Biomimicry
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
Table of Contents Introduction.
导言表。
4 What Is Biomimicry?
4 什么是生物模拟?
5 That Comes from What?
5 从什么来的?
6 Why Is Biomimicry So Important?
6 为什么生物模仿如此重要?
14 The Future of Biomimicry.
14"生物模仿的未来".
16 Conclusion.
16 结论。
19 Glossary.
19 词汇表。
20 A peacock displays his feathers to attract mates.
20国 有孔雀出出羽来取取相.
Introduction Did you know that a peacock’s feathers have little color of their own?
导言 你知道孔雀的羽毛本身的颜色很少吗?
The colors we see come from the shape of the feathers, which causes light to bend so they look colorful.
我们看到的颜色来自羽毛的外形,这导致光线弯曲,使其看起来多彩.
Have you ever noticed how flying locusts never seem to run into each other?
你有没有注意到 飞来飞去的蝗虫 似乎从未相遇过?
One part of their tiny brains notices and reacts to things in front of them much faster than our brains can.
他们小脑的一部分注意到和反应 在他们面前的东西 比我们的大脑快得多。
Nature is filled with many plants and animals that have developed special ways to live and survive.
大自然充满了许多已经发展出特殊活生生的动植物.
For years, humans have studied these ways to learn more about how they work.
多年来,人类一直在研究这些方法,以更多地了解他们是如何工作的.
Now a science called biomimicry teaches us how to use what we learn from nature in our own lives.
现在一种叫做生物模仿的科学 教我们如何在自己的生活中 利用我们从自然中吸取的教训。
A biologist studies a manatee in Florida.
一位生物学家研究佛罗里达的马纳特人
What Is Biomimicry?
什么是生物模拟?
The word biomimicry comes from two words: bio, meaning “life,” and mimic, meaning “to copy.”
生物模仿一词出自两个词:生物,意为"生命";而模仿,意为"复制". “
This new field of study is also known as biomimetics.
这个新的研究领域也被称为"生物计量".
Both names mean the same thing: the science of copying life.
两个名字的意义都是一样的: 复制生命的科学.
The idea behind this science is simple.
这种科学背后的想法很简单.
Scientists, researchers, and engineers study how living creatures navigate the challenges of life.
科学家、研究人员和工程师研究活生物如何导航生命的挑战。
These experts then look at human challenges that are similar to see if people can adopt the same approaches in dealing with their problems.
这些专家然后审视人类面临的挑战,这些挑战类似于人们在处理自身问题时能否采取同样的做法。
Biomimicry doesn’t involve using living things— it involves learning from them.
生物模仿并不涉及使用活物,
And the idea of biomimicry is nothing new.
而"活体模仿"的观念也并非新鲜事.
People have been turning to nature to solve problems for hundreds of years.
数百年来人们一直依靠大自然解决问题。
Velcro under a microscope (left), a burr (inset), and a boy wearing a Velcro suit hanging from a Velcro wall (right) That Comes from What?
Velcro在显微镜下(左), Burr (被套入), 和一个穿着Velcro外衣的男孩被悬挂在Velcro外墙上(右),
Velcro Have you ever gone running through a field and then found burrs stuck to your pants and socks?
维尔克罗 你曾经跑过田地,然后发现被夹在裤子和袜子上?
That’s what happened to Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral and his dog one day in 1941.
瑞士工程师乔治·德·梅斯特拉尔(Georges de Mestral)和他的狗在1941年的一天里就发生了这样的事.
De Mestral wondered how the burrs managed to stick so well, so he looked at them under a microscope and saw that parts of each burr had little hooks that would catch onto cloth, fur, and hair.
德·梅斯特拉尔(De Mestral)想知道,驴子怎么一直粘得这么好,于是他在显微镜下看着它们,看到每个驴子的部分有小钩子可以捕到布,毛和发.
After his discovery, de Mestral invented Velcro, a way to temporarily attach two things together using the same method as burrs.
被他发现后,德·梅斯特拉尔发明了Velcro,一种用与burrs相同的方法将两样东西暂时连接在一起的方法.
He designed two pieces of fabric, one with hooks and the other with loops.
他设计出两块布料,一用钩子,一用回环.
The hooks catch the loops and hold the pieces of fabric together.
钩子接取回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回回
This system has been used by people at home, at work, and even in space!
这个系统被人们在家中,在工作,甚至在太空中使用过!
A cat’s eyes reflecting light (main), and a Cat’s Eye in Yorkshire, United Kingdom (inset) Reflectors Traveling in a car at night, you may have noticed light reflecting off small plastic bumps lining the road.
在英国约克郡(Inset), 一只猫的眼睛反光(主), 一只猫的眼睛,
These reflective bumps were invented in 1933 by a man named Percy Shaw.
这些反向凸起由一位叫Percy Shaw的人于1933年所发明.
