Why didn’t this 2,000 year old body decompose? - Carolyn Marshall

譯者: 【1002熊詩芸】 Jenny 審譯者: Amanda Zhu

In 1984, two field workers discovered a body in a bog outside Cheshire, England.

1984年，兩名在野外工作的人 在英國柴郡外的沼澤裡發現一具屍體

Officials named the body the Lindow Man

政府將這具屍體命名為林道人

and determined that he’d suffered serious injuries,

並判定他曾受過重傷

including blunt trauma and strangulation.

包括鈍器外傷和頸部勒傷

But the most shocking thing about this gruesome story

但在這個駭人聽聞的故事裡 最令人震驚的是

was that they were able to determine these details from a body over 2,000 years old.

他們能從一具兩千多年前的 屍體中推測出這些細節

Typically, decomposition would make such injuries hard to detect

一般來說，屍體的腐化 會使受過的創傷難以察覺

on a body buried just weeks earlier.

即使屍體僅埋葬數週

So why was this corpse so perfectly preserved?

那為什麼這具屍體保存得如此完好?

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

為什麼不是所有的屍體 都能保持這種狀態？

The answers to these questions live six feet underground.

問題的答案就在六英尺深的地下

It may not appear very lively down here,

它可能看起來並不活躍

but a single teaspoon of soil contains more organisms

但一茶匙土壤中所含的生物

than there are human beings on the planet.

比地球上的人口還多

From bacteria and algae to fungi and protozoa,

從細菌、藻類到真菌和原生動物

soils are home to one quarter of Earth’s biodiversity.

土壤裡生存著 地球上四分之一生物種類

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

土壤裡最重要的居民或許是微生物

organisms no larger than several hundred nanometers

它們的大小不超過幾百奈米

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

卻能分解地球上 所有已死或瀕死的有機物質

Imagine we drop an apple in the forest.

想像我們在森林裡扔掉一顆蘋果

As soon as it contacts the soil,

一旦它接觸到土壤

worms and other invertebrates begin breaking it down into smaller parts;

蠕蟲和其他無脊椎動物 便開始將其分解

absorbing nutrients from what they consume and excreting the rest.

從中吸收養分，並排泄廢棄物

This first stage of decomposition sets the scene for microbes.

這是腐化的第一步 為後續的微生物分解奠定了基礎

The specific microbes present depend on the environment.

環境決定了出現的微生物種類

For example, in grasslands and farm fields there tend to be more bacteria,

例如，草地和農田裡往往細菌較多

which excel at breaking down grass and leaves.

它們擅長分解草和樹葉

But in this temperate forest there are more fungi,

但溫帶森林裡真菌較多

capable of breaking down complex woody materials.

它們能夠分解複雜的木質材料

Looking to harvest more food from the apple’s remains,

為了從蘋果的殘骸裡獲取更多食物

these microbes release enzymes

這些微生物會釋放出多種酶

that trigger a chemical reaction called oxidation.

引發一種化學反應：氧化

This breaks down the molecules of organic matter, releasing energy,

這會分解有機物 釋放出能量、碳和其他養分

carbon, and other nutrients in a process called mineralization.

我們稱之為礦化作用

Then microbes consume the carbon and some nutrients,

然後微生物會消耗碳和一些養分

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

而多餘的氮、硫、鈣等分子

are left behind in the soil.

則留在土壤中

As insects and worms eat more of the apple,

昆蟲和蠕蟲繼續啃食這顆蘋果時，

they expose more surface area for these microbial enzymes

牠們增加了蘋果暴露的表面積

讓微生物的酶進行氧化和礦化反應

to oxidize and mineralize.

Even the excretions they leave behind are mined by microbes.

即使是牠們留下的排泄物 也會被微生物分解

This continues until the apple is reduced to nothing—

這一過程會持續到蘋果化為無有

a process that would take one to two months in a temperate forest.

這一過程在溫帶森林裡 需要一到兩個月的時間

Environments that are hot and wet support more microbes

炎熱潮濕的環境更適合微生物生存

than places that are cold and dry,

勝過於寒冷乾燥的地方

allowing them to decompose things more quickly.

使微生物能更快地分解物質

And less complex organic materials break down faster.

結構較簡單的有機物分解速度較快

But given enough time,

但只要有足夠的時間

all organic matter is reduced to microscopic mineral nutrients.

所有的有機物都會 被分解成微小的礦物養分

The atomic bonds between these molecules are too strong to break down any further.

這些分子間的原子鍵結力很強 無法再進一步分解

So instead, these nutrients feed plant life,

於是，這些養分養育了植物

which grow more food that will eventually decompose.

植物繼而生長出 更多最終都會被分解的食物

This constant cycle of creating and decomposing supports all life on Earth.

這種不斷創造和腐化的循環 養育了地球上所有的生命

But there are a few environments too hostile for these multi-talented microbes—

但也有一些環境對這些 多才多藝的微生物過於不利

including the peat bogs outside Cheshire, England.

英國柴郡外的泥炭沼澤就是其一

Peat bogs are mostly made of highly acidic Sphagnum mosses.

泥炭沼澤主要是由 強酸性的泥炭苔形成

These plants acidify the soil while also releasing a compound

這些植物會酸化土壤

同時釋放出一種與氮結合的化合物

that binds to nitrogen, depriving the area of nutrients.

使土壤裡的養分流失

Alongside cold northern European temperatures,

再加上北歐寒冷的氣溫

these conditions make it impossible for most microbes to function.

這些條件使得大部分微生物 無法正常發揮作用

With nothing to break them down,

由於沒有微生物能將其分解

the dead mosses pile up, preventing oxygen from entering the bog.

死去的泥炭苔逐漸堆積 阻擋了氧氣進入沼澤

The result is a naturally sealed system.

結果形成了一個自然封閉系統

Whatever organic matter enters a peat bog just sits there— like the Lindow Man.

任何進入泥炭沼澤的有機物 都會維持原樣

就像林道人一樣

The acid of the bog was strong enough

沼澤的酸度足以溶解相對簡單的物質

to dissolve relatively simple material like bone,

如骨頭

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

並讓皮膚和器官等 較複雜的組織變成黑色

But his corpse is otherwise so well-preserved,

除此以外，林道人的屍體 在其他方面保存得很好

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

所以我們能推斷他死前很健康

25 歲左右

and potentially wealthy as his body shows few signs of hard labor.

因為他的身體幾沒有辛苦勞動的跡象 所以他也可能相當富有

We even know the Lindow Man’s last meal—

我們甚至還知道 林道人的最後一餐吃了什麼

a still undigested piece of charred bread.

一片仍未消化的燒焦麵包

Scholars are less certain about the circumstances of his death.

學者們對他的死因還不太確定

While cold-blooded murder is a possibility,

或許他死於一場冷血的謀殺

the extremity of his injuries suggest a ritual sacrifice.

但他受傷的嚴重程度 隱含了獻祭的可能性

Even 2,000 years ago,

有證據顯示，

there’s evidence the bog was known for its almost supernatural qualities;

人們在兩千年前 就相信這片沼澤具有超自然力量

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

一個你腳下的土壤非生亦非死的地方