新奇事件簿 能够在夜晚发光的植物

Scientists have created plants that glow in the dark. They are hoping to produce plants that can light up our lives. The scientists are from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA. They hope their discovery could lead to plant lights replacing electric lights. One day, even light that trees produce could replace street lights. Professor Michael Strano, lead author of the research, explained that his team wants to create sustainable light sources and help the environment. He said: "The vision is to make a plant that will function as a desk lamp - a lamp that you don't have to plug in. The light is ultimately powered by the energy metabolism¹ of the plant itself."

科学家们创造出了能够在夜晚发光的植物。他们希望制造出能够照亮日常生活的植物。参与此研究的科学家均来自美国麻省理工学院。他们希望他们的发现能够让植物光代替电光。希望未来，树木发出的光亮都能够代替街灯。该研究带头人，迈克尔·斯特拉诺教授(Michael Strano)解释道，他的团队想要创造出可持续且环保的光源。他说道：“我们的愿景是希望制造出一种能够有台灯一样功能的植物——一种不用插入电源的灯。基本上是依靠植物本身的能量代谢发电。”

The researchers got the idea for their lighting² plants from fireflies. They looked at the substance in fireflies that makes them glow. They created nanoparticles that contain the substance. They then put the nanoparticles into plant leaves to make them glow. The scientists were able to make plants that glowed for nearly four hours. The research team has tested the substance on salad leaves, including spinach³ and watercress. Professor Strano said: "Our target is to perform one treatment, when the plant is a seedling⁴ or a mature plant, and have it last for the lifetime of the plant." He thinks plant lights will be a part of our life in the future. He said: "We think this is an idea whose time has come."

研究员们的这一照明植物的想法来源于萤火虫。他们对萤火虫身上能够让它们发光的物质进行观察。他们创造出了含有这一物质的纳米粒子。然后将纳米粒子放入植物的叶子中让它们发光。科学家能够在让植物发光，光源持续近四小时。研究团队对包括菠菜和豆瓣菜在内的蔬菜叶子中的物质进行测试。斯特拉诺教授表示：“我们的目标是对植物幼苗或一种成熟的植物的进行处理并让这些植物在生命周期内持续发光。”他认为未来植物光会是我们生活的一部分。教授说道：“我们认为植物照明这一想法的时代已经到来。”

1 metabolism   

n.新陈代谢

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• All living matter undergoes a process of metabolism.生物都有新陈代谢。

2 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

3 spinach   

n.菠菜

参考例句：

• Eating spinach is supposed to make you strong.据说吃菠菜能使人强壮。
• You should eat such vegetables as carrot,celery and spinach.你应该吃胡萝卜、芹菜和菠菜这类的蔬菜。

4 seedling   

n.秧苗，树苗

参考例句：

• She cut down the seedling with one chop.她一刀就把小苗砍倒了。
• The seedling are coming up full and green.苗长得茁壮碧绿。