纪录片《熟食造就了人类吗》 第22期：烹饪有百万年历史

The reasons for the major step forward in our evolution

人类进化中最重要一步的起因

are mired¹ in controversy²,

一直处在争论之中

but what is certain is that about 1.8 million years ago,

但可以肯定的是 大约180万年前

the first ancestor whose behaviour was truly human did emerge.

行为与人类很像的祖先 第一次出现了

This was Homo erectus.

那就是直立人

It had lost the ape-like characteristics of its predecessors³,

他们已经没有了其先人那些类猿的特征

its anatomy⁴ was much like ours

其解剖结构与我们颇为相似

and it could run as easily as we can.

而且可以像我们一样奔跑

But crucially, its brain had grown by 20%.

更关键的是 大脑容量增加了20%

If Wrangham is right,

如果朗汉是对的

and cooking was the cause of this quantum leap,

烹饪确实是这巨大飞跃的推动力

it's crucial to find out when cooking started.

那么关键就是找出人类开始烹饪的时间

This is a matter of some debate.

这是个充满争议的问题

I think we first started cooking

我认为 大约200万年前

almost two million years ago with the origin of Homo erectus.

直立人开启了 人类的第一次烹饪

Cooking could possibly be one million years old.

烹饪可能已经有了百万年的历史

Based on the evidence we have,

根据我们现在所掌握的证据

I'd say we started to cook

我只能说人类

some time in the last 800,000 years.

在过去80万年里的某个时间开始烹饪

1 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

3 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 anatomy   

n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织

参考例句：

• He found out a great deal about the anatomy of animals.在动物解剖学方面，他有过许多发现。
• The hurricane's anatomy was powerful and complex.对飓风的剖析是一项庞大而复杂的工作。