點擊科學

2024-02-02

封面圖上這張2023年12 月相對于長期平均氣溫的快照顯示，熱量在東太平洋不斷堆積，這是厄爾尼諾現象的征兆。紅色區域比平均溫度更溫暖，而藍色區域則更涼爽。向西吹的信風通常會攪動秘魯海岸深處的冷水。但在厄爾尼諾現象期間，風勢減弱，西太平洋的溫暖海水不斷向東涌來。

H e a t p i l e s u p i n t h eeastern Pacific Ocean-a signof El Ni?o-in this snapshotof temperatures in December2023 relative to the long-termaverage. Red areas are warmerthan average， whereas blueareas are cooler. West-blowingtrade winds usually stir up deep，cold water off Perus coast.But during El Ni?o， those windsfalter， allowing warm waters inthe western Pacific to roll east.

2024-02-09

封面插圖展示的是柑橘類水果的油脂腺，特別描繪了腺體發育的過程，以及存在于這些腺體中的精油。柑橘精油在調味和香料等行業具有重要的實用價值。研究人員利用發育遺傳分析闡明了柑橘腺體發育和精油生物合成的分子調控過程。

T h i s i l l u s t r a t i o n d e p i c t sc i t r u s f r u i t o i l g l a n d s ，highlighting the process of glanddevelopment and the presenceof essential oils within theseglands. Citrus essential oils havei m p o r t a n t p r a c t i c a l v a l u e i nindustries such as flavoring andfragrance. Using developmentalgenetic analysis， researchers haveelucidated the molecular regulationof gland development and thebiosynthesis of essential oils incitrus.

2024-02-16

2023 年10 月，前所未見的干旱導致巴西城市特菲附近的亞馬孫河水位下降，露出了沙丘，迫使當地漁船只能爭奪捕魚的位置。氣候模型表明，隨著全球變暖改變了海洋和大氣之間的相互作用，亞馬孫地區在未來幾十年將經歷更干燥的旱季和更濕潤的雨季。

In October 2023， a recorddrought lowered the AmazonRiver near the Brazilian cityof Tefé， revealing sand dunesand forcing local fishing boatsto compete for spots. Climatem o d e l i n g s u g g e s t s t h a t t h eAmazon will see both drier dryseasons and wetter wet seasonsin the decades ahead as globalw a r m i n g a l t e r s i n t e r a c t i o n sb e t w e e n t h e o c e a n s a n d t h eatmosphere.

2024-02-23

封面圖展示的翡翠樹蟒是生活在新熱帶區低地雨林中的夜間伏擊獵人。它上下嘴唇上可見的“凹坑”是復雜的熱傳感系統的一部分，該物種就是利用這一特性在黑暗中定位溫血獵物。由于大量此類獨特特質的出現，蛇類經歷了多樣性的進化爆炸，而這些特質也提高了它們作為專門捕食者的效率。

Emerald tree boas （Corallusbatesii ） are nocturnal ambushh u n t e r s f o u n d i n n e o t r o p i c a llowland rainforests. The visible“ p i t s ” a l o n g t h e u p p e rand lower lips are part of asophisticated heat-sensing systemthat this species uses to locatewarm-blooded prey in darkness.S n a k e s h a v e e x p e r i e n c e d a nevolutionary explosion in diversityas a result of numerous suchinnovations that have increasedtheir effectiveness as specializedpredators.

（陶 陶 編譯）