While driving one foggy night, Shaw saw the eyes of a cat reflecting the beams from his headlights back at him through the mist.
一边开着一通烟雾之夜 肖看到一只猫的眼睛从头灯中反射出梁子,从雾中回向着他.
He thought if he could mimic the way a cat’s eyes reflected light, he could make something to help car drivers keep safe on dark roads.
他认为,如果他能模仿猫的眼睛反射出光线的方式,他就能做一些东西来帮助汽车司机在黑暗的道路上保持安全.
Shaw went on to invent the Cat’s Eye—highly reflective spheres set into the center of roads.
肖接着发明了猫眼 -- -- 高度反射的球体被打入了道路的中心。
The design has changed over the years, but the idea remains the same—using reflected light to guide people safely home.
设计在过去几年中有所改变,但这个想法保持不变——使用反射光来引导人们安全回家.
This microscopic view shows the antireflective surface of a moth’s eye.
这种显微镜的视角显示一头蛾眼的反光表面。
Antireflective Screens While some animals have eyes that reflect light, other animals’ eyes absorb light.
反射屏幕 虽然有些动物的眼睛能反射出光,但其他动物的眼睛能吸收光.
A moth’s eyes, for example, are designed to reduce reflection to keep them from shining and attracting the attention of predators.
例如,一头蛾眼被设计来减少反射来防止它们发光并吸引捕食者的注意.
Researchers copied this design to make computer screens that absorb light and reduce glare.
研究人员复制了这个设计,制造出能吸收光线并减少光线的计算机屏幕.
This design helps prevent eyestrain in people who work or play on computers.
这种设计有助于防止在电脑上工作或玩耍的人的眼力训练.
Self-Cleaning Paint and Roof Tiles Lotus plants grow in ponds and rivers.
自取取出漆和屋顶平地莲花植物生长于池塘和河流中.
They are surrounded by mud, yet their leaves appear clean most of the time.
它们被泥地所包围,然而它们的叶子大部分时间看起来都干净.
The secret lies in the leaves’ surface.
秘诀在于叶子表面.
Although it looks smooth, it actually has tiny bumps that cause water to bead up and roll off, carrying bits of dirt and dust with it.
虽然它看起来很平滑, 但它实际上有微小的起落起落, 导致水被珠子卷起并滚出,
Engineers studied lotus leaves and found a way to use this idea in house paint and roof tiles.
工程师们研究了莲花叶并找到一种方法在房屋油漆和屋顶瓦片中使用这个想法.
The paint and tiles mimic the bumpy surface of the leaves.
颜料和瓷砖模仿了叶子起伏的表面.
As a result, every time it rains, the outsides of houses with these paints and tiles are cleaned.
因此,每次下雨时,有这些油漆和瓷砖的房屋外出都会被清理.
These microscopic views show how self-cleaning paint (top) mimics the surface of a lotus leaf (bottom) and causes water to bead and roll off (right).
这些显微视图显示自净涂料(上部)如何模仿了一朵莲花叶(下部)的表面并导致出水被珠并滚出(右出).
The newly designed Shinkansen train pulls into a Tokyo train station.
新设计的申坎森列车牵入了东京火车站.
A kingfisher Shinkansen Train Japan’s Shinkansen train, known as the bullet train, is one of the world’s fastest, zipping over the rails at speeds up to 210 kilometers per hour (130 mph).
Kingfisher Shinkansen Train Japan's Shinkansen列车被称为"子弹列车",是世界上最快,以每小时210公里(130 mph)的速度在铁路上拉链的列车之一.
The train’s rounded nose, however, created a problem in tunnels.
但火车的圆鼻在地道上造成了问题。
Its shape caused air pressure to build up around the train.
它的外形使气压在列车周围逐渐增强.
When the train left the tunnel, the pressure was released, making a very loud booming sound.
当列车出道后,压力被释放出来,发出非常响亮的隆起声.
To fix this problem, the train designers looked to a small bird called a king f isher.
为了解决这个问题,列车设计师们望向了一只叫作"国王f isher"的小鸟.
The shape of the kingfisher’s beak lets it dive for fish without making a big splash as it enters the water.
Kingfisher的喙的外形使它在入水时可以潜水去钓鱼而不会产生大浪.
The designers thought that if the train’s nose was the same shape, it would help the train move through tunnels more smoothly without any air pressure buildup.
设计者们认为,如果列车的鼻子是同形状的,那将有助于列车在没有任何气压积聚的情况下更平稳地通过地道.
The redesigned nose not only solved the noise problem, but it also helped the train run even faster.
重新设计后鼻子不仅解决了噪音问题,还帮助了列车运行更快.
A swimmer models one of the swimsuits designed to work like a shark’s skin.
