植物會思考嗎？：英語精讀講義

With over 300,000 plant species on Earth,

地球上有超過30萬種植物，

there's no doubt that they have highly developed senses to stay alive and thrive. 片語搭配

毫無疑問，它們擁有高度發達的感知能力，能幫助自己生存並茁壯成長。

But while some of their features may be compared to taste,

雖然它們的某些特徵可以和人類的味覺、

sight, touch, and smell in humans,

視覺、觸覺和嗅覺相提並論，

have you ever wondered, 表達脈絡

但你是否想過，

can plants think?

植物會思考嗎？

On land,

在陸地上，

the cumulative mass of plants is 1,000 times higher than that of animals. 文法

植物的總質量是動物的1000倍。

But these plants are immobile and can't move around in their environment,

但這些植物無法自行移動，也不能在周遭環境中四處活動，

which is seemingly a pretty big evolutionary disadvantage.

這看起來是演化上的一大劣勢。

This has forced plants to adapt in amazing ways that often go unnoticed by the naked eye. 講解

這迫使植物以種種驚人的方式適應環境，而這些方式往往很難用肉眼察覺。

Smell something funny? 用詞

聞到什麼怪味了嗎？

Plants do too, 文法

植物也聞得到，

and they react to these chemicals in the air.

而且會對空氣中的這些化學物質產生反應。

For example,

例如，

when fruits start to ripen,

當果實開始成熟時，

they release a chemical called ethylene.

它們會釋放一種叫做乙烯的化學物質。

And when neighboring fruits sense this pheromone,

而當附近的果實感知到這種費洛蒙時，

they ripen faster so that all fruits mature at the same time. 文法

就會更快成熟，讓所有果實同時熟透。

Plants also give off scents, 片語動詞

植物也會散發氣味，

which attract insects to spread their pollen.

吸引昆蟲來傳播花粉。

In particular,

尤其是，

the amazing carrion flowers grow tiny hairs, 文化背景

神奇的腐肉花會長出細小的絨毛，

feel warm,

摸起來溫熱，

and smell like rotting flesh in an attempt to mimic a dead corpse. 片語搭配

還會散發腐肉般的氣味，試圖模仿一具屍體。

This is to attract flies and beetles as pollinators.

這是為了吸引蒼蠅和甲蟲來為它們授粉。

On the other hand, 表達脈絡

另一方面，

when a plant is attacked by an insect, animal, or pathogen,

當植物受到昆蟲、動物或病原體攻擊時，

it knows. 慣用語

它知道。

When acacia trees are grazed by animals, 用詞

當金合歡樹被動物啃食時，

they quickly react by producing chemicals called tannins, 文法

它們會迅速產生反應，製造叫做單寧的化學物質，

which make their leaves unappetizing and tough to digest. 文法

讓葉子變得難以下嚥，也難以消化。

Some even produce enough toxin to kill the animal. 文法

有些甚至能產生足以殺死動物的毒素。

Perhaps more impressive are some corn and cotton plants, 文法

某些玉米和棉花植株或許更令人驚嘆，

which when eaten by caterpillars,

當它們被毛毛蟲啃食時，

release chemicals in the air that attract parasitic wasps,

會向空氣中釋放化學物質，吸引寄生蜂，

who fly in and ultimately kill the insects.

這些寄生蜂會飛來，最後殺死毛毛蟲。

On some level, 語氣意圖

從某種程度上來說，

they communicate with the wasps.

它們是在和寄生蜂溝通。

Crazy as it seems, 文法

聽起來雖然不可思議，

even sound recordings of caterpillars chewing leaves trigger this response. 片語搭配

但即使只播放毛毛蟲啃食葉片的聲音，也會觸發這種反應。

Without any form of touch,

即使完全沒有接觸，

the plants react as if they can hear. 文法

植物也會產生反應，彷彿它們聽得見。

On a large scale,

從更大的尺度來看，

plants also work together.

植物也會互相合作。

A web of underground fungi can connect tree roots in forests,

地下真菌組成的網路可以連結森林裡的樹根，

allowing them to exchange nutrients and information. 文法

讓樹木交換養分和資訊。

Using radioactive isotopes, 文法

科學家利用放射性同位素，

scientists discovered that trees share water and nutrients with others in need.

