Glass act: Scientists reveal secrets of frog transparency

 

玻璃行動：科學家揭示青蛙隱形的秘密

【摘要2023.5.11.四.自由】◎孫宇青

Glass frogs found in South and Central America have the rare ability to turn on and off their nearly transparent appearance, researchers report in the journal Science.

學者在《科學》期刊中報告，在中、南美洲被發現的玻璃蛙擁有罕見的能力，可以切換牠們近乎透明的外表。

During the day, these nocturnal frogs sleep by hanging underneath tree leaves. Their delicate, greenish transparent forms don’t cast shadows, rendering them almost invisible to birds and other predators passing by.

白天，這些夜行性青蛙吊在樹葉下睡覺。牠們纖弱、淺綠色的透明外表不會投射出影子，在經過的鳥類和其他掠食者看來，牠們幾乎是隱形的。

Using light and ultrasound imaging technology, the researchers discovered the secret: While asleep, the frogs concentrate, or "hide," nearly 90% of their red blood cells in their liver.

學者利用光聲與超音波影像技術破解其中奧妙：當玻璃蛙睡覺時，牠們會將體內近90％的紅血球集中或「隱藏」在肝臟中。

Because they have transparent skin and other tissues, it’s the blood circulating through their bodies that would otherwise give them away.（AP）

因為牠們的皮膚和其他組織呈透明狀，讓牠們現蹤的是在體內循環的血液。（美聯社）

【新聞辭典】

nocturnal：形容詞，夜間（活動）的。例句：Owls are nocturnal birds.（貓頭鷹是夜行性鳥類。）

give somebody away：動詞片語，顯露（某人）感情。例句：He acutually gave himself away when he looked at her.（他看著她時，內心情感表露無遺。）