2021年经济学人 恐龙曾“落户”北极(2)

Until now, no such hatchlings had been found, and the only known polar dinosaur¹ eggs were from the Kakanaut formation of north-eastern Russia, which was only just within the Arctic Circle when its rocks were laid down.

到目前为止，还没有发现这样的小恐龙，唯一已知的极地恐龙蛋来自俄罗斯东北部的Kakanaut地层，当岩石被埋下时，该地层刚好位于北极圈内。

Dr Druckenmiller's discoveries are from the Prince Creek² Formation of northern Alaska, which may have been as close as 5° of latitude³ from the North Pole when its rocks formed 70m years ago.

德鲁肯米勒博士的发现来自阿拉斯加北部的普林斯克里克地层，那里的岩石在形成于7000万年前时可能距离北极的纬度只有5°。

The fossils themselves come from a range of dinosaur groups, including ceratopsians (related to the likes of Triceratops), duck-billed hadrosaurs, large carnivores related to Tyrannosaurus and smaller velociraptor-like predators⁴.

这些化石本身来自一系列的恐龙群，包括角鼻龙(与三角龙之类的恐龙有亲缘关系)、鸭嘴龙、与霸王龙有亲缘关系的大型食肉动物以及小型的类似迅猛龙的食肉动物，

This suggests a diverse and flourishing ecosystem⁵, despite the fact that Prince Creek was continuously dark for 120 days a year and had an average annual temperature of 6°C—meaning snow would have been common in winter.

展现了一个多样化的、繁荣的生态系统，尽管普林斯溪一年中有120天一直处于黑暗之中，而且年平均温度为6°C——这意味着冬季降雪频繁。

How all these creatures survived those conditions was, Dr Druckenmiller suggests, a consequence of dinosaurs⁶' warmbloodedness and the downy feathers many of them are now known to have sported.

德鲁肯米勒博士认为，所有这些生物之所以能在这样的环境中生存下来，是因为恐龙是温血动物，而且现在我们知道，恐龙中有许多都长有蓬松的羽毛。

No direct evidence of feathers has yet been found among the Alaskan fossils, but their ubiquity elsewhere makes it likely they had them.

虽然目前在阿拉斯加化石中还没有发现羽毛的直接证据，但它们在其他地方的普遍存在使得它们有可能长有羽毛。

1 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

2 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

3 latitude   

n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区

参考例句：

• The latitude of the island is 20 degrees south.该岛的纬度是南纬20度。
• The two cities are at approximately the same latitude.这两个城市差不多位于同一纬度上。

4 predators   

n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 )；奴役他人者（尤指在财务或性关系方面）

参考例句：

• birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
• The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

6 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》