一种非常常见的塑料，通常会在多年后降解。希望能够通过工业级规模来生产这些酶，我们将有一种更环保的方式来减少塑料的污染。

And worms are even inspiring the building industry. Bloodworms are small sea creatures which burrow into the mud of the ocean floor. Scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara have been studying their jaws, which are made up of 10% copper proteins and are so strong that they last the worm's entire five-year lifespan. Because of this research, engineers may start using the jaws as inspiration for the design and manufacture of materials like concrete. So, next time you see a worm, show it a little respect. They really are changing the world!

蠕虫甚至启发了建筑业。红虫是钻入海底泥浆中的小型海洋生物。加利福尼亚大学圣巴巴拉分校的科学家们一直在研究它们的下颚，它由 10% 的铜蛋白组成，非常坚固，可以维持蠕虫的整个五年寿命。由于这项研究，工程师可能会开始使用下颚的这个灵感来设计和制造一些材料如混凝土。所以，下次您看到蠕虫时，请对它表示一点尊重。他们真的正在改变世界！

词汇表

worm 蠕虫  I saw a worm crawling on the ground after the rain.
slimy 黏糊糊的 Be careful not to step on that slimy slug!
wriggling 蠕动着的，扭动着的 The fish was wriggling on the end of my fishing line.
bait （鱼）饵 We need to use some fresh bait to attract the fish.
humble 不起眼的，普通的 He grew up in a humble little village in the countryside.
naturalist 博物学家 My friend is a naturalist who studies birds in the forest.
lowly 低等的 She started her career in a lowly position, but now she's the CEO.
creature 动物，生物 The ocean is home to a wide variety of fascinating creatures.
mass extinction （生物）聚群绝灭 The dinosaur era is known for the mass extinction that occurred.
earthworm 蚯蚓 Earthworms are beneficial for the soil as they aerate it.
aerate 使（土壤）透气 It's important to aerate the compost pile to speed up decomposition.
soil 土壤 The farmer tested the soil to determine its nutrient content.
loosen 松动 Use a shovel to loosen the soil before planting the flowers.
oxygenate 给…供氧 Plants release oxygen and help to oxygenate the surrounding air.
plough 犁 The farmer used a plough to prepare the field for planting.
enzyme 酶 Enzymes play a crucial role in the digestion of food in our bodies.
wax worm 蜡虫 Wax worms are commonly used as fishing bait.
saliva 唾液 The dentist asked me to rinse my mouth and spit out the saliva.
plastic-eating 分解塑料的 Scientists are researching plastic-eating bacteria to combat pollution.
bloodworm 血虫 Fish are attracted to the movement of bloodworms in the water.
burrow 钻，打洞 The rabbit dug a burrow to create a safe shelter.
jaws 口部 The shark's jaws are lined with rows of sharp teeth.