2024-02-02

封面圖上這張2023年12 月相對(duì)于長(zhǎng)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(xiàn)象的征兆。紅色區(qū)域比平均溫度更溫暖，而藍(lán)色區(qū)域則更涼爽。向西吹的信風(fēng)通常會(huì)攪動(dòng)秘魯海岸深處的冷水。但在厄爾尼諾現(xiàn)象期間，風(fēng)勢(shì)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(fā)育的過程，以及存在于這些腺體中的精油。柑橘精油在調(diào)味和香料等行業(yè)具有重要的實(shí)用價(jià)值。研究人員利用發(fā)育遺傳分析闡明了柑橘腺體發(fā)育和精油生物合成的分子調(diào)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(dǎo)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(dāng)?shù)貪O船只能爭(zhēng)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(qū)在未來幾十年將經(jīng)歷更干燥的旱季和更濕潤(rùn)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(qū)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(fù)雜的熱傳感系統(tǒng)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(dú)特特質(zhì)的出現(xiàn)，蛇類經(jīng)歷了多樣性的進(jìn)化爆炸，而這些特質(zhì)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）