纪录片《火星任务》 第41期 了不起的细菌

These extraordinary bacteria

这些了不起的细菌

are not just tolerating the strange river conditions,

并不仅仅适应了这奇怪的河流生态系统

they're actually creating them.

事实上它们缔造了它

They simply don't behave like life as we know it.

只不过其生存方式与我们的认知相去甚远

The community, the ecology

在这条河流中

of the extremophiles living in this river,

此类极端生物的生存方式

they don't need to eat complex organic molecules¹

不同于人类或动物的细胞

like our cells have to, like human cells or animal cells,

它们不需要消耗有机大分子

they've got far simpler requirements,

它们的需求十分简单

and all those cells need to munch² on are fundamental things

这些微生物只需要消耗简单基本的东西

like iron and sulphur dissolved in the water,

比如说溶在水中的铁和硫

and they're reacting together

它们之间相互作用

and use that chemical reaction to power themselves,

利用化学反应为自己提供能量

and a by-product³ - a waste product, if you like -

在这个过程中 它们的副产品

of that living process

也可以被叫做排泄物

is the sulphuric acid

就是硫酸

and that's why Rio Tinto is so phenomenally acidic.

这就是力拓河水酸性如此之强的原因

So life can find ways to survive

所以即便是在

even in conditions people thought

人们以为无法存活的地方

would mean instant death.

也有生命存在

1 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

2 munch   

v.用力嚼，大声咀嚼

参考例句：

• We watched her munch through two packets of peanuts.我们看她津津有味地嚼了两包花生米。
• Getting them to munch on vegetable dishes was more difficult.使他们吃素菜就比较困难了。

3 by-product   

n.副产品，附带产生的结果

参考例句：

• Freedom is the by-product of economic surplus.自由是经济盈余的副产品。
• The raw material for the tyre is a by-product of petrol refining.制造轮胎的原材料是提炼汽油时产生的一种副产品。