Rust-eating Species Will Destroy Wreck of Titanic
泰坦尼克号面临食锈菌危机
The wreck of the Titanic will be nothing more than a rust stain on the bed of the Atlantic within 15 to 20 years, scientists warned today. A newly-discovered species of rust-eating bacteria is slowly consuming the 50,000 tons of iron that makes up the sunken liner. Experts now believe the invasive group of micro-organisms will eventually cause the shipwreck to completely decompose.
科学家 12日指出，15至20年内，沉睡在大西洋海床上的泰坦尼克号残骸将被食锈菌彻底吞噬，只留下一个大锈斑。食锈菌是一种新发现的细菌，现正快速吞噬构成这艘沉船的5万吨铁。专家们认为食锈菌的入侵将最终导致泰坦尼克号残骸被完全分解掉。
Identified using DNA technology, the bacteria and has been found on clumps of rust -known as rusticles -that have covered Titanic's iron hull in the century since it sunk in 1912. The bacteria -Halomonas titanicae - is said to be fast consuming the rust and the iron. Consequently, scientists believe the wreck -that is in two separate sections -will be nothing more that a huge "rust stain" on the seabed within 20 years.
借助于DNA技术，科学家在铁锈中发现了食锈菌。1912年沉没后的一个世纪时间里，泰坦尼克号的船身早已被厚厚的铁锈覆盖。这种细菌学名 "Halomonas titanicae"，现正快速吞噬铁锈和铁。科学家认为，这艘已经裂成两半的沉船将在20年内被完全吞噬，只留下一个巨大的锈斑。
The discovery is the result of two decades' worth of research on the micro-organisms on Titanic, which sank in the North Atlantic on her maiden voyage. It was made by Dr. Henrietta Mann and 8havleen Kaur from Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in conjunction with researchers from the University of Sevilla, Spain.
泰坦尼克号首次航行便遭遇不幸，与冰山相撞后沉入北大西洋海底。经过对泰坦尼克号上的微生物进行的长达20年的研究，科学家得出这一发现。这项研究由加拿大新斯科舍省哈利法克斯达尔豪斯大学的亨丽埃塔·曼恩和比晗弗里恩·考尔以及西班牙塞维利亚大学的研究人员共同进行。
Dr. Mann, adjunct professor with the department of civil engineering, said: "I think Titanic has maybe 15 or 20 years left. I don't think it will have too much longer than that. It has already lasted for 100 years, but eventually there will be nothing left but a rust stain on the bottom of the Atlantic."
曼恩是达尔豪斯大学土木工程系的副教授，她表示我认为留给泰坦尼克号的时间可能还有15年或者20年，不可能存在更长时间。这艘沉船虽然已经存在了100年，但最终会完全消失，只在大西洋海底留下一个锈斑。"
The bacteria was discovered in rusticles collected from the wreck of by a team of scientists in 1991. Dr. Mann and her team began studying them in 1995, but it is only within the last few years that DNA technology has progressed enough for the bacteria to be isolated and studied fully. The rusticles -porous, dark orange, icicle-like structures that form on rusting iron -covered the metal surface of Titanic and are home to a host of micro-organisms. This includes 27 strains of bacteria, from which Halomonas titanicae was isolated and found to be particularly partial to iron. Its destructive tendencies mean the delicate rusticles will eventually disintegrate into a fine powder in the salt water.
食锈菌是 1991年一支科学家小组在沉船身上收集的铁锈中发现的。1995年，曼恩和她的团队开始对这种细菌进行研究，但直到几年前，DNA技术才进步到足以将细菌离析出来的程度，允许科学家对其进行彻底研究。铁锈在生锈的铁上形成，多孔，呈暗橙色，结构好似冰柱。它们覆盖在泰坦尼克号的金属表面，成为各种微生物的家园。铁锈中的微生物居民包括27种细菌，从中离析中的Halomonas titanicae对铁有特殊的偏爱。食锈菌的破坏意味着脆弱的铁锈将最终被分解成细小的粉末，与海水融为一体。
Dr. Mann said: "The rusticles on Titanic are made from a composition of different micro-organisms. It's not just one species of bacteria munching on it. " But we have now identified one which particularly likes eating iron. "To explain it in human terms, not every type of bacteria has the same taste. 80 if you present different people with a plate of chocolate and cheese, some may prefer one and some the other. " This is a type of bacteria which particularly likes eating iron. Nature is very clever, and everything is recalled eventually. Nature makes it, and nature claims it back. In this case, the bacteria helps to decompose the ship.
