研究顯示，恐龍可能在小行星撞擊地球之前就已經(jīng)中毒了

研究顯示，恐龍可能在小行星撞擊地球之前就已經(jīng)中毒了

Prior to their asteroid-linked extinction, dinosaurs were already struggling to survive due to a sharp increase in mercury levels caused by a massive volcano eruption, according to a new study.

一項(xiàng)新的研究表明，在與小行星有關(guān)的滅絕之前，由于大規(guī)模火山噴發(fā)導(dǎo)致汞含量急劇上升，恐龍已經(jīng)在為生存而苦苦掙扎。

The researchers looked at fossilized marine mollusk shells from across the globe. The researchers discovered “what appears to be a global signal of both abrupt ocean warming and distinctly elevated mercury concentrations” caused by the mass eruption of the Deccan Traps in India, according to a statement accompanying the study.

研究人員觀察了來自全球的海洋軟體動物殼化石。研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，由印度德干地盾大規(guī)模噴發(fā)造成的“海洋突然變暖和汞濃度明顯升高的全球信號”。

“For the first time, we can provide insights into the distinct climatic and environmental impacts of Deccan Traps volcanism by analyzing a single material,” said Kyle Meyer, lead author of the new study, in a statement.

這項(xiàng)新研究的主要作者凱爾邁耶(Kyle Meyer)在一份聲明中說，“我們第一次可以通過分析單一物質(zhì)，深入了解德坎火山活動對氣候和環(huán)境的不同影響。”

“It was incredibly surprising to see that the exact same samples where marine temperatures showed an abrupt warming signal also exhibited the highest mercury concentrations and that these concentrations were of similar magnitude to a site of significant modern industrial mercury contamination.”

“令人難以置信的是，在同樣的樣本中，海洋溫度顯示出突然變暖的信號，同時也顯示出最高的汞濃度，這些濃度與現(xiàn)代工業(yè)汞污染嚴(yán)重的地點(diǎn)相似。”

The study has been published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

這項(xiàng)研究發(fā)表在科學(xué)雜志《自然通訊》上。

Mercury is a highly toxic metal that not only results in significant health issues in humans, but fish and wildlife as well. Volcanic eruptions are the largest producer of naturally occurring mercury. The fossilized shells, which contain mercury, give new credence to the idea that mercury poisoning may have negatively impacted the dinosaurs.

汞是一種劇毒金屬，不僅會對人類健康造成重大影響，還會對魚類和野生動物造成危害。火山噴發(fā)是自然產(chǎn)生汞的最大來源。這些含有汞的貝殼化石為汞中毒可能對恐龍產(chǎn)生了負(fù)面影響的觀點(diǎn)提供了新的證據(jù)。

Researchers continue to learn more about the time period surrounding the dinosaur extinction, including about the asteroid itself. According to a study published in October, the asteroid, which hit Earth and wiped out nearly 75 percent of all species on the planet, may have acidified Earth’s oceans.

研究人員繼續(xù)研究恐龍滅絕的時間，包括小行星本身。去年10月發(fā)表的一項(xiàng)研究顯示，撞擊地球并導(dǎo)致地球上近75%物種滅絕的小行星可能導(dǎo)致了地球海洋的酸化。