双语：热浪席卷全球人体对高温的耐受临近极限

　　在一波又一波的热浪“攻击”下，不少国家都刷新了以往的高温纪录，各国民众也开始了花样避暑大赛。科学家近日表示，极端高温正将人体对温度的耐受推向极限，这将使部分地区不再适宜人类居住。

　　Extreme global temperatures are pushing the human body “close to thermal limits”, according to a climate scientist.

　　一位气候科学家表示，全球极端气温正将人体推向“高温极限”。

　　Record-breaking heat has swept through Europe this week with temperatures topping 40C in a number of countries.

　　本周，破纪录的高温席卷欧洲，一些国家的气温超过40摄氏度。

　　top [tɒp]：v.超过(某一数量);高过

　　However, in places such as South Asia and the Persian Gulf, people are already enduring temperatures reaching up to 54C.

　　然而，在南亚和波斯湾等地，人们忍受的高温已达54摄氏度。

　　Despite all the body's thermal efficiencies, these areas could soon be uninhabitable, according to Loughborough University climate scientist Dr Tom Matthews in The Conversation.

　　拉夫堡大学气候科学家汤姆·马修斯博士在The Conversation网站上说，尽管人体的热效率很高，但这些区域可能很快就不宜居住了。

　　uninhabitable [ʌnɪn'hæbɪtəb(ə)l]：adj.不适宜居住的

　　When air temperature exceeds 35C, the body relies on sweating to keep core temperatures at a safe level. However, when the “wet bulb” temperature – which reflects the ability of moisture to evaporate – reaches 35C, this system no longer works.

　　当气温超过35摄氏度时，身体依靠流汗来将核心温度保持在安全水平。然而，当反映水分蒸发能力的“湿球温度”达到35摄氏度时，该机能就不再起作用了。

　　wet bulb temperature：湿球温度，通过在相关的传感器或温度计上包裹湿布来测量。人体通过汗水蒸发来保持内部温度平衡，当环境湿球温度高到某个值时，人体就不能通过出汗来维持体温。

　　“The wet bulb temperature includes the cooling effect of water evaporating from the thermometer, and so is normally much lower than the normal (“dry bulb”) temperature reported in weather forecasts,” Dr Matthews wrote.

　　马修斯博士写道：“湿球温度包括温度计的水分蒸发冷却效果，因此通常比天气预报中的正常(干球)温度低得多。”

　　“Once this wet bulb temperature threshold is crossed, the air is so full of water vapour that sweat no longer evaporates,” he said.

　　他说：“一旦湿球温度超过阈值，空气中就充满了水蒸气，汗水就不再蒸发了。”

　　threshold ['θreʃəʊld]：n.门槛;临界值

　　This means the human body cannot cool itself enough to survive more than a few hours.

　　这意味着人体不能自我降温，这种情况持续几个小时就能危及生命。

　　“Without the means to dissipate heat, our core temperature rises, irrespective of how much water we drink, how much shade we seek, or how much rest we take,” he explained.

　　他解释说：“如果没有散热的方法，人体的核心温度就会上升，不管我们喝了多少水，在阴凉地方呆了多久，或者休息了多长时间。”