being chipped out of the La Brea Tar Pits.

正在從拉布雷亞焦油坑中削出。

It's been hiding here in Los Angeles, perfectly preserved,

它一直藏在洛杉磯這裡，被完美地保存下來。

for anywhere from 25,000 to 45,000 years.

從25,000到45,000年不等。

Scientists have spent more than a century

科學家們已經花了一個多世紀的時間

excavating some 4 million specimens from the pits.

從礦坑中挖掘出約400萬件標本。

But why keep adding to an already huge collection?

但為什麼要在已經很龐大的收藏中繼續增加呢？

Because each new fossil helps fill in the gaps

因為每一塊新的化石都有助於填補空白

on a 50,000-year timeline of life in the region,

在該地區5萬年的生活時間軸上。

spanning to the end of the Stone Age.

跨越到石器時代的盡頭。

We went to the La Brea Tar Pits

我們去了拉布雷亞焦油坑

to see how specimens are discovered, cleaned,

以瞭解標本是如何被發現、清洗的。

and pieced together to build that record.

並拼湊在一起以建立該記錄。

The process kicks off with a sticky scavenger hunt.

這個過程以粘稠的尋寶遊戲拉開序幕。

There are around 130 pits at the tar pits,

在焦油坑有大約130個坑。

which is technically a misnomer.

這在技術上是一個錯誤的名稱。

Laura: We don't technically have tar.

勞拉：嚴格來說，我們沒有焦油。

We don't naturally have pits.

我們不自然地有坑。

What we actually have is asphalt,

我們實際擁有的是瀝青。

which is the crudest form of naturally occurring oil.

這是自然形成的石油的最粗略形式。

Narrator: Some tar pits are still connected

敘述者。一些焦油坑仍在連接

to their oil source, like this one.

到他們的油源，比如這個。

So, right now I'm in pit 91, which was the 91st pit.

所以，現在我在91號坑，也就是第91號坑。

I know, fancy naming schemes.

我知道，花哨的命名方式。

Narrator: Others become disconnected

敘述者。另一些人則變得沒有聯繫

from their oil source and dry out.

從他們的油源和乾涸。

Huge, dry chunks of the deposit

巨大的、乾燥的大塊存款

are easier to move into separate boxes for excavation.

更容易搬到單獨的箱子裡進行挖掘。

Right now I'm in box 13, which is 13 of 23,

現在我在第13格，也就是23格中的13格。

as you might be able to guess.

正如你可能會猜到的那樣。

This particular box has

這個特殊的盒子有

easily tens of thousands of fossils in it.

它的化石很容易就有幾萬個。

Narrator: The excavation process isn't as simple

敘述者。挖掘過程並不那麼簡單

as pulling a bone out of some goo.

如同從一些粘液中拉出一根骨頭。

Laura: So, sometimes I'll find a fossil

勞拉：所以，有時我會找到一個化石

and be able to excavate it out in, like, 15 minutes.

並能在15分鐘內將其挖掘出來。

And sometimes I'm looking at a fossil for several months,

而有時我看一個化石要看幾個月。

definitely not dreaming about it teasing me.

絕對不是夢到它在挑逗我。

Narrator: Take this saber-toothed cat skull,

敘述者。拿著這個劍齒貓頭骨。

which has been weeks in the works.

該項目已經進行了數週。

Based on 16 years of experience,

基於16年的經驗。

Laura can estimate how many fossils are in a given deposit.

勞拉可以估計出某一礦床中的化石數量。

To start her search, Laura first sets up a makeshift grid.

為了開始搜索，勞拉首先建立了一個臨時的網格。

This will help Laura keep track

這將幫助勞拉保持跟蹤

of where and in what position fossils are found,

的地方和位置發現化石。

since the asphalt is too dense

因為瀝青的密度太大

for traditional radar to provide initial images.

為傳統雷達提供初始影像。

Laura: It's eyeballs and elbow grease.

勞拉：這是眼球和手藝的問題。

Narrator: Then she begins the meticulous process

敘述者。然後她開始了細緻的工作

of carving the skull out of the matrix that encases it.