一个泳装的模特儿,
Shark scales A great white shark Swimsuits Sharks have been swimming in the ocean since before the time of the dinosaurs.
鲨鱼鳞 一只大白鲨泳衣 从恐龙时代起 鲨鱼就在海里游泳
Their bodies are well adapted to moving through the water.
他们的身体非常适合从水中流出
Sharkskin has tiny grooved scales that help these animals glide smoothly and quickly.
鲨鱼皮有细小的凹槽鳞片 可以帮助这些动物顺利地滑翔
In order to swim faster, competitive swimmers tried swimsuits that mimicked the design of sharkskin.
为了更快地游泳,有竞争力的游泳运动员尝试了模仿"鲨鱼金"设计的泳装.
The new suits did seem to help, as 80 percent of the swimmers who wore those suits at the 2000 Sydney Olympics won medals.
2000年悉尼奥运会80%的游泳运动员 都获得了奖牌。
Cooling Systems Termites are small insects with big appetites.
冷却系统白蚁是食欲旺盛的小昆虫.
Some kinds of termites build huge mounds in which to live.
某些种类的白蚁会建造出巨大的丘地来生活.
The mounds are climate controlled—no matter how hot it gets outside, the air inside the mounds stays cool.
丘陵是气候控制的——无论外面有多热,丘陵内部的空气都保持凉爽.
The mounds have a complex system of tunnels and vents that run from the bottom to the top.
地丘有复杂的地道和通气口系统,由下至上行.
Hot air rises up out of the top of the mound while cooler air from the ground enters from below.
热空气从丘顶上起而从地上入而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出而出
Engineers designing the Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, copied the termite mound system to help keep the building comfortable without using costly air conditioning.
设计位于津巴布韦哈拉雷的东门中心的工程师复制了白蚁丘道系统来帮助建筑物保持舒适而不用昂贵的空调.
The building was made with heat- resistant materials and special vents at the top.
该建筑由耐热材料和顶部有特殊通风口而成.
Because of this design, the structure uses only 10 percent of the energy another building the same size would use.
由于这个设计,结构只使用10%的能耗 另一座大小相同的建筑会使用。
The Eastgate Centre (left) releases hot air through vents along the sides and top of the building like a termite mound (right).
东出门中心(左)通过沿侧和建筑顶部的通风口释放出热空气,如白蚁丘(右).
Building Materials Some living things, such as coral, can recycle waste into something useful.
建筑材料 一些活物,如珊瑚,可以将废物回收到有用的东西中去.
Carbon dioxide is a waste gas that in small amounts is usually harmless, but in large quantities can hurt the environment.
二氧化碳是一种废气,少量的废气通常无害,但大量能损害环境.
When carbon dioxide in the air mixes with ocean water, it becomes calcium carbonate.
当空气中的二氧化碳与海洋水相混合后会变成碳酸钙.
Corals use this mineral to make coral reefs.
珊瑚利用这种矿物来做珊瑚礁.
Calcium carbonate is also an important ingredient in a building material humans use: cement.
碳酸钙也是人类使用建筑材料的重要成分:水泥.
Scientists found a way to pump carbon dioxide through seawater to turn the gas into carbonate.
科学家找到了一种通过海水泵出二氧化碳的方法来将气体转化为碳酸盐.
Now people use it to make things, just as the coral does.
人们用它来制造东西 就像珊瑚一样
The Moss Landing power plant in California (right) was one of the first to turn carbon dioxide into cement using a process similar to one that corals use (left).
加利福尼亚的莫斯登陆电站(右)是最早利用类似珊瑚使用(左)的工艺将二氧化碳转化为水泥的工厂之一.
A truck dumps garbage in a landfill near a small village in the United Kingdom.
一辆卡车在联合王国一个小村庄附近的垃圾填埋地上倾倒垃圾。
Why Is Biomimicry So Important?
为什么生物模仿如此重要?
Biomimicry is a great way to help people solve problems and make the things they need.
活体模仿是帮助人们解决问题,制造出需要的东西的好方法.
Instead of trying to figure out how to do or fix something, people can look to nature to find ways that already work.
人们不但没有试图想出如何做或修补某事,反而可以仰望自然寻找已经起作用的方法.
Most of nature’s designs are surprisingly simple and easy to imitate, such as the hooks on a burr or the bumps on a lotus leaf.
自然界的大部分设计都令人惊讶地简单而容易地被模仿,例如:布克上的钩子或莲花叶上的起伏.
Natural designs are not just simple and effective, but are also good for the environment.
自然设计不仅简单而有效,而且有利于环境。
People often forget the impact discarded materials have on other living things.
人们常常忘记被丢弃的材料对其他活物的影响.
Products that are made to last don’t decompose quickly.
制作成能持续的产品不会迅速分解。
Many are of little use to other living things and may in fact harm them.
