纪录片《我们的地球》 第328期 极端沙漠(19)（在线收听）

Darkling beetles race to the top of the dunes to reach the fog before it vanishes.

拟步甲狂奔至沙丘顶部，要赶在薄雾消失之前吸收水分。

Some of the Namib's dunes are 1,000 feet high, the tallest in the world.

纳米布的沙丘有些高达300米，堪称世界之最。

For a beetle no larger than a thumbnail,

对于拇指盖大小的甲虫来说，

this is the equivalent of us climbing a dune twice the height of Everest.

攀爬距离相当于人类攀爬一座比珠穆朗玛峰高两倍的沙丘。

But even more impressive is what it does next.

但更令人印象深刻的是它接下来的举动。

Standing perfectly still, facing into the wind, the beetle does a headstand.

身体正直，迎面朝风，甲虫倒立在沙丘上。

Fog begins to condense on its body.

薄雾开始在它身上凝结成水滴。

Microscopic bumps on its wing cases direct the water to grooves that channel it towards the mouth.

鞘翅上的小凸起将水引到通向嘴部的一个小沟渠里。

Before returning down the slip face, it will drink 40% of its body weight.

在回到背风坡上之前，它要喝下百分之四十体重的水分。

This little beetle has learned how to conjure water out of the air in one of the driest places on earth.

这只小甲虫学会了如何在地球上最干燥的地方之一从空气中变出水来。