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But even on its own, a mammoth was still highly dangerous and an attack required stealth and teamwork. Oneof the hunters may have acted as a decoy, distracting the animal while others surrounded it. These huntershad another trick up their sleeve. Using a specially crafted wooden stick called an atlatl, they were able to launch sharp pointed darts more than 40 meters. So we know these people were efficient hunters, but could they really have wiped out all the mammoths of the North American continent?
但是就其本身而言，一直猛犸象还是及其危险的，因此猎人们需要偷袭，同时也要进行配合。一个猎人可能作为一直诱饵来分散猛犸象的注意力，而其他人则趁机包围。这些猎人的手里还有另一种武器。他们使用一种称作“梭标投射器”的特殊制作的手工木枪，这种尖利飞枪的射程可达40米以上。因此我们知道这些猎人们极具效率，但是他们这能够杀光北美大陆所有的猛犸象吗？
Today the remains of mammoths, in particular their tusks, may help answer that question. To read the clues contained within these tusks, you need to look at the mammoths’ closest living relative, the elephant.
如今猛犸象们的化石，尤其是它们的象牙，可能帮助我们回答这个问题。想要读懂这些遗留在象牙化石中的线索，你需要观察一个猛犸象的近亲——大象。
Elephant tusks grow throughout their lives, with the tip being the oldest part. Mammoth tusks show the same pattern of growth as modern elephants. Each year of life is represented by a ring, just like tree rings.
大象的象牙一生都在不停生长，尖端的最早生长的部分。猛犸象的象牙和现代大象象牙的生长方式相同。每年增加一环，就像树木的年轮一样。
But tusks can also be a record of the most stressful period in an elephant’s life. As bulls mature, they are forced out of the family group and have to fight to survive. During this stressful time, they don’t have so much energy for growth, so the space between each ring is narrower.
然而象牙同样也可以反映一头大象生命中的最艰难的时期。当它们成熟后，它们会被强迫离开家庭群体，并且自立谋生。在这样的时期里，它们没有足够的能量维持生长，因此象牙每一环的间距都相对较窄。
英文文本来自普特英语，译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可不得转载。
