60秒科学:Stradivari's Violin Secret? His Talent

Stradivari's Violin Secret? His Talent
A study in the journal Angewandte Chemie that looked at the varnish¹ used in Stradivarius instruments found nothing unusual, leading the researchers to conclude that Stradivari was just a master craftsman² who had no secret ingredients unknown to other instrument-makers. Steve Mirsky reports

Almost three centuries after his death, Antonio Stradivari is still a legend for the sound of his instruments, from the rich depths of his cellos³ [cello sound] to the soaring clarity of his violins [violin sound]. Theories are often been put forth⁴ that Stradivari must have used a secret ingredient that made his instruments special, perhaps in the varnish.

Now researchers have performed spectroscopic and microscopic⁵ examinations on the wood and varnish of five Stradivarius violins and think they have uncovered Stradivari’s secret. The study appears in the German chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie. The first layer of varnish is an oil comparable to that used by painters of the era. The next layer is a tinted⁶ oil and common resin⁷ mix. The researchers found no unusual proteins or gums. And they found no mineral-rich layer, which some earlier examiners thought might be there. So Stradivari employed common materials in broad use in his time. Which leads the researchers to conclude that Stradivari’s true secret?: his incredible artistry as an instrument builder.
 

1 varnish   

n.清漆；v.上清漆；粉饰

参考例句：

• He tried to varnish over the facts,but it was useless.他想粉饰事实，但那是徒劳的。
• He applied varnish to the table.他给那张桌子涂上清漆。

2 craftsman   

n.技工，精于一门工艺的匠人

参考例句：

• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。
• The craftsman is working up the mass of clay into a toy figure.艺人把一团泥捏成玩具形状。

3 cellos   

n.大提琴( cello的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We are manufacturer of high-and medium-end violins, violas, cellos and basses. 我厂是深圳专业生产制作高档、中档小提琴、中提琴、大提琴、低音提琴的企业。 来自互联网
• Our company specializes in producing violins, cellos, bases and instrument cases. 本公司是一家专业生产小提琴、大提琴、贝司和乐器箱包的企业。 来自互联网

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 microscopic   

adj.微小的，细微的，极小的，显微的

参考例句：

• It's impossible to read his microscopic handwriting.不可能看清他那极小的书写字迹。
• A plant's lungs are the microscopic pores in its leaves.植物的肺就是其叶片上微细的气孔。

6 tinted   

adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• a pair of glasses with tinted lenses 一副有色镜片眼镜
• a rose-tinted vision of the world 对世界的理想化看法

7 resin   

n.树脂，松香，树脂制品；vt.涂树脂

参考例句：

• This allyl type resin is a highly transparent, colourless material.这种烯丙基型的树脂是一种高度透明的、无色材料。
• This is referred to as a thixotropic property of the resin.这种特性叫做树脂的触变性。