Name: 真實的事實小貓蛇的崛起 (True Facts: The Rise of the Kitten Snake)
Uploaded: 2024-09-10T06:14:37.000Z
Duration: 11 min 29 s

This episode is sponsored by CuriosityStream.

本期節目由 CuriosityStream 贊助。

Twenty-some-odd million years ago, there was a bit of a rodent situation.

兩千多萬年前，齧齒動物的情況有點糟糕。

Things had cooled off a bit, and the emerging grasslands were perfect for general rodent activities.

天氣已經涼爽了一些，新出現的草原非常適合一般的齧齒動物活動。

Around the same time, there was a group of emerging carnivores, the mustelids, that saw all of this as an opportunity for a buffet.

大約在同一時間，一群新出現的食肉動物--鼬科動物--將這一切視為自助餐的機會。

Now the innovation of the rodent, those meatballs of the field, was the ability to dig and burrow with their claws and ever-growing front teeth.

現在，齧齒動物--這些田野裡的肉球--的創新之處在於它們能夠用爪子和不斷生長的門牙挖掘和鑽洞。

And it can be a challenge if your favorite snack is packaged in a maze of tunnels.

如果你最喜歡的零食被包裝在迷宮般的隧道里，那將是一項挑戰。

So the innovation of the mustelids, like this one right here, was to develop a body plan that could go right into the tunnels after them.

所以鼬科動物的創新，就像這裡的這隻鼬科動物 就是發展出了一種身體結構 可以在它們之後直接進入隧道

Their bodies got longer and their legs shorter, until they took the form of a kitten snake.

它們的身體越來越長，腿越來越短，直到變成小貓蛇的樣子。

Which is obviously awesome, but there's trade-offs just like anything else.

這顯然是件好事，但就像其他任何事情一樣，也要有所取捨。

You can see how good a ferret is in a tunnel. I mean, that's some crouched-down walking right there.

你可以看到雪貂在隧道里有多厲害。我的意思是，這就是蹲著走路的樣子

But if you're all stretched out like that, you're basically planking the whole time.

但如果你像這樣伸展開來，你基本上就是一直在打板子。

And it's a great ab workout, but it takes some doing.

這也是一種很好的腹部鍛鍊方法，但需要一些時間。

So, when they walk out in the open, they arch their backs and bring their legs closer together, to better bear the weight.

是以，當它們在戶外行走時，它們會弓起背，雙腿併攏，以便更好地承受重量。

On the plus side, they can use their bodies like a spring when they run.

好的一面是，他們在奔跑時可以像彈簧一樣利用自己的身體。

Here's a demonstration by a leased weasel.

下面是一隻租來的黃鼠狼的演示。

It's a ridiculous name. I can think of plenty of things less of a weasel than that.

這名字真可笑。我能想到很多比它更不像黃鼠狼的東西。

Your mom. Sorry, just wanted to say that.

Anyway, these stretched-out rodent hunters became quite successful, and evolved into a diverse group of animals alive today.

總之，這些伸展開來的齧齒動物獵手取得了相當大的成功，進化成了今天生活著的多種多樣的動物群體。

One thing, though, that they all seem to have in common is that they're fierce little f**kers.

不過，它們似乎都有一個共同點，那就是它們都是凶猛的小****。

I mean, no wonder. That's what happens when you spend a few million years hunting in a hole.

這也難怪這就是在洞裡打獵幾百萬年的結果。

Think about it. It's pitch black down there.

You're in a narrow tube, and the thing you're hunting has teeth that can chew through wood.

你在一個狹窄的管子裡，而你要獵殺的東西有可以咬斷木頭的牙齒。

Looks like it forgot its lines at an audition.

Well, this one's even worse, Jerry. It looks like Mr. Magoo is a Furby.

這個更糟，傑瑞看起來Magoo先生是個Furby。

這句臺詞讓我過時了，不是嗎？

Anyway, to deal with rodents that I believe would be scary coming at you in a tunnel, mustelids evolved disproportionately strong jaws.

總之，為了對付齧齒類動物，我相信它們在隧道里向你衝過來會很嚇人，鼬科動物進化出了不成比例的強壯下顎。

Many animals go wider when they want a stronger bite, but mustelids went long, with lots of leverage for those muscles to work through.

許多動物想要咬得更有力時，會把嘴張得更大，但鼬科動物的嘴卻很長，它們的肌肉有很多槓桿作用。

And the connection between the lower and upper jaw is a strong, tight fit.

下頜和上頜之間的連接牢固而緊密。

即使是骷髏頭也能保持在一起。

A dog or a human lower jaw just falls off.

Anyway, having spent their evolutionary childhood performing face-first colonoscopies of rodent tunnels, mustelids were plenty ready to f*** things up when they ventured out into the rest of the world.

總之，在進化過程中，鼬鼠的童年是在齧齒動物的道地裡臉朝下地進行結腸鏡檢查，所以當它們冒險來到外面的世界時，它們已經做好了充分的準備，要把事情搞得一團糟。

The mustelid perhaps best known for its bad acidness is the honey badger, with its ability to fart bees and squirt acid from its nipples.

鼬科動物中最出名的可能是蜜獾，它能放蜜蜂屁，還能從乳頭噴出酸液。

Jerry, nothing farts bees, alright? Do your job.

傑瑞，沒有什麼能讓蜜蜂放屁，好嗎？做好你的工作

Anyway, here you can see a honey badger that has a python right where it wants it.

總之，你可以在這裡看到一隻蜜獾，它把蟒蛇逮個正著。

Jerry, again, that honey badger is clearly f***ed. Look at it.

