【精英翻譯】的部落格

The Danakil Depression: Life at the Extremes　極端氣候下的奇幻地景　達納基勒窪地

精英翻譯社轉自https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0062/328249/web/

In a place this hot with such little water, life still finds a way to survive.

在如此缺水的炎熱地區裡，生命依然能找到出路。

　　 Within the Afar Triangle of northeastern Ethiopia, there is a small area that is one of the hottest and driest places on Earth. Sitting at around 125 meters below sea level, it is called the Danakil Depression. It is home to broken landscapes, volcanic activity, and extreme weather, making it among the harshest and most strangely beautiful places on the planet.

　　 在衣索比亞東北部的阿法爾三角洲中，有一小塊是地球上最炎熱乾燥的地區之一。它位在低於海平面一百二十五公尺的地方，叫作達納基勒窪地。那裡有著殘破的景觀、火山活動和極端的天氣，這一切使它成為地球上最嚴峻且美得最不可思議的地方之一。

　　 The Danakil Depression was formed as a result of the Asia and Africa plates moving apart, so there is a lot of volcanic activity. There are open pools of lava, hot springs, and chemical lakes that bubble and boil. One of the main attractions is the Dallol sulfur springs, which are painted in rich yellows, oranges, and greens, from the high mineral content of their waters.

　　達納基勒窪地是因為亞洲和非洲板塊互相漂移開來而形成，所以該處有許多火山活動。那裡還有開闊的岩漿池、溫泉以及會冒泡沸騰的化學湖。最吸引人的地方之一是達羅爾硫磺泉，它的水面因為該水域裡高含量的礦物質而呈鮮艷的黃色、橙色及綠色。

　　 In spite of the harshness of the landscape, life still survives here. Fossils like the famous Lucy show that our ancestors have been living here for millions of years. Even in the Dallol sulfer springs, a place that should be completely dead, there are small, living microorganisms. Scientists are using them to learn more about how life might develop on other planets. Even in the most extreme landscape imaginable, life finds a way.

　　雖然這個野外環境惡劣，但生物依然能在此存活下來。像著名的露西化石就顯示我們的祖先已在那裡生活了數百萬年。即使在應該是一片死寂的達羅爾硫磺泉，裡面也有活生生的小型微生物。科學家正利用牠們來了解更多關於生物在其他星球上生長的可能性。即使是在能想像得到的最極端的野外，生命也能找到出路。