雙語閱讀:揭秘世界上最臭的東西是什麼?

Uranus 天王星

Recent research has pinned down the fact the planet smells like rotten eggs.

研究指出,天王星聞起來就像臭雞蛋

A team of astronomers discovered recently that it is none other than Hydrogen Sulfide, a gas that gives it that distinct smell and which is present abundantly in the atmosphere of Uranus.

一個天文學家團隊近日發現,散發出這種獨特臭味的就是硫化氫,這種氣體在天王星的大氣大量存在。

Durian 榴蓮

This notorious fruit can smell so bad that it recently led to a massive evacuation at a University in Melbourne after students feared there was a gas leakage.

這種臭名昭著的水果實在太臭了,近日甚至導致墨爾本一所大學學生大規模撤離,因爲學生擔心發生了燃氣泄漏。

Turns out, it was a rotten durian fruit that caused the students to panic, the smell of which got carried over the university's air conditioning.

結果發現,引發恐慌的原來是一顆爛掉的榴蓮果,榴蓮的味道通過學校空調系統散播開來。

According to a study, the durian fruit gets its characteristic smell from 44-odour active compounds that can smell like anything from a rotten egg to delicious caramel. Go figure!

一項研究顯示,榴蓮的特有氣味來自44種氣味各異的活性化合物,這些化合物可能聞起來像臭雞蛋,也可能像美味焦糖。自己去體會吧!

Rafflesia arnoldii 阿諾爾特大花

AKA, the Stinking Corpse Lily! It literally smells like a dead, decaying and rotting corpse, with a hint of fish and sweaty socks for good measure.

阿諾爾特大花又叫做腐屍花,聞起來就像腐爛的死屍,還有一點魚腥味和臭襪子味。

Found in south-east Asia (it's a national flower of Indonesia), it is the largest single flower in the world at around one metre across - and it ranks as the absolute smelliest, right alongside the famed Titan Arum.

這種花是印尼國花,見於東南亞,是世界上最大的單枝花,直徑約爲一米,而且絕對算得上是世界上最臭的花,和天下聞名的泰坦魔芋花齊名。

While the titan arum takes around a decade between flowerings, the corpse lily's pungent stench blossoms far more often, taking several months at a time, each with a short life-span of 4-5 days only.

泰坦魔芋開花間隔長達十年左右,而惡臭刺鼻的腐屍花的開花間隔短得多,隔幾個月就開一次花,花期很短,只有四到五天。

Its reason for smelling so bad? To attract carrion flies which are its potential pollinators. Survival of the smelliest. Sadly, this amazing flower is on the verge of extinction and is now a protected species.

爲什麼這種花這麼難聞呢?是爲了吸引腐肉蠅來爲它傳粉。這是臭花的生存之道。可悲的是,這種奇妙的花正瀕臨滅絕,目前是受保護的物種

Vieux Boulogne 老布洛涅奶酪

The Vieux Boulogne is the smelliest cheese in the world. One scientist even subjected its smell to an electronic nose, a device that detects urinary infections and tuberculosis on which it tested positive!

老布洛涅奶酪是世界上最臭的奶酪。一位科學家甚至讓電子鼻來聞這種奶酪,這種檢測尿路感染肺結核儀器居然顯示檢測呈陽性

It's no surprise then that some describe the cheese as smelling like a cows behind. Keen to give that one a try? We might skip it for now.

因此有人將這種奶酪的氣味比作屁股也就不奇怪了。想嘗一嘗嗎?還是先算了吧。

Ancient excrement 古老糞便

Next one is so obvious that it is pretty hard to miss. Or pass. If you haven't figured it out yet it is faeces or poop. It sure is something since it can stink even after a whopping 700 hundred years!

這個實在太明顯了。它的臭味令人難以忽略。你猜到了嗎?這就是糞便。甚至在過了7萬年之後,糞便還是那麼臭!

Archaeologists on an evacuation of a medieval latrine in the Danish city of Odense found that the 14th century toilets which were nothing but repurposed barrels, were still reeking of poop. That's some serious stink staying power.

考古學家丹麥歐登塞市一箇中古時代的公廁糞池中發現,14世紀馬桶其實就是改爲他用的木桶,至今依然散發着糞便的臭味。這種臭味還真是揮之不去啊。

The Lesser Anteater 小食蟻獸

Don't let this one deceive you with its cute face. Get too close and you will definitely regret it. It turns out the Lesser Anteater is five to seven times smellier than the infamous skunk.

不要被它可愛的臉給騙了。靠得太近的話,你肯定會後悔。小食蟻獸比臭名昭著的臭鼬還要臭上五到七倍。

The Lesser Anteater uses its stench to ward off any unwanted visitors and predators. You've been warned.