-
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Adam Hinterthuer. Got a minute?
Don't be fooled by those big bovine1 eyes and the mouth slowly chewing cud—cows have a magnetic personality. At least that’s the claim made by German researchers in the August 26th issue of the Proceedings2 of the National Academy of Sciences. Using Google Earth images, the scientists looked down on over 8,000 cattle around the world. And, when grazing or resting, cows tended to face either magnetic north or south.
The researchers combined field observations with the satellite data and discovered that herds3 of both deer and cattle tend to align4 themselves north-south. Factors like wind and the angle of the sun had little bearing on how the animals stood. More often than not, like needles of a compass, heads swiveled northward5. While it’s been known that birds, bees and fish use the earth’s magnetic fields for orientation6, this study is the first to point to a magnetic sense in large mammals. The scientists speculate that this behavior may allow the animals to stay spatially7 oriented. In case danger lurks8 and a cow needs to make any sudden…moos.
Thanks for the minute for Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Adam Hinterthuer .
1 bovine | |
adj.牛的;n.牛 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 herds | |
兽群( herd的名词复数 ); 牧群; 人群; 群众 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 align | |
vt.使成一线,结盟,调节;vi.成一线,结盟 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 northward | |
adv.向北;n.北方的地区 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 orientation | |
n.方向,目标;熟悉,适应,情况介绍 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 spatially | |
空间地,存在于空间地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 lurks | |
n.潜在,潜伏;(lurk的复数形式)vi.潜伏,埋伏(lurk的第三人称单数形式) | |
参考例句: |
|
|