万物简史 第312期:地下的烈火(20)

 　　We may be going through a reversal now. 我们现在也许正经历一次逆转。

　　The Earth's magnetic field has diminished by perhaps as much as 6 percent in the last century alone. 仅仅在过去的一个世纪里，地球的磁场就减弱了大约6%之多。

　　Any diminution¹ in magnetism² is likely to be bad news, 磁力减弱有可能是个坏消息，

　　because magnetism, apart from holding notes to refrigerators and keeping our compasses pointing the right way, plays a vital role in keeping us alive. 因为除了确保冰箱正常运转和罗盘指着正确的方向以外，磁场在维持我们的生命方面起着重要的作用。

　　Space is full of dangerous cosmic rays that in the absence of magnetic protection would tear through our bodies, leaving much of our DNA³ in useless tatters. 太空里充满了危险的宇宙射线，没有磁场的保护，宇宙射线会穿透我们的身体，将我们的许多DNA撕成无用的碎片。

　　When the magnetic field is working, 如果磁场工作正常，

　　these rays are safely herded⁴ away from the Earth's surface and into two zones in near space called the Van Allen belts. 这些射线会被安全地挡在地球表面之外，被赶进近空两个名叫“范艾伦辐射带”的地区。

　　They also interact with particles in the upper atmosphere to create the bewitching veils of light known as the auroras. 它还与上层大气里的粒子互相作用，产生名叫极光的美丽光幕。

　　A big part of the reason for our ignorance, interestingly enough, is that  我们之所以无知，很大程度上是因为

　　traditionally there has been little effort to coordinate⁵ what's happening on top of the Earth with what's going on inside. 一直以来没有花多大力气去把地球上方的情况与地球里面的情况协调起来。

　　According to Shawna Vogel: "Geologists⁶ and geophysicists rarely go to the same meetings or collaborate⁷ on the same problems." 肖纳·沃格尔说：“地质学家和地球物理学家很少参加同一个会议，或者很少在同一问题上进行合作。”

　　Perhaps nothing better demonstrates our inadequate⁸ grasp of the dynamics⁹ of the Earth's interior than how badly we are caught out when it acts up, 也许，最能说明我们对地球内部的动力认识不足的，是在那种动力制造麻烦的时候我们所犯的严重错误。

　　and it would be hard to come up with a more salutary reminder¹⁰ of the limitations of our understanding than the eruption¹¹ of Mount St. Helens in Washington in 1980. 我们很难想得出一个比1980年华盛顿州圣海伦斯火山爆发更能说明我们的认识有限的例子。

1 diminution   

n.减少；变小

参考例句：

• They hope for a small diminution in taxes.他们希望捐税能稍有减少。
• He experienced no diminution of his physical strength.他并未感觉体力衰落。

2 magnetism   

n.磁性，吸引力，磁学

参考例句：

• We know about magnetism by the way magnets act.我们通过磁铁的作用知道磁性是怎么一回事。
• His success showed his magnetism of courage and devotion.他的成功表现了他的胆量和热诚的魅力。

3 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

4 herded   

群集，纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 )； 放牧； （使）向…移动

参考例句：

• He herded up his goats. 他把山羊赶拢在一起。
• They herded into the corner. 他们往角落里聚集。

5 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

6 geologists   

地质学家，地质学者( geologist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Geologists uncovered the hidden riches. 地质学家发现了地下的宝藏。
• Geologists study the structure of the rocks. 地质学家研究岩石结构。

7 collaborate   

vi.协作，合作；协调

参考例句：

• The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。
• I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

8 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

9 dynamics   

n.力学，动力学，动力，原动力；动态

参考例句：

• In order to succeed,you must master complicated knowledge of dynamics.要取得胜利，你必须掌握很复杂的动力学知识。
• Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.动力学是一门不做大量习题就不能掌握的学科。

10 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

11 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。