將頭骨從包裹它的基質中雕刻出來。

Laura: If I am confident that I'm not going to find fossils,

勞拉：如果我有信心，我不會找到化石。

I'll have things like hammers and chisels

我將有錘子和鑿子等東西

that I'll be able to get in there

我將能夠進入那裡

and move some of those things away.

並將其中一些東西移開。

Narrator: This is where it gets tricky.

敘述者。這是它變得棘手的地方。

Asphalt actually protects the bones' organic matter.

瀝青實際上保護了骨骼的有機物。

This also makes them more fragile

這也使他們更加脆弱

than traditional stone fossils.

比傳統的石頭化石更有價值。

Around the fossils themselves

圍繞化石本身

we'll start with very small tools,

我們將從非常小的工具開始。

something like this dental pick,

像這樣的牙籤。

which, yes, is sourced from local dentists.

其中，是的，來自於當地的牙醫。

Thank you for your donations.

感謝你們的捐贈。

And sometimes I'm using it

有時我也在使用它

the same way that a dentist would, with the tip of it,

與牙醫的方式相同，用它的尖端。

and sometimes I'm using it more like a clay-sculpting tool,

而有時我使用它更像一個粘土雕塑工具。

kind of pulling sediment away from fossils.

那種把沉積物從化石上拉開的做法。

And then sometimes you'll also see me

然後有時你也會看到我

using a natural-bristle paintbrush.

使用天然鬃毛的畫筆。

I don't want to use plastic bristles, because the oil

我不想使用塑膠刷毛，因為油會影響到我。

will actually eventually degrade those bristles,

實際上最終會使這些刷子退化。

and they'll kind of melt a little bit,

他們會有一點融化的感覺。

which isn't good for anybody.

這對任何人都沒有好處。

Narrator: Excavators tailor their strategy

敘述者。挖掘者調整他們的策略

to preserve not only the delicate bones,

不僅要保存脆弱的骨骼。

but also the matrix itself.

但也包括矩陣本身。

It's filled with valuable microfossils.

它充滿了寶貴的微化石。

Laura: So, we're going to pour that chemical solvent

所以，我們要把這種化學溶劑倒入

in there.

在那裡。

So, this particular one is a Novec 73DE.

所以，這個特殊的是Novec 73DE。

And so that's a chemical degreaser.

所以那是一種化學脫脂劑。

Narrator: The solvent dissolves the asphalt

敘述者。溶劑溶解了瀝青

and leaves behind treasures.

並留下財寶。

Laura: This one is the end of a tibiotarsus, or a drumstick.

勞拉：這個是脛骨的末端，也就是鼓槌。

This one's bigger than a chicken.

這個人比雞還大。

And we also have plant fossils as well.

而且我們也有植物化石。

Narrator: Once the matrix is collected

敘述者。一旦收集到矩陣

and surrounding sediment is cleared ...

和周圍的沉積物被清除......。

Laura: So, I should be able to just

勞拉：那麼，我應該可以直接

kind of gently release the fossil

輕輕地釋放化石

from this tangle

從這個糾結的問題

and send it on to the laboratory.

並將其送至實驗室。

Narrator: Where preparators will put in even more hours

敘述者。籌備人員將在哪裡投入更多的時間

into this one saber-toothed cat skull.

進入這一個劍齒貓頭骨。

To make sure our skull is shelf-stable,

要確保我們的頭骨是可保存的。

preparators start with a more meticulous asphalt removal.

準備者從更細緻的瀝青清除開始。

Stephany: I would say that this could probably take me

斯蒂芬妮：我想說，這可能需要我

up to 10 hours in total to complete.

總共需要10個小時才能完成。

Narrator: Stephany uses more degreaser

敘述者。斯蒂芬妮使用更多的脫脂劑

and a collection of cotton swabs, foam applicators,

和一系列的棉籤、保麗龍塗抹器。

brushes, and picks to surface-clean the skull.

