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Hey there! Welcome to Life Noggin. You know, I think I like the way I looked before.
大家好！欢迎来到大脑洞开的生命奇想。我喜欢我之前的样子。
We should go back to that! As you make your way to the beach this summer,
我们应该回到那时！今年夏天去海滩的时候，
you might want to brush up on your knowledge of one of the ocean’s most simple but elegant creatures - the jellyfish.
你可能想增进你对海洋中最简单而优雅的生物的认识-水母。
They are comprised of 95 percent water and have just a basic nervous system that allows them to smell, detect light, and respond to stimuli.
水母由95%的水组成，只靠一个基本的神经系统来闻味，探测光线，对刺激做出反应。
But what they lack in heart and brains, they make up for in venom.
它们没有心脏和大脑，就用毒液来弥补。
Each year, about 150 million people around the world are stung by a jellyfish.
每年，全世界约有1.5亿人被水母叮咬。
Sometimes large numbers of jellyfish are pushed close to shore by ocean currents, resulting in episodes of mass stingings.
有时，很多水母会被海浪带到岸边，导致大规模的叮咬事件。
Like last summer in Florida, of course, when 800 people were stung in just three days.
比如，去年夏天，佛罗里达州三天内就有800人被咬伤。
The long tentacles of jellyfish are lined with thousands of stinging cells.
水母长长的触须排列着数千个刺细胞。
Each cell has a hollowed capsule called a nematocyst that contains a tightly coiled, harpoon-like thread that is immersed in venom.
每个细胞都有一个被称为刺丝囊的空心囊，里面有一根紧密缠绕的鱼叉状线，浸没在毒液中。
When the capsule comes into contact with something, like your skin, the thread is released, penetrates into your body,
当刺丝囊接触到某物时，比如你的皮肤，线状物就会释放，刺到你的身体中，
and delivers the venom all in a fraction of a second.
释放毒液，整个过程只有一眨眼的功夫。
The venom contains toxins that can affect your gastrointestinal, cardiac, and neurological systems and cause allergic reactions.
这种毒液含有毒素，会感染你的肠胃、心脏和神经系统，并导致过敏反应。
While many types of jellyfish are relatively harmless, and most stings only cause pain and red marks on your skin,
虽然许多种类的水母相对无害，多数叮咬只会导致皮肤疼痛和出现红印，
there are some types, like the box jellyfish, that are much more dangerous and cause whole-body and potentially life-threatening illnesses.
但是有一些类型的水母则危险得多，比如箱形水母。它们会导致全身疾病，甚至可能危及生命。
These severe stings can cause vomiting, muscle spasms, fainting, difficulty breathing, and heart problems.
这些严重的刺痛会导致呕吐、肌肉痉挛、晕厥、呼吸困难和心脏问题。
The box jellyfish is considered to be one of the most venomous and dangerous creatures in the world.
箱型水母被认为是世界上最具毒性和危险的生物。
Different species of these cube-shaped jellies range in size from 5 millimeters to 3 meters long.
不同种类的这种方形水母的长度从5毫米到3米不等。
Their sting can cause excruciating pain, heart failure, and death within minutes.
它们的叮咬会使人产生剧痛，心脏衰竭，并在数分钟内死去。
An estimated 40 people die each year from box jellyfish stings, but some scientists believe this number may be closer to 500.
据估计，每年有40人死于箱型水母叮咬，但是一些科学家认为，这个数字可能会逼近500。
Effective treatment of jellyfish stings depends on the species that stings you.
治疗水母叮咬的有效程度取决于水母的种类。
But generally, if you’ve been stung, you should remove any attached tentacles with tweezers
总体来说，如果你被咬了，你应该用镊子除去任何附着的触须，
instead of scraping or rubbing them as pressure releases their venomous capsules.
而不是刮擦它们，因为压力会释放它们的有毒刺丝囊。
Then soak the affected area in hot water or vinegar. Severe stings may require CPR and if it was a box jelly you may need an antivenom.
然后用热水或醋浸泡患处。严重的话可能需要做心肺复苏，如果是箱型水母，你可能需要抗蛇毒血清。
Recently, scientists have found a potential antidote to box jelly stings in the form of cholesterol medication.
最近，科学家发现了一种治疗箱型水母叮咬的胆固醇药物。
Though so far it has only been tested in mice, it was able to block pain, tissue death, and scarring for 15 minutes.
不过到目前为止，它只在老鼠身上做过实验，能够在15分钟内阻止疼痛、组织死亡和伤疤形成。
To avoid getting stung in the first place, scientists have developed topical products that can prevent or reduce their severity.
为避免一开始就被咬，科学家研发了阻止叮咬或减少叮咬严重性的外用产品。
One study found that this type of cream prevented over 80 percent of jellyfish stings.
一项研究发现，这种类型的药膏可阻止超过80%的水母叮咬。
You can also wear a protective suit or avoid the ocean during jellyfish season.
你也可以穿上防护服或者避免在水母季节去海边。
Or maybe we should just avoid the ocean altogether for like, you know, a couple of million years? Whatever you want to do.
或者我们可以在几百万年内不去海边？随你。