曼恩表示泰坦尼克号的铁锈里寄生着许多不同微生物，以它们为食的可能不只一种细菌，我们已发现一种特别爱吃铁的细菌。同人类一样，所有细菌的口味各异。举个最简单的例子，如果你拿一块巧克力和奶酶送给不同的人，有的人可能更喜欢巧克力，而有的人则更喜欢奶醋。我们发现的这种细菌就特别喜欢吃铁。大自然是聪明的，它最终都会收回一切东西，大自然制造了它，最后也会将其收回，细菌正在分解泰坦尼克号，它最终也将回归大自然，这是自然规律的表现。"
While the preservation of Titanic is now thought to be impossible, it is hoped the discovery could lead to scientists being able to prevent the destruction of otheriron structures. Dr. Mann said: "Unfortunately, because Titanic is 2.3 miles down, it is very difficult or impossible to preserve. It is film which will preserve it for history now. " I hope that we are able to do more research into the bacteria. There are oil rigs, iron pipes and other iron structures in the ocean which may deteriorate in the same way as Titanic. "To come up with certain things to prevent micro-organisms taking hold of them, or slowing down the process would be a useful thing."
保存泰坦尼克号残骸已经被视为一种"不可能但这一发现可能促使科学家采取措施，防止其他铁结构遭受同样的厄运。曼恩说不幸的是，由于泰坦尼克号沉入海底2.3英里(约合3.7公里)，已经很难或者不可能加以保护。我们只能拍摄影像，以这样一种方式将它保留下来。我希望我们能对这种细菌进行更多研究。海洋内的石油钻塔、铁管和其他铁结构可能遭受与泰坦尼克号同样的命运。我们需要找到防止或者延缓微生物吞噬这些结构的方式。"
Ed Coghlan, chairman of the Irish Titanic Historical Society, said: "This research backs up what divers who have been down to the wreck have seen; that the ship is falling apart." Fortunately it has been photographed extensively and there are wonderful videos to show us what it looked like underwater. "In the future, people might think it is a shame we didn't do more to preserve it, but the reality is that to preserve it would cost an absolute fortune and is probably almost impossible." It may be that as the structure of the wreck disappears, more of the interior becomes accessible. "We may be able to learn even more about Titanic once things like the mail bags, for example, become visible. " Titanic is a very human story and it will be fascinating to see what happens to the wreck in the coming years.
爱尔兰泰坦尼克号历史学会 主席埃迪·科夫兰表示这项研究证明了潜水员看到的景象，这艘沉船正在土崩瓦解。值得庆幸的是，我们拍摄了大量照片和录像，向人们展示沉入海底的泰坦尼克号。将来，人们可能认为我们没有采取更多措施保护它是一件令人耻辱的事情，但现实情况是，保护它需要耗费大量人力物力财力，几乎是不可能的。随着船体外部结构逐渐消失，我们可以进入内部的更多区域。我们可能因此进一步了解泰坦尼克号，邮包等事物将再次呈现在我们面前。泰坦尼克号的遭遇是一个非常引人注目的故事，了解这艘沉船将在未来几年发生什么也是一件令人着迷的事情。"
It is not yet know if the new species of bacteria was present on the RMS Titanic before or after it sank, or whether it is a unique strand to that particular wreck. Dr. Mann and her team have published their finding in the latest issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.
现在还不清楚食锈菌是在泰坦尼克号沉没前还是沉没后出现。除此之外，它们是否是唯——种吞噬泰坦尼克号残骸的细菌也是一个未知数。在最新一期《国际系统与进化微生物学》杂志上，曼恩、及其团队刊登了他们的发现。