Scientists Discover How a Kind of Fish Makes Colorful Light Appear

2023-03-16

00:00 / 00:00
复读宝 RABC v8.0beta 复读机按钮使用说明
播放/暂停
停止
播放时:倒退3秒/复读时:回退AB段
播放时:快进3秒/复读时:前进AB段
拖动:改变速度/点击:恢复正常速度1.0
拖动改变复读暂停时间
点击:复读最近5秒/拖动:改变复读次数
设置A点
设置B点
取消复读并清除AB点
播放一行
停止播放
后退一行
前进一行
复读一行
复读多行
变速复读一行
变速复读多行
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1
  • The skin of a small fish from Thailand is almost completely clear.
  • 2
  • But when light shines through it, a shimmering rainbow of colors appear.
  • 3
  • Now, scientists have found out how this fish - called the ghost catfish - creates colorful light that is iridescent.
  • 4
  • Something iridescent shines with many different colors depending on how you look at it.
  • 5
  • That color comes from within the fish's body.
  • 6
  • Researchers reported their findings in a study published recently in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
  • 7
  • As light passes through the fish's skin, it hits very small structures in the muscle that turn light into a colorful spectrum.
  • 8
  • The ghost catfish, which is sometimes called the glass catfish, is a small fish native to rivers in Thailand.
  • 9
  • It averages just a few centimeters long.
  • 10
  • It is sold around the world as an aquarium fish.
  • 11
  • Other creatures are also iridescent, creating the rainbow effect when colors change when looked at from different sides.
  • 12
  • Usually, they have outer surfaces that reflect the light, like a hummingbird's feathers or a butterfly's wings, said Ron Rutowski.
  • 13
  • He is a biologist at Arizona State University who was not involved with the research.
  • 14
  • The ghost catfish have no scales, said writer Qibin Zhao.
  • 15
  • He is a physicist at China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
  • 16
  • Zhao became very interested in the fish after seeing it in an aquarium store.
  • 17
  • Instead, it has structures in its muscles.
  • 18
  • These are what turns light into rainbow colors.
  • 19
  • Researchers made the discovery after shining different kinds of light and lasers onto the fish in a laboratory.
  • 20
  • As the ghost catfish swims, its muscles move, resulting in reflections of many colors.
  • 21
  • The fish's clear skin lets in around 90 percent of outside light.
  • 22
  • "We wouldn't be able to see the colors if the skin of the fish is not so transparent," Zhao said in an email.
  • 23
  • Some species use their iridescence to attract mates or give off warning signals.
  • 24
  • It is not clear whether the ghost catfish's colors serve a purpose, Rutowski said.
  • 25
  • I'm Dan Novak.
  • 1
  • The skin of a small fish from Thailand is almost completely clear. But when light shines through it, a shimmering rainbow of colors appear.
  • 2
  • Now, scientists have found out how this fish - called the ghost catfish - creates colorful light that is iridescent. Something iridescent shines with many different colors depending on how you look at it.
  • 3
  • That color comes from within the fish's body. Researchers reported their findings in a study published recently in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. As light passes through the fish's skin, it hits very small structures in the muscle that turn light into a colorful spectrum.
  • 4
  • The ghost catfish, which is sometimes called the glass catfish, is a small fish native to rivers in Thailand. It averages just a few centimeters long. It is sold around the world as an aquarium fish.
  • 5
  • Other creatures are also iridescent, creating the rainbow effect when colors change when looked at from different sides. Usually, they have outer surfaces that reflect the light, like a hummingbird's feathers or a butterfly's wings, said Ron Rutowski. He is a biologist at Arizona State University who was not involved with the research.
  • 6
  • The ghost catfish have no scales, said writer Qibin Zhao. He is a physicist at China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Zhao became very interested in the fish after seeing it in an aquarium store.
  • 7
  • Instead, it has structures in its muscles. These are what turns light into rainbow colors. Researchers made the discovery after shining different kinds of light and lasers onto the fish in a laboratory. As the ghost catfish swims, its muscles move, resulting in reflections of many colors.
  • 8
  • The fish's clear skin lets in around 90 percent of outside light.
  • 9
  • "We wouldn't be able to see the colors if the skin of the fish is not so transparent," Zhao said in an email.
  • 10
  • Some species use their iridescence to attract mates or give off warning signals. It is not clear whether the ghost catfish's colors serve a purpose, Rutowski said.
  • 11
  • I'm Dan Novak.
  • 12
  • Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press.
  • 13
  • ____________________________________________________________________
  • 14
  • Words in This Story
  • 15
  • shimmer - v. to shine with a light that appears to move around
  • 16
  • iridescent -adj. shining with many colors when seen from different directions
  • 17
  • spectrum -n. a group of colors that appear when white light is separated by glass or a similar material
  • 18
  • aquarium - n. a glass tank that holds fish or similar animals that people keep for recreation
  • 19
  • reflect - v. to move light in a direction other than the one it is traveling in
  • 20
  • scale -n. small, hard structures that cover the body of most fish, reptiles, and some other animals
  • 21
  • transparent - adj. able to be seen through