时差N小时 你对香菜是爱还是恨?(上)

On today’s Moment of Science, we’ll be sniffing¹ our way through a controversial culinary conundrum²: the great cilantro debate.

在今天的《科学一刻》，我们来探讨一个有争议性的烹饪难题：关于香菜的大辩论。

According to scientists working at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, the smell of cilantro usually produces a “love it” or “hate it” response.

据莫奈尔化学感官中心的科学家表示，香菜的气味会让人产生“喜欢”或者“讨厌”两种反应。

Researchers used gas chromatography to isolate³ the different components⁴ of the cilantro smell.

研究人员使用了气相色谱法来分离香菜气味的不同成分。

They learned that its distinct aroma⁵ comes primarily from a group of molecules⁶ called aldehydes.

他们了解到，其独特的香气主要来自一组名为“醛”的分子。

1 sniffing   

n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing. 我们都感冒了，一个劲地抽鼻子，打喷嚏。
• They all had colds and were sniffing and sneezing. 他们都伤风了，呼呼喘气而且打喷嚏。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 conundrum   

n.谜语；难题

参考例句：

• Let me give you some history about a conundrum.让我给你们一些关于谜题的历史。
• Scientists had focused on two explanations to solve this conundrum.科学家已锁定两种解释来解开这个难题。

3 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

4 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

5 aroma   

n.香气，芬芳，芳香

参考例句：

• The whole house was filled with the aroma of coffee.满屋子都是咖啡的香味。
• The air was heavy with the aroma of the paddy fields.稻花飘香。

6 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。