I mean, really, what is it?

我是說，它到底是什麼？

These meals are so inedible they've become a decades-old punch line.

這些餐點如此倒胃口，它們已經成為老掉牙的笑話了。

But why?

但為什麼呢？

Why is it so hard to slap together a decently edible sandwich at 35,000 feet?

為何在 35,000 呎的高空做出像樣的三明治如此難？

Airlines have tried to make their food tastier, going so far as to hire famous chefs like Gordon Ramsay to overhaul their menus.

航空公司已經試著將餐點做得更好吃，甚至聘請像 Gordon Ramsay 這樣的知名主廚重新改造菜單。

But still, these in-flight offerings continue to be pretty unappetizing.

然而，飛機餐仍然相當倒胃口。

Well, it's not all the chefs' fault.

話說，這不全然是廚師的錯。

When it comes to airline food, the issue is simply scientific.

提到飛機餐的議題，就會牽扯到科學。

Smell is a big part of taste, and up in the air, our nasal passages are dryer than the 18th Amendment.

嗅覺是味覺很重要的一部分，而在高空中，我們的鼻腔卻比美國憲法第十八修正案還枯燥。

Plus, the cabin pressure makes our taste buds less sensitive.

此外，艙內壓力使我們的味蕾更不敏感。

Even the loud cabin noises can actually dampen your sense of taste.

就連巨大的艙內噪音也會影響你的味覺敏感度。

To overcome this, airlines offer even saltier or spicier selections to reach your weakened taste buds.

為了解決這個問題，航空公司通常會提供更鹹或更辣的餐點，以彌補敏感度降低的味蕾。

But if you really want to improve your culinary experience on board, you can try noise-canceling headphones or you can hydrate your nasal passages, which, take it from me, is way more fun than it sounds.

但如果你真的想要改善機上用餐體驗，你可以使用降噪耳機，或者你可以補充鼻道水分。相信我，做起來比聽起來好玩多了。