用刷子和鎬頭對頭骨進行表面清潔。

Stephany: When we have areas

斯蒂芬尼。當我們有地區

where there is jagged bone exposed,

有鋸齒狀骨頭暴露的地方。

we prefer to use the foam-tip applicators,

我們更喜歡使用保麗龍尖頭的塗抹器。

because there's no grabbing of fibers

因為沒有抓取的纖維

that could damage the fossil

可能損害化石的

or transfer too much fiber onto the fossil.

或將過多的纖維轉移到化石上。

It's very much like painting, almost.

這非常像繪畫，幾乎是。

Narrator: The asphalt permanently stains the fossil

敘述者。瀝青將化石永久地染上顏色

a deep brown.

一個深棕色。

Stephany: You will notice that as I work through this,

斯蒂芬尼：你會注意到，當我通過這個工作。

the tool itself is changing color and becoming darker.

工具本身正在改變顏色，變得更暗。

Narrator: Now, her goal isn't to deep clean the specimen;

敘述者。現在，她的目標不是要深度清潔標本。

it's to prevent deterioration over time,

它是為了防止隨著時間的推移而惡化。

so some debris stays behind.

所以有些碎片會留在後面。

Stephany: We leave the internal matrix in the skull

斯蒂芬尼。我們把內部矩陣留在頭骨中

because it provides structural support and stability.

因為它提供了結構支持和穩定性。

Narrator: If a fossil is damaged

敘述者。如果一個化石被損壞

or comes out of the pit in pieces, it can be fixed.

或從坑裡出來的碎片，它可以被修復。

Stephany: So, this is a canine from box nine,

斯蒂芬尼：所以，這是一隻來自第九箱的犬類。

and we prepared this bit in September last year

而我們在去年9月準備了這部分內容

and sent it through to collections.

並將其送至收款處。

And then in May this year, we found the tip,

然後在今年5月，我們發現了這個線索。

and when we put it in there, it was like a puzzle piece.

當我們把它放在那裡時，它就像一塊拼圖。

So, this is the lower jaw, or dentary,

是以，這是下顎，或稱牙床。

of a young dire wolf that we have over here.

我們這裡有一隻年輕的冰原狼。

Narrator: She uses a little adhesive

敘事者。她用了一點粘合劑

and sometimes Japanese kozo paper

有時是日本的楮樹紙

to secure and stabilize the broken bits.

以固定和穩定斷裂的比特。

Stephany: So, kozo paper is a Japanese archival paper.

Stephany: 那麼，kozo紙是一種日本的檔案紙。

You'll notice that I tore it,

你會注意到，我把它撕碎了。

and we want to have these fibers.

而我們想擁有這些纖維。

Think of when you walk into a spider web.

想想看，當你走進一個蜘蛛網的時候。

It just feels like it's everywhere.

只是感覺它無處不在。

They migrate and then catch onto the specimen

他們遷移，然後抓到了標本

and really anchor well onto it.

並真正很好地固定在它上面。

Narrator: And the final step is covering the entire specimen

敘述者。而最後一步是覆蓋整個標本

in the same adhesive used for repairs.

在用於維修的同一粘合劑中。

This seals and protects the organic material.

這封住並保護了有機材料。

If somewhere down the line

如果在某個地方

a researcher needs to access that material ...

研究人員需要訪問該材料......。

Stephany: Because we use acetone,

斯蒂芬尼：因為我們使用丙酮。

it makes the whole process reversible.

它使整個過程具有可逆性。

Narrator: After preparation ...

敘述者。經過準備，...

Stephany: The specimen then gets its own

斯蒂芬尼。然後標本會得到自己的

individual catalog number

個人目錄號

and then forms part of our already amazing collection

然後構成了我們已經很了不起的收藏的一部分

that spans over 3½ million specimens.

涵蓋了超過350萬件標本。

Emily: We have somewhere in the nature

艾米麗。我們在自然界的某個地方有

of at least 2,500 saber-toothed cats.

