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No matter how seldom you've opened that calculus¹ textbook on your shelf, the chances of worms having eaten it are pretty low. But books written back in the Renaissance² have had much better odds³ of becoming worm food. Now we know that the holes left by worms as they dine can be used as data. A study in the journal Biology Letters explains how.

Researchers measured more than 3,000 wormholes in books and artwork created between 1462 to 1899. Based on hole size, they figured out that there were two main culprits: larvae⁴ of the Common Furniture Beetle⁵ and the Mediterranean⁶ Furniture Beetle.

Today both of those beetles⁷ are found all over Europe. But during the Renaissance the two beetle species were geographically⁹ isolated¹⁰. It wasn't until we started shipping¹¹ furniture that they crossed that divide.

Museums today keep insects away from their precious specimens¹². So researchers may be able to use the sizes of the wormholes in items of uncertain origin to identify their larval attackers. Which then offers clues about the item’s geographical⁸ history. Really gives a new meaning to the phrase “book worm.”

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1 calculus
n.微积分；结石
参考例句：
This is a problem where calculus won't help at all.对于这一题，微积分一点也用不上。 After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.学了微积分之后，你们就能够解这些数学题了。

2 renaissance
n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴
参考例句：
The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。 The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。

3 odds
n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别
参考例句：
The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。 Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

4 larvae
n.幼虫
参考例句：
Larvae are parasitic on sheep.幼虫寄生在绵羊的身上。 The larvae prey upon small aphids.这种幼虫以小蚜虫为食。

5 beetle
n.甲虫，近视眼的人
参考例句：
A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。 He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。

6 Mediterranean
adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的
参考例句：
The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。 Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

7 beetles
n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Beetles bury pellets of dung and lay their eggs within them. 甲壳虫把粪粒埋起来，然后在里面产卵。来自《简明英汉词典》 This kind of beetles have hard shell. 这类甲虫有坚硬的外壳。来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 geographical
adj.地理的；地区(性)的
参考例句：
The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围內进行。 These birds have a wide geographical distribution.这些鸟的地理分布很广。

9 geographically
adv.地理学上，在地理上，地理方面
参考例句：
Geographically, the UK is on the periphery of Europe. 从地理位置上讲，英国处于欧洲边缘。来自辞典例句 All these events, however geographically remote, urgently affected Western financial centers. 所有这些事件，无论发生在地理上如何遥远的地方，都对西方金融中心产生紧迫的影响。来自名作英译部分

10 isolated
adj.与世隔绝的
参考例句：
His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。 Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

11 shipping
n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）
参考例句：
We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。 There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

12 specimens
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人
参考例句：
Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。 The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。来自《简明英汉词典》