發現樹木會與有需要的同伴分享水分和養分。

Large trees nourish smaller shaded ones until they're tall enough to reach the sunlight. 文法

大樹會滋養樹蔭下的小樹，直到它們長得夠高，可以曬到陽光。

And trees that stay green all year round 片語搭配

而那些全年常綠的樹木

share nutrients with trees that lose their leaves in the winter,

會把養分分享給冬季落葉的樹木，

helping them through the season, 片語動詞

幫助它們熬過寒冬，

which is then repaid in the summer months like a transactional exchange. 慣用語

到了夏季，對方再回饋養分，就像一場互惠交易。

Some scientists refer to this as the world wide web. 講解

有些科學家稱之為「全球資訊網」。

Perhaps the most shocking fact is that some plants seem to have memory. 文法

也許最令人震驚的是，有些植物似乎擁有記憶。

Mimosa pudica plants are those leafy plants that close up when touched. 片語動詞

含羞草就是那種一被碰觸，葉片就會合起來的植物。

This reflex is meant to scare away insects that land on them. 講解

這種反射是為了嚇跑停在它們身上的昆蟲。

In an experiment on these reflexes,

在一項研究這種反射的實驗中，

scientists noticed that when dropped from 15 cm, 文法

科學家注意到，從15公分高處落下時，

they would close when they hit the ground. 文法

它們一碰到地面就會合起葉片。

Not so surprising.

這並不奇怪。

But after repeating the drop four or five times,

但重複墜落四、五次後，

some of the plants stopped closing, 文法

有些植物不再合起葉片，

as though they had realized the stimulus wasn't harmful. 文法

彷彿它們意識到這種刺激並無危害。

If they were shaken instead,

如果改成搖晃它們，

they would close.

它們還是會合起來。

But any time they were dropped from the same height,

但每次從相同高度讓它們落下時，

they stayed open.

它們都會保持張開。

This effect lasted for weeks.

這種效果持續了數週。

The plants had memories.

這些植物有記憶。

Of course, 語氣意圖

當然，

plants don't have brains or other cells and organs that we deem necessary for intelligence. 用詞

植物沒有大腦，也沒有我們認為產生智慧所必需的其他細胞和器官。

Brains and neurons are irreplaceable,

大腦和神經元無可取代，

but plants are immobile and often attacked,

但植物無法移動，又經常受到攻擊，

so they must be able to survive after part of them is eaten or destroyed. 文法

所以即使身體的一部分被吃掉或破壞，它們也必須能夠存活。

A brain just wouldn't work.

大腦對它們來說根本行不通。

But if you measure intelligence or thought as the ability to solve problems, 文法

但如果你把智慧或思考定義為解決問題、

interact with an environment,

與環境互動，

and even work in groups,

甚至群體合作的能力，

then plants are incredibly smart.

那麼植物就聰明得不可思議。

It's something to think about the next time you're munching down on a piece of broccoli. 講解

下次大口嚼著綠花椰菜時，這件事值得你好好想一想。

And if you need any more convincing that plants are indeed amazing,

如果你還需要更多證據來相信植物真的很神奇，

check out our new second channel AsapTHOUGHT,

不妨看看我們全新的第二頻道AsapTHOUGHT，

where we share some of our other favorite plant facts.

我們會在那裡分享其他一些自己最喜歡的植物趣聞。

Link in the description.

連結在說明欄裡。

Thanks to audible.com for giving you a free audiobook of your choice at audible.com/asap.

感謝audible.com在audible.com/asap提供一本可任選的免費有聲書給你。

Audible is the leading provider of audiobooks

Audible是業界領先的有聲書供應商，

with over 150,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature.

提供超過15萬部可下載作品，涵蓋各種文學類型。

Check out The Monkey's Voyage,

不妨看看The Monkey's Voyage，

which proposes some new theories

這本書提出了一些新理論，

on how plant and animal species wound up as they are today. 片語動詞

解釋動植物物種如何變成今天的樣貌。

You can download this audiobook or another of your choice for free at audible.com/asap.

你可以在audible.com/asap免費下載這本有聲書，或任選另一本。

Then use Audible's free app to listen on your Apple, Windows, or Android device.

接著使用Audible的免費App，在Apple、Windows或Android裝置上收聽。

Special thanks to Audible for making these videos possible

特別感謝Audible對這些影片的支持，

and for offering you a free audiobook of your choice at audible.com/asap.

也感謝它在audible.com/asap提供一本可任選的免費有聲書給你。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

別忘了訂閱，觀看每週更新的更多科學影片。