新奇事件簿 可以击退细菌的塑料（在线收听）

A revolutionary new plastic could help to prevent bacteria and superbugs causing disease and illness. Scientists have developed a new kind of transparent, plastic wonder-wrap. They say it will drastically cut incidences of microbe transfer in hospitals, restaurants, kitchens, bathrooms and other places where bugs lie in wait. The plastic was created by researchers from McMaster University in Canada. They say their material can repel all forms of bacteria, including superbugs like MRSA. The material is like a conventional transparent wrap used to cover food. It can be shrink-wrapped to protect places that attract bacteria, like worktops, door handles, taps, hospital equipment and food containers.

一种革命性的新型塑料可以帮助预防细菌和超级细菌引起的疾病。科学家们已经开发出了一种透明的神奇塑料包装。他们表示这种塑料将大大降低医院、餐馆、厨房、浴室以及其他有细菌潜伏地方的微生物传播率。这种塑料是由加拿大麦克马斯特大学的研究人员发明的。他们表示他们的材料可以击退所有形式的细菌，包括像MRSA这样的超级细菌。这种材料就像用来包裹食物的传统透明包装纸。可以用收缩膜包裹，以保护易滋生细菌的地方，比如工作台、门把手、水龙头、医院设备和食品容器。

The researchers said the inspiration for their new material came from the lotus plant. They attempted to replicate the method in which the leaves of this plant repelled water. Drops of water either sit on the surface of the leaves or bounce off. Researcher Leyla Soleymani wanted to apply that process to the new plastic. She said: "We're structurally tuning that plastic. This material gives us something that can be applied to all kinds of things." Another researcher, Tohid Didar, said: "We can see this technology being used in all kinds of institutional and domestic settings. As the world confronts the crisis of anti-microbial resistance, we hope it will become an important part of the anti-bacterial toolbox."

研究人员表示他们新材料的灵感来自荷花。他们试图复制这种植物叶子排水的方法。水滴要么落在树叶表面，要么被弹开。研究人员Leyla Soleymani想把这个过程应用到这种新型塑料上。她说到：“我们正在调整塑料的结构。这种材料给了我们一些可以应用于各种事物的东西。”另一名研究人员Tohid Didar称：“我们可以看到这一技术被运用于各种机构和国内环境设置中。在世界面临抗微生物耐药性危机之际，我们希望它能成为抗菌工具箱中的重要组成部分。”