Hunt for Antarctica's 'missing meteorites' 英國科學傢將赴南極尋找“失蹤的隕石”

文字稿

首個遠征南極尋找鐵隕石的英國科學考察組已獲得開展探險的許可。收藏在世界各地的太空隕石大多是在南極大陸上撿到的。覆蓋該地區的白色冰層使搜尋這些黑色殘留物的任務變得格外有成效。但是含鐵的隕石卻很少在南極大陸上被發現，其中有何奧妙嗎？請聽 Jonathan Amos 的報道。

It’s a mystery that’s long puzzled scientists. Why are so few iron meteorites picked up off the ice of Antarctica? They must fall evenly across the earth, but desert regions, for example, yield ten times as many lumps of space metal.

Now Manchester University mathematicians think they have the answer. Their studies indicate these iron-rich rocks have a trick to hide away from collectors. Because the rocks are made of metal, they are able to conduct the heat of the sun very efficiently to their undersides. This melts the surrounding ice, enabling them to sink downwards and out of sight.

The Manchester team has just won funding to go test its idea and plans to find the missing meteorites and dig them up with the aid of landmine detection technology.

詞匯表

iron meteorites 隕鐵，鐵隕石
picked up 被撿起，被拿走
desert regions 沙漠地區
yield 給出、帶來
lumps of 一塊塊（通常指形狀不固定的堅硬物質）
iron-rich 含鐵量高的
conduct 傳導（熱）
undersides 底部
out of sight 在視野之外，看不見
detection 探測

測驗

請聽報道並回答下列問題。

1. According to the text, what is the mystery that has puzzled scientists for a long time?

2. What technology does the Manchester team plan to use to find and dig up the missing meteorites?

3. True or false? The metal rocks are able to conduct the heat of the sun, which enables them to melt and sink downwards.

4. Which word in the text means ‘in equal numbers or amounts’?

答案

1. According to the text, what is the mystery that has puzzled scientists for a long time?
The mystery that has long puzzled scientists is why so few iron meteorites are picked up off the ice of Antarctica.

2. What technology does the Manchester team plan to use to find and dig up the missing meteorites?
The Manchester team plans to find the missing meteorites and dig them up with the aid of landmine detection technology.

3. True or false? The metal rocks are able to conduct the heat of the sun, which enables them to melt and sink downwards.
False. The metal rocks are able to efficiently transfer heat to their undersides where they can melt the surrounding ice, and this allows them to sink downwards.

4. Which word in the text means ‘in equal numbers or amounts’?
Evenly.