Are there any places on Earth with no bugs? - Charles Wallace

翻译人员: suya f. 校对人员: Jacky He

A scalding volcano, parched desert, and frigid glacier—

灼热的火山、焦干的沙漠 和寒冷的冰川 ——

all pretty intense,

这些都挺极端，

And also all places where certain insects live.

但也是昆虫会生活的地方。

So, how do they do it?

那么，它们是怎么做到的？

Our first stop is one of the hottest places on Earth: the Sahara Desert.

我们的第一站是地球上 最热的地方之一：撒哈拉沙漠。

Lots of animals here are only active at night— but not all.

这里许多动物只在夜间活动 —— 但不是所有。

Sahara silver ant workers brave the desert’s blazing sun and scorching sands

撒哈拉银工蚁们勇敢面对 沙漠的烈日和炎热的土地，

with unusually long legs that elevate their bodies above the hot ground

它们格外长的双腿将身体 举离炎热的地面，

and allow them to reach superlative speeds.

也带来很快的速度。

They can sprint a meter per second,

它们每秒可以冲刺一米，

each of their feet striking the sand for as little as seven milliseconds at once,

每只脚同时冲击沙滩仅七毫秒，

making them the fastest ants on record.

这使它们成为有记录 以来速度最快的蚂蚁。

But the reason for their silver sheen is also key to keeping cool:

但是，它们呈现银色光泽的原因 也是保持凉爽的关键：

the ants are covered in densely packed hair.

蚂蚁长满了密集的头发。

Instead of having a heat-trapping effect,

头发的三角形结构 并不具有捕热效果，

the hair’s triangular structure reflects sunlight and dissipates heat.

而是反射阳光并散热。

Researchers observed that it helps reflect 10 times more incoming light

研究人员观察到，与无毛相比 这有助于反射 10 倍的入射光线，

and keeps the ants around 10 degrees cooler than if they were hairless.

并使蚂蚁的温度保持在 10 度左右。

Meanwhile, this longhorn beetle also sports triangular hairs

同时，这种长角甲虫 还具有三角形的毛发，

that give it a metallic shimmer and cool it down—

使它反光并有冷却的作用，

helpful since it resides near active Thai and Indonesian volcanoes,

这很有用，因为它生活在活跃的 泰国和印度尼西亚火山附近，

where ground temperatures can reach 70°C.

那里的地面温度可以达到 70°C。

Many insects thrive in balmy biomes,

许多昆虫在温暖的生物群落中茁壮成长，

but cold temperatures, like those looming over this ice-laden landscape,

但是寒冷的气候， 例如在冰雪极地的那样，

are a major constraint on insect life.

是限制昆虫生命的主要因素。

And yet, certain insects actually depend on these cool climates year-round.

但是，某些昆虫实际上全年都 依赖这些凉爽的气候。

One small group, sometimes called ice crawlers,

有人称之为爬冰者的一个种群

lives in high-elevation caves and at the edges of glaciers.

生活在高海拔的洞穴中 和冰川边缘。

They've evolved to thrive in a narrow zone of cool temperatures.

它们已经进化为在狭窄的低温 区域中茁壮成长。

Scientists think one way they manage this is their increased capacity to produce

科学家们认为，他们解决这个 问题的一种方法是他们身体

a type of sugar that helps stabilize their cell membranes, proteins, and DNA.

提高一种糖的生产率，这种糖 有助于稳定细胞膜、蛋白质和 DNA。

But they've lost the ability to deal with temperature extremes.

但是他们已经失去了 应对温度变化的能力。

For instance, just the heat of your hand could kill them given enough time.

例如，只要足够长时间， 只要你的手的热度就能杀死他们。

Now, for a more savory flavor of survival skills,

现在，更神奇的一类生存者，

we have the alkali fly.

让碱苍蝇出场。

They live around and in California's Mono Lake,

它们生活在加利福尼亚的 莫诺湖周围和附近，

which is more than twice as salty as the ocean.

该湖的咸度是海洋的两倍多。

As aquatic larvae, they depend on specialized kidney-like organs

作为水生幼虫， 它们依靠专门的肾脏样器官

to excrete excess salt.

来排出多余的盐。

And as adults, they must continue to venture underwater regularly

作为成熟个体，他们必须定期

to eat and lay eggs.

在水下冒险进食和产卵。

However, at their size, overcoming the water's surface tension

但是，就其体型而言， 克服水的表面张力

and staying submerged is a challenge.

并保持水下状态是一项挑战。

They manage to exert forces up to 18 times their weight

他们设法施加 高达其重量 18 倍的力量

to break the surface tension then use their claws to counteract their buoyancy

来打破表面张力，然后用爪子抵消 它们在咸水中的浮力

in the salty water and stay put down below.

并保持在水下。

Because their bodies are covered in more hair and hydrophobic wax than other flies,

由于它们的身体比其他苍蝇覆盖的 毛发和疏水蜡更多，

they’re surrounded by an air bubble that keeps them dry

因此它们被气泡包围， 气泡可以保持干燥

and provides them with up to 15 minutes of oxygen.

并为它们提供长达 15 分钟的氧气。

When they release their hold,

当它们松开锁定状态时，

they pop right back up to the surface, perfectly dry.

它们会立即弹回表面，完全干燥。

However, only one insect group is known to actually withstand the ocean’s depths:

不过，只有一种昆虫 能够真正存活于海洋深处：

these are parasitic lice,

它们是寄生虱子，

它们生活在深海潜水的鳍足类动物上，

and they live on deep-sea-diving pinnipeds,

like seals and walruses.

例如海豹和海象身上。

Their plunges can take the lice thousands of meters underwater for extended periods.

它们的下潜可以将 虱子长时间带到水下数千米。

Most insects use holes on the sides of their abdomens, called spiracles,

大多数昆虫利用 腹部两侧的洞（称为气孔）

to take in oxygen.

来吸收氧气。

Interestingly, these lice are equipped with microscopic structures

有趣的是，这些虱子的微观结构

that allow them to shut their spiracles entirely.

可以完全闭上气孔。

Scientists think this may help them keep air inside

科学家们认为，这可能有 助于他们将空气保持在里面

or prevent water from entering,

或防止水进入，

allowing them to survive long periods submerged in high-pressure conditions.

从而使他们能够在高压 条件下长时间存活。

Some lice may also attain oxygen by living on seals whose fur

有些虱子还可能通过生活在海豹 身上获得氧气，海豹的毛皮会将空气

traps air close to their bodies.

捕获到靠近身体的地方。

Meanwhile, lice on marine mammals with less hair

同时，毛发较少 的海洋哺乳动物身上的虱子腹部

seem to have more scale-like structures on their abdomens,

似乎有更多的鳞片状结构，

which might help them trap a little layer of air all for themselves.

这可能有助于它们自己捕获一层空气。

Insects are the world's most numerous and diverse animals.

昆虫是世界上数量最多， 和种类繁多的动物。

Even in some of the places you might least expect them,

在你未曾设想的那些地方

there they are,

它们存在着，

equipped with extreme survival skills, living life on the edge.

带着顶级生存技能， 生活在边界上。