许多人对其他活物没有什么用处,实际上可能伤害他们。
In nature, however, nothing is wasted.
然而,在性质上,没有任何东西是浪费的。
Any waste becomes a resource for another organism.
任何废物都成为另一种生物的资源。
A dead tree, for example, becomes food, shelter, and energy for hundreds of living things.
例如一棵枯树就成为数百个活物的食物,住所和能量.
One species’ trash is another species’ treasure, as everything discarded contributes to the well-being of the ecosystem.
一个物种的垃圾是另一个物种的宝藏,因为所有被丢弃的东西都有助于生态系统的福祉。
People can take their cue from nature and do their part by being careful about what resources they use and considering what happens when they’re finished with them.
人们可以从自然中汲取教训,
Mushrooms and moss grow on a fallen tree.
蘑菇和苔藓生长于倒地树上.
Plastic bottles and trash litter a beach.
塑料瓶和垃圾丢入海滩
Solar Ivy (right) acts like artificial leaves, turning sunlight into energy as a tree does (left).
太阳常春藤(右)会像人造叶子一样作用,将阳光变成一棵树的能量(左).
The Future of Biomimicry Artificial Leaves Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity and are considered a cleaner fuel source than fossil fuels.
人造叶片的未来太阳能板将阳光转化为电力,被认为是比化石燃料更清洁的燃料来源.
While the panels produce no harmful gasses, they are costly to manufacture.
虽然面板没有产生有害气体,但制造成本很高。
Making them creates waste products that are hard to dispose of safely.
使它们产生难以安全处置的废物产品。
Scientists have turned to green plants for a better way to convert sunlight to energy.
科学家转向了绿色植物,以更好的方法将阳光转化为能.
Green plants use chlorophyll to absorb light, which they then turn into food.
绿色植物利用叶绿素来吸收光线,再被光线转化为食物.
A new type of solar cell uses natural dyes that mimic how chlorophyll works.
新型太阳能电池使用天然染料来模仿叶绿素的工作原理.
These new cells may perform just as well as the old cells, without the cost and waste.
这些新细胞的性能可能和旧细胞一样好,没有成本和浪费.
An Antarctic ice fish Fish Antifreeze Freezing temperatures can be hard on machines and living things.
南极地冰鱼"活生生的鱼" 冷冻温度对机器和活物可能很硬.
Chemical antifreeze keeps engines and machines running in cold weather.
化学防冻能使发动机和机器在寒冷的天气中运行.
Some kinds of ice fish use natural antifreeze to survive chilly temperatures in Antarctic waters.
一些种类的冰鱼利用天然的抗冻来活过南极水域中寒冷的温度.
Unlike chemical antifreeze, fish antifreeze does not harm living tissue.
与化学抗冻剂不同,鱼类抗冻剂不会损害活组织.
Scientists are trying to learn more about how the fish make and use natural antifreeze.
科学家试图更多地了解这些鱼是如何制造和使用天然抗冻剂的.
This information can help researchers create a safe way to keep living tissue warm and healthy.
这些信息可以帮助研究人员创造出一种安全的方法来保持活组织的温暖和健康.
A funnel spider and web Spider Silk Spiderwebs are made of sticky silk that is also quite strong.
漏斗蜘蛛和网络"蜘蛛丝"蜘蛛网由也相当坚固的粘丝所成.
A thread of spider silk is about three times as strong as a steel thread of the same size.
蜘蛛丝一线的强度约为同大小的钢丝的三倍.
Scientists have analyzed spider silk so that they can create a similar material.
科学家对蜘蛛丝进行了分析,以便它们能够产生出相类似的材料.
The human-made silk could be used to create all sorts of durable materials, from bandages to fences.
人造丝可以用来制造从绷带到栅栏等各种耐用材料.
Medicine Animals that live in the wild sometimes get ill, just as people do.
生活在野外的动物有时会生病,就像人们一样.
Unlike humans, they can’t go to a doctor or clinic.
他们不能去医生或诊所。
Instead, they have found ways to treat themselves, either by eating certain plants or applying minerals.
相反,他们找到了自我治疗的方法,要么吃某些植物,要么施用矿物。
Observing animal behavior might provide people with clues about treatments for human sicknesses.
观察动物行为可能为人们提供治疗人类疾病的线索.
A chimpanzee and her baby eat medicinal plants.
黑猩猩和她的孩子吃药用植物
Conclusion Nature provides important lessons for humans, but there is still much to be learned.
结论 自然为人类提供了重要的教训,但仍有很多事需要学习.
By studying the living things around us, scientists can find inspiration for solutions to important problems.
通过研究我们周围的活物,科学家可以找到解决重要问题的灵感.
The best answers may be right under our noses, waiting to be discovered through the science of biomimicry.
最好的答案可能就在我们的眼皮底下, 等待通过生物模仿科学被发现。