People are only just realising baffling reason why Dalmatians have spots
人们才刚刚意识到为什么大麦町犬身上有斑点
Scientists are unveiling the real reason why Dalmatians have spots - and it'll no doubt blow your mind.
科学家正揭开大麦町犬长斑点的真正原因——而这无疑会颠覆你的认知。
Cruella de Vil and One Hundred and One Dalmatians has certainly made these spotty dogs a favourite among pup lovers. But have you ever wondered what gives them their iconic pattern?
电影《101斑点狗》中的库伊拉和她的斑点狗们无疑让这种长斑点的狗狗成为了爱狗人士的心头好。但你有没有想过是什么让它们拥有了标志性的斑点图案？
Breeding differences, genes and sheer luck have been among the theories posted by Reddit users over the years, but now, experts are one step closer to finally getting this right. Believe it or not, almost half a million pounds has now been dedicated to investigating the topic and closing the Dalmatian mystery once and for all.
多年来，Reddit 上的用户们提出了包括繁殖差异、基因和纯粹的运气在内的各种理论，但现在，专家们离最终揭开这个谜团又近了一步。你可能不敢相信，现在已经投入了近50万英镑来研究这个话题，以期彻底解开大麦町犬的谜团。
Lead researcher, Dr Richard Mort of Lancaster University, explained: "The impact of human selective breeding has resulted in some striking pigmentation in domestic animals. Dalmatians, with their characteristic spotting patterns, have long fascinated breeders, geneticists, and developmental biologists."
兰卡斯特大学的首席研究员理查德·莫特博士解释说：“人类选择性育种的影响导致了家养动物中一些引人注目的色素沉着。大麦町犬以其独特的斑点图案而闻名，长期以来一直吸引着育种者、遗传学家和发育生物学家的关注。”
Although a Dalmatian's pattern has long been a source of intrigue, scientists believe it's all down to pigmentation. This simply refers to the reaction between skin, hair and cells known as 'melanocytes', which produce a colouring effect.
尽管大麦町犬的图案长期以来一直是人们好奇的对象，但科学家认为这完全是由色素沉着引起的。这仅仅是指皮肤、毛发和被称为“黑色素细胞”的细胞之间的反应，这些细胞会产生着色效果。
For context, all humans have the same number of melanocytes but the amount of melanin produced by each varies from person-to-person. Those with darker hair, skin and eyes are more likely to have a lot of melanin compared to someone with lighter features.
对人类来说，所有人都有相同数量的黑色素细胞，但每个人产生的黑色素量各不相同。与浅色特征的人相比，头发、皮肤和眼睛颜色较深的人更有可能产生大量黑色素。
Anyone with freckles may be born with clusters of melanocytes too, according to Cleveland Clinic, while vitiligo - a condition in which pale white patches develop on the skin - is triggered by a lack of melanin.
克利夫兰诊所表示，有雀斑的人可能天生就有黑色素细胞群，而白癜风则是一种皮肤病，其特征是皮肤上出现淡白色斑块，这是由于缺乏黑色素引起的。
In animals, stripes, spots and patches can form due to this bizarre melanocyte effect, with a Dalmatian's pattern largely made up of 'melanocyte-populated hairs' on a coat that's completely absent of these cells.
在动物中，由于这种奇特的黑色素细胞效应，会形成条纹、斑点和斑块，而大麦町犬的图案主要是由毛皮上那些“富含黑色素细胞的毛发”与周围几乎不含这些细胞的毛发交替分布所构成的。
Both Lancaster University and the University of Bath are seeking to understand more about why this is, in their four-year 'Spot the Difference' project. This will involve building a complex model to figure out how every single spot is born.
兰卡斯特大学和巴斯大学正在他们为期四年的“找出不同”项目中，寻求更深入地了解为什么会这样。这将涉及建立一个复杂的模型，以弄清每个斑点是如何形成的。
"While recent advances have identified the probable genetic loci associated with Dalmatian spots, the underlying molecular and developmental mechanisms that generate these patterns are still poorly understood," said Dr Barbara Shih at Lancaster University.
兰卡斯特大学的芭芭拉·石博士说：“虽然最近的进展已经确定了与大麦町犬斑点相关的可能遗传位点，但对于产生这些图案的潜在分子和发育机制仍知之甚少。”
苏格拉底有一句名言：我知我无知。说的是，当你认识到的东西越多就越发现自己无知。苏格拉底认为，人对于客观世界的认识是有限的，且不可能完全认识客观世界，并且不应对客观世界刨根究底。神对于世界的规划自有安排，若人一意孤行地探索世界和自然的奥秘，则最终将亵渎甚至触怒神明。正因为人对神所构建的世界不可能实现完全认知，因此那些宣称自己能够认识和改造世界的人，本身便是无知的代言。尽管苏格拉底的关于“ 我知我无知”的观念的解读，在现在看来有失客观科学。但至少苏格拉底告诫人们，人的认知是有限的，现有的知识甚至可能存在错误和疏漏。因此，无论任何时代，我们都必须对自己的无知加以认识并通过不懈的开拓，去更新甚至颠覆固有的知识结构。我们在求学之路上也要报以我知我不知的心态，才能走得更远、终有所成。最后，祝愿每一位考研学子都能顺利上岸！
