时差N小时 有用的阑尾

Dear a moment of science: I used to think that the appendix¹ is useless, but now I'm hearing that the appendix actually does serve a purpose. So, which is it?

亲爱的科学时刻：以前我觉得阑尾是无用的，但最近我听说阑尾实际上也有用途。那么，哪种说法是对的。

Yale: Great question. It's true that for a long time scientists thought that the appendix didn't really serve a purpose. But a few years ago a study showed that the appendix in fact plays an important role. It's a sort of hangout for useful bacteria needed to help us digest food. After a bad case of diarrhea, when most of the bacteria in our guts² is washed out, the appendix sends a fresh batch³ in to take over.

雅艾尔：这个问题好。的确，很长时间以来，科学家们认为阑尾没有什么用途。但几年前的一项研究显示阑尾其实扮演着重要的角色。消化道里有益细菌是阑尾的常客。腹泻严重时，我们体内大多数细菌会被冲走，阑尾则为消化道输送一批新的消化细菌。

Don: Right. And not only that, but a more recent study has found that the appendix has a long and storied history. It's been around in animals including kangaroos, rodents⁴ and apes for at least eighty million years. In other words, it's fairly common in nature.

唐：对。不仅如此，一项近期的研究发现阑尾有一段漫长而颇负盛名的历史。在袋鼠、啃齿动物以及猿等动物身上流传了至少八千万年。换句话说，在自然界中这是很普遍存在的。

Yale: Now, it's true that in developed countries with modern sanitation⁵, the human appendix has less to do than it once did. In those places, where diarrhea isn't a major problem, the appendix isn't called upon all the time to do its thing. That's why when people in the United States and other developed countries have their appendix removed, they don't seem to miss it.

雅艾尔：现在，发达国家具有现代的卫生设备，人类阑尾的作用就大不如从前了。在这些地区，腹泻并不是严重的问题，阑尾并不总是能发挥作用。这就是为什么在美国和其它发达城市，人们会切除阑尾，且并不留念它。

Don: But in places where drinking water and sanitation aren't as safe, the appendix plays a larger role in keeping people healthy.

唐：但是在那些饮水和卫生条件差的地方，阑尾在保护人类健康方面起着重要的作用。

1 appendix   

n.附录，附属物，阑尾，盲肠

参考例句：

• I have recently had my appendix removed.我最近切除了阑尾。
• There is an appendix at the back of the book.该书末尾处有一附录。

2 guts   

v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠

参考例句：

• I'll only cook fish if the guts have been removed. 鱼若已收拾干净，我只需烧一下即可。
• Barbara hasn't got the guts to leave her mother. 巴巴拉没有勇气离开她妈妈。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 batch   

n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量

参考例句：

• The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
• I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。

4 rodents   

n.啮齿目动物( rodent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Rodents carry diseases and are generally regarded as pests. 啮齿目动物传播疾病，常被当作害虫对待。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some wild rodents in Africa also harbor the virus. 在非洲，有些野生啮齿动物也是储毒者。 来自辞典例句

5 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。