60秒科学:你身上的细菌"身份证"

相信吗？你身上寄生的细菌群有辨识身份的功能。

They say that who you hang out with says a lot about who you are. Well, the microbes that hang out on your fingers can point to exactly who you are. Because scientists [Noah Fierera et al] at the University of Colorado in Boulder¹ have been able to identify individuals based on the bacteria they leave behind on their computers. The findings appear in the Proceedings² of the National Academy of Sciences.

Our skin is a breeding ground for bacteria of all shapes and sizes. And each of us harbors a microbial mix that’s a bit different from our neighbors’. So every time we grab a glass of juice or type out an email, we leave our fingerprints³, and a shmear of our own resident microbes.

But just how telltale is this trail of microbiota? The scientists swabbed bacteria from nine computer mice and then conducted a sort of microbial lineup. They compared the bacterial⁴ signature from the mice to a database of more than 250 microbial communities, including that of the objects’ owners’. For each mouse, the microbial mix matched its owner’s hand more closely than any other sample. So watch what you touch. There could be a crime scene investigator⁵ just waiting to collect your microbial community.

—Karen Hopkin
 

1 boulder   

n.巨砾；卵石，圆石

参考例句：

• We all heaved together and removed the boulder.大家一齐用劲，把大石头搬开了。
• He stepped clear of the boulder.他从大石头后面走了出来。

2 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

3 fingerprints   

n.指纹( fingerprint的名词复数 )v.指纹( fingerprint的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Everyone's fingerprints are unique. 每个人的指纹都是独一无二的。
• They wore gloves so as not to leave any fingerprints behind (them). 他们戴着手套，以免留下指纹。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 bacterial   

a.细菌的

参考例句：

• Bacterial reproduction is accelerated in weightless space. 在失重的空间，细菌繁殖加快了。
• Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections. 大脑损伤可能由细菌感染引起。

5 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。