How about shedding your skin

脫掉你的皮膚怎麼樣

and dissolving your own muscles?

並溶解自己的肌肉？

Now, believe it or not, that gruesome process

不管你信不信，那個可怕的過程...

is how caterpillars earn their wings.

是毛毛蟲如何獲得翅膀的。

Here's what you might not know

以下是你可能不知道的

about what's inside a caterpillar's "cocoon."

關於毛毛蟲的 "繭 "裡面有什麼。

Contrary to popular belief, this is not a cocoon.

與一般人認為的相反，這不是一個繭。

Only certain moths build cocoons,

只有某些蛾子才會結繭。

which are like a silky sleeping bag that covers the insect.

它們就像一個絲滑的睡袋，覆蓋著昆蟲。

This, on the other hand, is what's called a chrysalis.

而這，就是所謂的菊花。

It's not a sack or a pouch;

這不是麻袋，也不是錦囊。

it's actually the caterpillar's own body.

其實是毛蟲自己的身體。

When it's time for the transformation to begin,

當開始轉型的時候。

the caterpillar's body ramps up production

毛毛蟲的身體加大了生產力度

of a hormone called ecdysone,

的一種激素，稱為蛻皮激素。

and that causes it to cast off its outer coating,

而導致它的外膜脫落。

sort of like how a snake sheds its skin.

有點像蛇脫皮的樣子。

And underneath is a hard shell

而下面是一個硬殼

similar to the exoskeleton of a beetle.

類似於甲蟲的外骨骼。

After that, life for the little caterpillar gets oozy.

之後，小毛蟲的生活就變得很滲人。

First, it releases enzymes called caspases.

首先，它釋放出稱為caspase的酶。

These rip apart and dissolve cells in its muscles,

這些撕開並溶解其肌肉中的細胞。

digestive system, and other organs.

消化系統和其他器官。

But the enzymes don't quite liquefy all of the caterpillar.

但是酶並沒有完全液化所有的毛毛蟲。

They leave key structures intact, like breathing tubes.

它們讓關鍵結構保持完整，比如呼吸管。

At the same time, specialized cells

同時，特化細胞

called imaginal discs start waking up.

稱為想象盤開始甦醒。

Before the chrysalis stage, these discs were kept dormant

在蛹階段之前，這些圓盤一直處於休眠狀態。

by a series of hormones in the caterpillar's body.

由毛蟲體內的一系列激素。

But once the transformation begins,

但一旦開始轉型。

those hormone levels take a nosedive,

這些激素水平採取了急劇下降。

giving these discs the opportunity to do what they do best:

讓這些光盤有機會做它們最擅長的事情。

build a butterfly.

構建一個蝴蝶。

You see, each disc contains the genetic recipe

你看，每張光盤都包含了基因配方。

to form a different adult body part,

以形成不同的成人身體部位。

starting from the inside out.

從內到外開始。

After one week, the digestive system

一週後，消化系統

of the butterfly is well on its way.

的蝴蝶在路上。

And by day 16, the adult's legs, wings, eyes,

而到了第16天，成人的腿、翅膀、眼睛。

and mouth are all present and in working order.

和口都存在，且工作正常。

Now, two weeks is a remarkably short time

現在，兩個星期是一個非常短的時間。

for all of this to happen,

這一切的發生。

since each imaginal disc starts out with only about 50 cells

因為每個椎間盤都只有50個細胞

and must multiply those into thousands

而必須將其乘以千倍

just to form a single wing.

只是為了形成一個單翼。

And if you checked out the chrysalis around day 16,

而如果你在第16天左右查看了菊花。

you might even be able to see

你甚至可以看到

those brilliantly colored wings.

那些絢麗多彩的翅膀。

Because for some species,

因為對於一些物種來說。

their chrysalis turns transparent

化蛹成蝶

in their final days of metamorphosis.

在它們蛻變的最後日子裡。

Now, fully formed, it's time to hit the road.

現在，完全成型，是時候上路了。

The chrysalis splits open down the center,

蛹從中間裂開。

and the butterfly escapes.

蝴蝶就會逃之夭夭。

Meanwhile, a reddish liquid spills out.

同時，一股紅色的液體溢出來。

That's all the waste the butterfly,

蝴蝶就這樣浪費了。

née caterpillar, produced during its stay.

née caterpillar，在其停留期間產生。

Once its wings expand and harden, it's ready to mate,

一旦它的翅膀膨脹變硬，它就可以交配了。

pollinate, and slurp nectar to its heart's desire.

傳粉，並啜飲花蜜，以滿足其心願。

But one of the most interesting parts of all?

但其中最有意思的是?

Research suggests that butterflies

研究表明，蝴蝶

and moths can remember their caterpillar days.

而飛蛾也能記住自己的毛毛蟲時代。

In one study, researchers trained moth caterpillars

在一項研究中，研究人員對飛蛾毛蟲進行了訓練。

to associate an odor with an electric shock,

將氣味與電擊聯繫起來。

so whenever the larvae smelled it, they'd move away.

所以每當幼蟲聞到它的氣味，它們就會走開。

But even after they transformed into adult moths,

但即使在它們轉化為成蟲後。

they still avoided the scary smell.

他們還是避免了可怕的氣味。

It makes you wonder what else

這讓你想知道還有什麼

they could recall from their younger days.

他們可以回憶起他們年輕時的生活。