2020年经济学人 新型冠状病毒肺炎和污染

Pollution and disease have long been associated in people's minds. The very word "malaria¹", for example, means "bad air" in Italian.

一直以来，人类都认为污染和疾病有联系。例如，“疟疾”这个词在意大利语中的意思就是“糟糕的空气”。

But the germ theory of infection, developed in the 19th century, knocked on the head the idea that it is the air itself which causes illness.

但19世纪发展起来的细菌感染理论推翻了空气本身导致疾病的观点。

Rather, bad smells indicate sources of pathogens, such as sewage, which are best avoided.

相反，难闻的气味表明最好避免病原体的来源，如污水。

A paper just published by a group of Italian researchers does, however, posit² the idea that SARS-COV-2,

但一个意大利研究人员团队刚刚发表的一篇论文提出SARS-COV-2

the virus behind the covid-19 pandemic, might be getting a helping³ hand from atmospheric⁴ pollution.

这种造成covid-19大流行的病毒可能从大气污染中得到了帮助。

The paper in question, by Leonardo Setti of the University of Bologna and his colleagues, has not yet been through any process of peer review.

该论文由博洛尼亚大学的Leonardo Setti和他的同事撰写，目前还没有经过任何的同行审查。

Such early releases are, though, becoming common-place for covid-19-related work,

尽管如此，这样的早期发布已经成为与covid-19相关的工作中常见的情况，

on the assumption that holding ideas back for bureaucratic⁵ approval might cost lives.

因为他们认为，为了得到官僚机构的批准而拖延想法可能会付出生命的代价。

Dr Setti and his associates found themselves wondering why

Setti博士和他的同事们想知道为什么

(even allowing for time lags caused by its arrival in different places on different dates)

（即使考虑到时间和地点差异所造成的时间延迟）

SARS-COV-2 seemed to spread much faster in Italy's north—

SARS-COV-2似乎在意大利北部传播的更快——

specifically in the wide plain that forms the valley of the Po—than in other parts of the country.

尤其是在形成波河流域的广阔平原上——在该国其他地方传播更慢。

Their hypothesis is that the catalyst⁶ was pollution—specifically, small airborne particles that might carry the virus on their surfaces.

他们的假设是，催化剂是污染物——具体来说，就是空气中携带病毒的小颗粒。

These are usually far more abundant in the Po valley than elsewhere.

的这些小颗粒通常比其他地方丰富得多。

In the paper, the researchers cite previous work from other places which suggests that influenza⁷ viruses,

在论文中，研究人员引用了以前其他地方的研究，这些研究表明流感病毒、

respiratory syncytial viruses and measles⁸ viruses can all spread by hitching⁹ lifts on such particles.

呼吸道合胞体病毒和麻疹病毒都可以通过搭载在这些颗粒上来传播。

And they make a good case that, allowing for a 14-day delay caused by SARS-COV-2's incubation period,

它们是很好的例子表明，考虑到SARS-COV-2潜伏期所造成的14天延迟，

the daily rates of new infections in the Po valley correlate closely with the level of particulate¹⁰ pollution.

波河流域的每日新感染率与颗粒物污染水平密切相关。

An alternative explanation for this correlation¹¹ might be that, rather than carrying the virus themselves,

对这种相关性的另一种解释可能是，空气中的颗粒并没有携带病毒，

airborne particles increase susceptibility to infection in those who encounter the pathogen by some other means.

而是增加了那些通过其他途径接触病原体的人对感染的易感性。

Either way, though, a reduction in airborne particle levels may be a second way, independent of reduced human contact,

不管怎样，减少空气中的颗粒含量可能是第二种方法，不用依赖于减少人类接触，

that lockdowns will help stop the virus spreading around.

这种方法将有助于阻止病毒的传播。

1 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

2 posit   

v.假定，认为

参考例句：

• If she needs salvation,she will posit a savior.如果她需要救助，她就会设想一个救助者。
• Other historians posit that she died of old age around 550 BC.别的史学家则认为她一直活到公元前550年左右才寿终正寝。

3 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

4 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

5 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

6 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

7 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

8 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

9 hitching   

搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上

参考例句：

• The farmer yoked the oxen before hitching them to the wagon. 农夫在将牛套上大车之前先给它们套上轭。
• I saw an old man hitching along on his stick. 我看见一位老人拄着手杖蹒跚而行。

10 particulate   

adj.微小的；n.微粒，粒子

参考例句：

• A special group was organized to dig up the particulate of the case.成立了一个专门小组来查明该案件的各个细节。
• Lungs retain relatively insoluble particulate material.肺脏内留有不溶解的颗粒物质。

11 correlation   

n.相互关系，相关，关连

参考例句：

• The second group of measurements had a high correlation with the first.第二组测量数据与第一组高度相关。
• A high correlation exists in America between education and economic position.教育和经济地位在美国有极密切的关系。