新奇事件簿 茶还是咖啡？看基因怎么说

New research suggests that our DNA¹ helps us to decide whether we prefer coffee or tea. Researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia studied how our genes² affected³ our taste and why we like some tastes more than others. Following the research, researchers believe they know why some of us prefer coffee while others like tea more. The researchers found that people who like more bitter tastes are more likely to drink coffee. The researchers said they found something strange in their research. People who were more sensitive to the bitter taste of caffeine were more likely to prefer coffee to tea. They were also more likely to drink more coffee than those who were not so sensitive to caffeine.

新研究表明我们的DNA帮助我们决定喜欢咖啡还是茶。澳大利亚昆士兰大学的研究人员研究了基因如何影响我们的味觉以及为什么我们更心仪某些味道。根据研究，研究人员认为他们掌握了一些人喜欢咖啡而一些人喜欢茶的原因。研究人员发现喜味苦的人有可能更喜欢喝咖啡。研究人员表示他们在研究中发现了一些奇怪的东西。而对咖啡因中的苦味更加敏感的人更有可能倾向于喝咖啡。相比那些对咖啡因不那么敏感的人，他们也更有可能饮用更多咖啡。

Researchers looked at data on more than 400,000 men and women in the United Kingdom. They also looked at an Australian study that compared the tastes of 1,757 twins with their siblings⁴. The researchers said genes aren't the only factors affecting people's tastes. Other things like our changing environment, social factors or the effects of taking medicine can also turn us on or off coffee or tea. The researchers said we can learn to like coffee. Dr Liang-Dar Hwang said: "Bitter taste perception⁵ is shaped not only by genetics, but also environmental factors. Even though humans naturally dislike bitterness, we can learn to like or enjoy bitter-tasting food after being exposed to environmental factors."

研究人员对英国四十万男女的数据进行观察。他们还查阅了一项澳大利亚的研究，该研究对比了1757对双胞胎。研究人员表示基因并不是影响人们味觉的唯一因素。其他因素，比如不断改变的环境、社会因素或药物影响也都会让我们喜欢或讨厌咖啡或茶。研究人员表示我们可以学着喜欢咖啡。Liang-Dar Hwang博士称：“苦味直觉不仅仅由基因决定，还有环境因素。即便人类天生讨厌苦味，在我们暴露于环境因素中后，我们可以学着去喜欢或享受味苦的食物。”

 

1 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

2 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

5 perception   

n.感知，感觉，觉察(力)；认识，观念，看法

参考例句：

• What's your perception of the matter?你对此事有什么看法？
• He was a man of keen perception.他是一个感觉敏锐的人。