So we’re thinking that albatross could make use of two different kinds of compasses if you will, a magnetic compass and a celestial compass.
所以我们认为信天翁能使用两种不同的罗盘,一种磁罗盘和一种天文罗盘。
The magnetic compass somehow makes use of Earth’s magnetic field, much the way a standard compass does.
磁罗盘会以某种方式利用地球的磁场,和一个标准的罗盘几乎一样。
But to prove this, we would have to find some kind of magnetic sensory organ in birds, and we are not sure that we have.
但是为了证明这一点,我们必须找到鸟身上的某种磁感应器官,但我们不确定找到了。
We have found in birds a mineral called magnetite, which we think might be somehow related to this, because magnetite is a natural magnet.
我们在鸟身上找到了一种叫做磁铁矿的矿物质,我们认为这也许和磁罗盘有某种联系,因为磁铁矿是一种天然的磁铁。
But the problem is that we’ve also found magnetite in non-migratory birds,
但问题是,我们还在其他非迁徙的鸟类身上找到了磁铁矿,
which suggests that it may in fact serve a completely different function, not related to navigation at all.
这说明它可能事实上发挥着一种完全不同的功能,和航海一点关系也没有。
Um, and the other compass, the celestial compass makes use of the stars, more or less the same way humans have historically used the stars to navigate in the open sea.
另一个罗盘,天文罗盘利用了星星,多多少少和人类在历史上使用星星在远海上航行的方法一样。
So that’s the way we think albatross navigate.
所以我们认为这是信天翁导航的方式。
So anyway, you know, think about it, how about if you had to go a thousand miles every time you wanted to get a bite to eat?
不管怎样,你们可以想想,如果你们每次想吃点什么时都不得不走一千英里的话,会怎么样?
Yeah, and we complain about having to walk all the way across campus to get to the cafeteria.
是啊,我们连必须一路穿过校园走到餐厅都抱怨个不停。
Yeah.
是啊。