为什么这具两千年前的尸体没有腐烂？- 卡罗琳·马歇尔 (Carolyn Marshall)：英语精读讲义

In 1984, two field workers discovered a body in a bog

1984年，两名野外工作者在一处泥沼中发现了一具尸体，

outside Cheshire, England.

地点位于英格兰柴郡郊外。

Officials named the body the Lindow Man

官方将这具尸体命名为“林道人”（Lindow Man），

and determined that he'd suffered serious injuries, 短語搭配

并确定他生前受过重伤，

including blunt trauma and strangulation. 用詞

包括钝器创伤和被勒过的痕迹。

But the most shocking thing about this gruesome story 語法

但关于这个骇人听闻的故事，最让人震惊的是，

was that they were able to determine these details

他们竟能查明这些细节，

from a body over 2,000 years old.

尽管这是一具距今已有两千多年历史的尸体。

Typically, decomposition would make such injuries hard to detect 語法

通常情况下，即使尸体只埋葬了几周，

on a body buried just weeks earlier.

腐败作用也会使这些伤痕难以被察觉。

So, why was this corpse so perfectly preserved? 用詞

那么，为什么这具尸体能保存得如此完好？

And why don't all bodies stay in this condition?

为什么不是所有的尸体都能保持这种状态？

The answers to these questions live 6 feet underground. 習語

这些问题的答案就藏在地下6英尺深处。

It may not appear very lively down here, 語法

虽然地下看起来可能没什么生机，

but a single teaspoon of soil contains more organisms 語法

但仅仅一茶匙的土壤里包含的生物数量，

than there are human beings on the planet.

就比地球上的人口总数还要多。

From bacteria and algae to fungi and protozoa, 短語搭配

从细菌、藻类到真菌和原生动物，

soils are home to one quarter of Earth's biodiversity. 短語搭配

土壤是地球四分之一生物多样性的家园。

And perhaps the soil's most important inhabitants are microbes,

也许土壤中最重要的居民是微生物，

organisms no larger than several hundred nanometers 語法

这些生物体长不超过几百纳米，

that decompose all the planet's dead and dying organic material.

却分解着地球上所有已经死亡和濒临死亡的有机物质。

Imagine we drop an apple in the forest. 表達脈絡

想象一下，我们在森林里扔下了一个苹果。

As soon as it contacts the soil, 語法

一旦它接触到土壤，

worms and other invertebrates begin breaking it down into smaller parts, 短語動詞

蠕虫和其他无脊椎动物就会开始将它分解成更小的部分，

absorbing nutrients from what they consume and excreting the rest. 語法

从吃掉的部分中吸收营养，然后排泄出剩下的部分。

This first stage of decomposition sets the scene for microbes. 習語

分解的第一阶段为微生物的登场做好了准备。

The specific microbes present depend on the environment.

存在的具体微生物种类取决于所处的环境。

For example, in grasslands and farm fields,

例如，在草原和农田里，

there tend to be more bacteria, 語法

往往有更多的细菌，

which excel at breaking down grass and leaves. 短語搭配

它们擅长分解草和树叶。

But in this temperate forest, 用詞

但在这片温带森林中，

there are more fungi capable of breaking down complex woody materials. 短語搭配

有更多能分解复杂木质材料的真菌。

Looking to harvest more food from the apple's remains, 短語搭配

为了从苹果的残骸中获取更多食物，

these microbes release enzymes that trigger a chemical reaction called oxidation. 用詞

这些微生物会释放出酶，引发一种叫做“氧化”的化学反应。

This breaks down the molecules of organic matter, 用詞

这会分解有机物的分子，

releasing energy, carbon, and other nutrients

释放出能量、碳和其他营养物质，

in a process called mineralization. 用詞

这个过程被称为“矿化作用”。

Then microbes consume the carbon and some nutrients

然后，微生物会消耗碳和一些营养物质，

while excess molecules of nitrogen, sulfur, calcium, and more

同时将多余的氮、硫、钙等分子

are left behind in the soil. 短語動詞

留在土壤中。

As insects and worms eat more of the apple,

随着昆虫和蠕虫吃掉更多的苹果，

they expose more surface area for these microbial enzymes 語法

它们为这些微生物酶暴露出更多的表面积，

to oxidize and mineralize.