的至少2500只劍齒虎貓。

So, for instance, all of these drawers here

是以，舉例來說，這裡的所有這些抽屜

are full of nothing but left upper-arm bones

除了左上臂的骨頭，什麼都沒有。

of saber-toothed cats

劍齒貓

from just one of our about 130 deposits.

這只是我們約130個存款中的一個。

Narrator: Beyond saber-toothed cats,

敘述者。超越劍齒貓。

the La Brea collection contains

拉布雷亞系列包含

around 4 million specimens from the last 50,000 years.

過去5萬年來的約400萬件標本。

And the biggest extinction event since the dinosaurs,

還有自恐龍以來最大的滅絕事件。

the Ice Age extinctions, ramped up 12,000 years ago.

冰河時期的滅絕，在1.2萬年前急劇增加。

Emily: The majority of large mammals on Earth

艾米麗。地球上的大多數大型哺乳動物

disappeared during this time.

在這段時間內消失了。

It's been really hard to figure out exactly when,

要弄清楚確切的時間真的很難。

because we just don't have enough fossils.

因為我們只是沒有足夠的化石。

Narrator: These bountiful tar pits are an exception.

敘述者。這些富饒的焦油坑是一個例外。

Emily: This is the only place on Earth

艾米麗。這是地球上唯一的地方

where we have a time-transgressive record

其中我們有一個跨越時間的記錄

over a 40,000-year period of many of these species,

在40,000年的時間裡，這些物種中的許多物種都在發生變化。

and this allows us to do research

而這使我們能夠進行研究

that you can't really do at any other fossil site.

這是你在任何其他化石地點都無法做到的。

Narrator: Along with the when,

敘述者。隨著時間的推移。

researchers can answer questions

研究人員可以回答問題

about why species when extinct, too.

關於物種滅絕的原因，也是如此。

Emily: Was it lack of water sources?

艾米麗。是不是因為缺乏水源？

Was it an area getting too hot or too cold?

是一個地區變得太熱還是太冷？

Was it increase in fire?

是火的增加嗎？

Was it something to do with

是否與以下因素有關？

the arrival of humans on the landscape?

人類在景觀上的到來？

Narrator: Some unique specimens can tell us

敘述者。一些獨特的標本可以告訴我們

about an entire species' behavior

關於整個物種的行為

almost entirely on their own.

幾乎完全靠他們自己。

Take this elderly saber-toothed cat with hip dysplasia.

以這隻患有髖關節發育不良的老年劍齒貓為例。

The fact that it exists at all ...

它存在的事實是......。

Emily: Is an indication that this species

艾米麗。是表明這個物種

was probably social,

可能是社交。

because individuals with injuries or pathologies like this

因為有這樣的傷害或病症的人

probably wouldn't have been able to hunt for themselves

可能沒有能力為自己打獵

and probably relied on a social group

並可能依賴於一個社會團體

or a family group to support them.

或一個家庭團體來支持他們。

Narrator: While the lab pieces together specimens,

敘述者。當實驗室將標本拼湊在一起時，

collections pieces together data.

收藏品將數據拼湊起來。

Emily: Understanding what sort of processes

艾米麗。瞭解什麼樣的過程

might have been happening

可能已經發生

during the last major extinction event

在最後一次大滅絕事件中

could be really important for helping us to weather

可能真的很重要，可以幫助我們抵禦

some of these unprecedented-in-human-history impacts

其中一些在人類歷史上前所未有的影響

that we're experiencing.

我們正在經歷的。

And there is basically no more important question

而且基本上沒有比這更重要的問題了

to be asking today.

今天要問的是。

Narrator: Knowing how creatures

敘述者。知道生物如何

lived amidst climate change in the past

在過去生活在氣候變化中的人

might help humans learn to navigate

可能有助於人類學習導航

extreme conditions in the future,

在未來的極端條件下。

like wildfires or droughts.

如野火或乾旱。

In this case, the more we have, the more we know.

在這種情況下，我們擁有的越多，我們知道的就越多。

And there are no plans to stop digging anytime soon.

而且沒有計劃在短期內停止挖掘。