NASA的雙胞胎太空人實驗

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NASA太空人Scott Kelly三月結束為期一年的太空之旅，返回地球，這趟飛行是為了探究，長期曝露於太空環境中人體會受到哪些影響，以為NASA的火星探險計畫鋪路—火星計畫的航程來回將近三年。要如何對人體進行研究？原來Scott Kelly的同卵雙胞哥哥Mark Kelly過去也是太空人，他待在地球，作為實驗對照組……進入本文前，請先想想如何表達以下單字：

(A) 職業性危害
(B) 無與倫比
(C) 逆境

You think gravity wears you down? Try 12 months without it. American astronaut Scott Kelly just spent 340 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for a one-year mission, an experiment to (1) shed more light on how the human body reacts and adapts to space to help NASA prepare for Mars.
地心引力人老化？試試看12個月無重力的生活！美國太空人史考特•凱利最近才在國際太空站完成為期340天的一年任務，該實驗試圖深入了解，人體如何適應太空生活，為美國太空總署火星計畫作準備。

When Scott launched into space on March 27, 2015, he left behind a copy of himself: his identical twin brother, Mark Kelly, a retired astronaut. Because the brothers have virtually the same genetic material, NASA can study how long-duration spaceflight affects the body and mind, using Mark as the ground control subject. Scientists will monitor the brothers down to the molecular level for a total of six years, comparing their DNA, RNA, and metabolites, among other things.
史考特於2015年3月27日升空前往太空站，同時將自己的分身留在地面上：他的同卵雙胞胎，退休太空人馬克•凱利。由於凱利兄弟具備幾乎相同的基因，美國太空總署可藉此研究，長期太空旅行如何影響人類身心，以馬克作為地面對照組。科學家將鉅細靡遺觀察這對孿生子，比較他們兩人的DNA、RNA、代謝物等，為期6年。

There is already a well-thumbed compendium of woes that have plagued visitors to space: backaches, bone loss, lousy sleep, muscle atrophy, nausea, rashes, etc. For astronauts, however, physical discomfort is an (A) occupational hazard scarcely worth mentioning when set alongside the (B) unparalleled high of orbiting 230 miles above Earth. But when does that discomfort become the last straw?
根據文獻紀錄，太空旅行往往帶給太空人許多後遺症，包括背痛、骨質疏鬆、失眠、肌肉萎縮症、噁心、疹子等。然而對他們而言，由於是在距離地球230英里的軌道工作，身體不適其實是想當然耳的職業性危害，不值一提。但如進行更長期的太空旅行，這些病症可能一發不可收拾。

Two and a half hours of exercise per day appears to halt the bone loss and muscle atrophy. Drugs control nausea, and ointment helps the rashes. There are sleeping pills and pain pills. But for a Mars mission expected to take nearly three years, NASA has identified 32 “major” risks to human health and performance. These include everything from radiation poisoning to onboard fires or loss of cabin pressure.
每天運動兩個半小時，可預防骨質疏鬆及肌肉萎縮症。藥物可治療噁心，藥膏可對付疹子，也有安眠藥和止痛藥供太空人服用。然而火星任務將近三年，美國太空總署已列出32項危及太空人健康及表現的「重大」風險，例如輻射中毒、太空船失火、駕駛艙失壓等，林林總總，不一而足。

(2) A far cry from our world, outer space can be nasty to say the least. But for astronauts, thriving amid (C) adversity is part of the job description. “We love a challenge,” says Scott, a short guy with a shaved head and a stocky build. “We love challenging environments.”
太空環境與地球迥然不同，極為惡劣。然而愈挫愈勇的個性，本為遴選太空人時的基本要求。光頭、矮壯的史考特說：「我們喜歡挑戰，尤其是艱困環境。 

口語詞彙:

1. Shed/throw (some) light on  闡明
shed 有「放射」的意思，將光線放射在事情上，意味讓事情清晰易懂。
We need to do more research to throw some light on why the marketing plan has worked so well. 我們應該進行深入研究，以了解該行銷計畫為何成功。 

2. A far cry from  與……截然不同
Working as a salesperson is a far cry from working as a secretary in this company. 在這家公司，擔任業務人員與擔任秘書截然不同。

參考資料：Smithsonian.com

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