2019年最怪异10项科学研究盘点：尼斯湖水怪的DNA（双语）

　　美国趣味科学网站近日盘点了2019年最怪异的10项科学研究：尼斯湖水怪、吸血鬼树、冷冻粪便、变形糊糊……科学家们深入探究了这些怪异现象背后的科学真相，一起来了解一下吧。

　　寻找尼斯湖水怪的DNA

　　According to popular lore, the legendary Loch Ness monster has supposedly lived in a deep Scottish lake for more than 1,000 years. But according to a study conducted this year, Loch Ness seems to be devoid of any signs of "monster DNA." Geneticists drew more than 250 water samples from the vast lake and examined the bits of DNA floating within each. The survey uncovered genetic traces of more than 3,000 species living in and around Loch Ness, including fish, deer, pigs, bacteria and humans. But the team found no evidence of giant reptiles or aquatic dinosaurs, or even massive sturgeons or catfish that could be mistaken for a mysterious lake monster. However, they did uncover an abundance of eels, so it may be possible (though highly improbable) that "Nessie" was actually an overgrown eel.

　　根据流行的传说，传奇的尼斯湖水怪已经在苏格兰的深湖里生活了1000多年。但今年进行的一项研究显示，尼斯湖里似乎并没有任何“水怪DNA”存在的迹象。遗传学家从这个巨大的湖泊中提取了250多个水样，并对每个样本中漂浮的DNA片段进行了检测。这项调查发现了生活在尼斯湖及周边地区的3000多个物种的基因痕迹，包括鱼、鹿、猪、细菌和人类。但研究团队并没有发现巨型爬行动物或水生恐龙，甚至没有发现可能被误认为神秘水怪的大型鲟鱼或鲶鱼存在的迹象。不过，他们的确发现了大量鳗鱼，因此“尼斯湖水怪”有可能(虽然可能性不大)其实是一条长得太大的鳗鱼。

　　be devoid of：缺乏，没有