以便进行氧化和矿化。

Even the excretions they leave behind are mined by microbes. 習語

甚至它们留下的排泄物也会被微生物继续利用。

This continues until the apple is reduced to nothing, 短語搭配

这一过程一直持续，直到苹果化为乌有，

a process that would take 1 to 2 months in a temperate forest. 語法

在温带森林中，这个过程需要一到两个月的时间。

Environments that are hot and wet support more microbes

炎热潮湿的环境能支持更多的微生物生存，

than places that are cold and dry,

这比寒冷干燥的地方要多，

allowing them to decompose things more quickly. 語法

使得它们能更快地分解物质。

And less complex organic materials break down faster.

而且不那么复杂的有机物分解得更快。

But, given enough time, 短語搭配

但是，只要有足够的时间，

all organic matter is reduced to microscopic mineral nutrients.

所有的有机物都会被分解成微观的矿物营养。

The atomic bonds between these molecules

这些分子之间的原子键

are too strong to break down any further. 語法

强大到无法被进一步分解。

So, instead, these nutrients feed plant life,

因此，这些营养物质转而滋养了植物，

which grow more food that will eventually decompose.

植物生长出更多的食物，而这些食物最终也会被分解。

This constant cycle of creating and decomposing 表達脈絡

这种创造和分解的不断循环，

supports all life on Earth.

支撑着地球上的所有生命。

But, there are a few environments too hostile 語法

然而，有少数环境过于恶劣，

for these multi-talented microbes,

哪怕是这些多才多艺的微生物也无法生存，

including the peat bogs outside Cheshire, England.

其中就包括英格兰柴郡郊外的泥炭沼泽。

Peat bogs are mostly made of highly acidic sphagnum mosses. 講解

泥炭沼泽主要由高酸性的泥炭藓组成。

These plants acidify the soil while also releasing a compound

这些植物不仅能使土壤酸化，还会释放一种化合物，

that binds to nitrogen, depriving the area of nutrients. 講解

它与氮结合，从而剥夺了该区域的营养物质。

Alongside cold Northern European temperatures, 短語搭配

加上北欧寒冷的气温，

these conditions make it impossible for most microbes to function. 語法

这些条件使得绝大多数微生物根本无法发挥作用。

With nothing to break them down, the dead mosses pile up, 講解

由于没有东西来分解它们，死去的苔藓越积越多，

preventing oxygen from entering the bog. 短語搭配

阻止了氧气进入沼泽。

The result is a naturally sealed system. 用詞

结果就形成了一个天然密封的系统。

Whatever organic matter enters a peat bog, just sits there, 講解

任何进入泥炭沼泽的有机物，就只能待在那里，

like the Lindow Man.

就像“林道人”一样。

The acid of the bog was strong enough 語法

沼泽的酸性很强，

to dissolve relatively simple material like bone,

足以溶解相对简单的物质，比如骨头，

and it turned more complex tissue like skin and organs pitch black. 短語搭配

并把皮肤和器官这样更复杂的组织变得漆黑。

But his corpse is otherwise so well preserved 語法

但除此以外，他的尸体保存得非常好，

that we can determine he was healthy, mid-20s,

以至于我们可以断定他生前很健康，二十多岁，

and potentially wealthy, as his body shows few signs of hard labor. 短語搭配

而且可能很富有，因为他的身体几乎没有做过重体力劳动的迹象。

We even know the Lindow Man's last meal,

我们甚至知道“林道人”吃的最后一顿饭，

a still undigested piece of charred bread.

是一块尚未消化的烤面包。

Scholars are less certain about the circumstances of his death. 短語搭配

至于他的死亡情况，学者们还不太确定。

While cold-blooded murder is a possibility, 習語

虽然蓄意谋杀是有可能的，

the extremity of his injuries suggest a ritual sacrifice. 文化背景

但他受重伤的程度暗示这可能是一场仪式性的献祭。

Even 2,000 years ago,

早在两千年前，

there's evidence the bog was known for its almost supernatural qualities, 短語搭配

就有证据表明这片沼泽以其近乎超自然的特性而闻名，

a place where the soil beneath your feet wasn't quite dead or alive. 習語

在这个地方，你脚下的泥土并非完全处于死或活的状态。

Of course, you don't need a peat bog to preserve a corpse.

当然，你不需要泥炭沼泽来保存尸体。

Learn how ancient Egyptians made mummies with this video.

通过这个视频来了解一下古埃及人是如何制作木乃伊的吧。