傑瑞，再說一遍，那隻蜜獾顯然已經完蛋了。看看它

Oh great, now it's going to be eviscerated by jackals too.

哦，太好了，現在它也要被豺狼吃掉了。

I mean, the snake definitely thought this was going to end different.

我是說，那條蛇肯定以為結局會不一樣。

Oh, now they're doing the spaghetti scene from the dog movie, Lady and the Tramp.

哦，現在他們在演狗電影《淑女與流浪漢》中的意大利麵場景。

I mean, that's always been a horror movie, from the point of view of the noodle.

我是說，從麵條的角度來看，這一直是一部恐怖電影。

But you can see that the rest of the animal kingdom is still trying to catch up to what mustelids are capable of.

但你可以看到，動物王國的其他動物仍在努力追趕鼬科動物的能力。

A number of mustelids followed the rodents into the forests, like these stoats who were filmed by the naturalist Robert E. Fuller, who's very good at what he does.

一些鼬科動物跟隨齧齒動物進入了森林，比如博物學家羅伯特-富勒（Robert E. Fuller）拍攝的這些鼬科動物。

May not be as many tunnels, but there's certainly burrows and nests to raid.

也許沒有那麼多隧道，但肯定有洞穴和巢穴可以搜刮。

Listen, someone had to make sure that the squirrels don't get too sassy.

聽著，總得有人確保松鼠們不會太粗魯。

And if you didn't know, squirrels are f***ing fast.

如果你不知道，松鼠跑得可真快。

But that's fine for the stoat, it'll try after anything.

但這對白鼬來說沒什麼，它什麼都會嘗試。

Check this out, straight up diving shot for the bird.

And look at this stoat, it's actually thinking about it.

看看這隻白鼬，它真的在考慮這件事。

That's the most delayed reaction from the pheasant.

But of course, sometimes you'll have to settle for an egg.

當然，有時你也不得不選擇雞蛋。

I mean, that's one way to scramble it, isn't it?

我是說，這也是擾亂的一種方式，不是嗎？

It's not even a dad joke, just like a dad observation.

這甚至不是一個父親的笑話，就像一個父親的觀察。

I mean, s*** if you're that size, an egg will make you an omelette big enough to wear as a poncho.

我的意思是，**** 如果你有那麼大，一個雞蛋就能給你做一個足夠大的煎蛋卷，可以當披風穿。

But listen, I don't mean to make it sound like rodents are pushovers.

但聽著，我並不想讓人覺得齧齒動物是好欺負的。

A rat, for example, will put up quite a fight.

I mean, look at that, the rat goes right in.

我是說，你看，老鼠就這麼進去了。

And the stoat's like, finally, someone worthy.

鼪鼬想，終於有人配得上他了。

And then it gets all crouching tiger, hidden dragon from there.

And sometimes you gotta know when to give up.

有時候，你得知道什麼時候該放棄。

But I certainly don't want to give you the impression that these smaller mustelids are all piss and vinegar.

但我肯定不想讓你們覺得，這些較小的鼬科動物都是尿和醋。

我的意思是，他們也有柔和的一面。

Look at this one stretching out in his den.

看看這隻在窩裡伸懶腰的傢伙。

He's even got a little pillow, oh god, that's a dead mouse.

他甚至還有個小枕頭，天哪，那是隻死老鼠。

You have to admit, it's pretty metal using a corpse for neck support.

你不得不承認，用一具屍體來支撐脖子還真有金屬感。

但這裡有一個小小的婚禮場景。

Probably out drinking with the rat and lost track of time.

可能是和那隻老鼠喝多了，忘了時間。

She's having none of it, and he knows it too.

Right there is the stoat equivalent of sleeping on the couch.

You think your legs get tangled up under the sheets?

你覺得你的腿在床單下會纏在一起嗎？

試試你的整個軀幹，就像黃鼠狼那樣。

I mean, foreplay can look like a Cirque du Soleil act.

我是說，前戲看起來就像太陽馬戲團的表演。

I mean, that looks very similar to killing, actually.

我的意思是，這看起來和殺人其實很相似。

But, on the bright side, it goes on for about 90 minutes.

不過，好的一面是，它持續了大約 90 分鐘。

Now the embryos of most mastelids don't necessarily implant right away.

現在，大多數乳齒動物的胚胎並不一定會立即著床。

They can remain in diapause until the conditions are right.

它們可以一直處於休眠狀態，直到條件成熟。

To make sure the little babies have a chance.

I mean, right out the gate you wouldn't want these cute little bastards to have to make it through a winter.

我的意思是，一開始你就不希望這些可愛的小傢伙們要熬過一個冬天。

And winters can be challenging for mastelids.

而冬天對於桅子魚來說是一個挑戰。

That long body means that they lose heat quickly.

長長的身體意味著它們的熱量流失很快。

And they don't hibernate, so they've had to adapt.

而且它們不會冬眠，所以它們必須適應。

Maybe the most remarkable is that some mastelids, including this leased weasel, again with a name.

也許最引人注目的是，一些鼬科動物，包括這隻黃鼠狼，又有了名字。

I mean, it is around the size of a hot dog, so I'll let it slide.

我的意思是，它只有熱狗那麼大，我就不計較了。

Anyway, they reduce the size of their brain case and their brains during the winter.

總之，它們在冬天會縮小腦殼和大腦的體積。

They've got a high metabolism and that brain takes a lot of energy, so why not?

它們的新陳代謝旺盛，大腦需要消耗大量能量，為什麼不呢？

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