5. The Shape Of Stonehenge

5.巨石陣的形狀

For a long time, historians have been divided on whether the stones at Stonehenge had originally formed a full circle. With no stones found in the southwest area, some researchers believed the structure had never been completed.

在很長(zhǎng)一段時(shí)間，歷史學(xué)家在巨石陣的石頭在形成初期是否是一個(gè)完整的圓這個(gè)問(wèn)題上有了分歧。因?yàn)樵诰奘嚨奈髂喜坎](méi)有發(fā)現(xiàn)任何石頭，一些研究者認(rèn)為這個(gè)結(jié)構(gòu)從未完整過(guò)。

But a short hosepipe accidentally solved the mystery without excavation or expensive equipment. Tens of thousands of people had earlier overlooked the answer.

但是一段小小的水管竟然偶然地解開了這個(gè)謎團(tuán)，這并沒(méi)有開掘現(xiàn)場(chǎng)或者用到任何昂貴的裝備。數(shù)以萬(wàn)計(jì)的人們一早就忽略了這個(gè)謎底。

When a custodian couldnt water the grass in the entire Stonehenge area (as was usually done) due to the short hose, the grass failed to grow in the unwatered area, revealing depressions in the ground. If some of those parched areas had held stones, the circle would have been complete. Other brown patches matched areas of known archaeological excavations, confirming that the parched areas represented ground that had been intentionally disturbed.

因?yàn)樗懿粔蜷L(zhǎng)，看守人不能澆到整個(gè)巨石陣區(qū)域的草（就像之前每次做的那樣），沒(méi)有澆到水的區(qū)域長(zhǎng)不出草來(lái)，顯得這片地面比較蕭條。如果這些干枯的區(qū)域上有過(guò)石頭，那么巨石陣可能曾經(jīng)確實(shí)是一個(gè)圈。其它褐色土地對(duì)應(yīng)著已知的考古發(fā)掘現(xiàn)場(chǎng)，證實(shí)了這些干枯的區(qū)域代表著那些被人為破壞的地面。

A lot of people assume weve excavated the entire site and everything were ever going to know about the monument is known,” said historian Susan Greaney of English Heritage. “But actually, theres quite a lot we still dont know and theres quite a lot that can be discovered just through non-excavation methods.”

“很多人以為我們發(fā)掘了整個(gè)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)，并且關(guān)于這座歷史遺跡所有我們?cè)撝赖亩贾懒耍庇⒏裉m遺產(chǎn)組織的歷史學(xué)家蘇珊·格里尼說(shuō)，“但是實(shí)際上，我們?nèi)匀贿€有很多不知道的東西，而且有很多東西我們可以利用非開挖的方式來(lái)發(fā)現(xiàn)。”

That still leaves the mystery of what happened to the missing stones. Were they used to build houses or roads in the area? No one knows, but English Heritage may purposely avoid watering some areas of Stonehenge during the next dry spell to see if the answers to other puzzles emerge.

那些不見(jiàn)了的石頭發(fā)生了什么仍然是個(gè)謎團(tuán)。它們是否被用來(lái)在當(dāng)?shù)亟ㄔ旆课莺吐访妫瑳](méi)有人知道，但是英格蘭遺產(chǎn)組織可能會(huì)在下一段干旱期有意識(shí)的避免給巨石陣的一些區(qū)域澆水，以觀察其它謎團(tuán)的答案是否會(huì)浮現(xiàn)。

4. The Disappearance Of The Nazca Civilization

4. 消失的納斯卡文明

For years, historians were baffled by the mysterious disappearance of the Nazca people of Peru around A.D. 500. This was the civilization responsible for the Nazca lines, huge geoglyphs carved into the ground in that region. There have been many theories to explain the lines, but most historians agree that the Nazca probably used them as sacred pathways when practicing their rituals.

多年來(lái)，歷史學(xué)家們一直對(duì)公元500年左右，神秘民族納斯卡人的消失感到困惑。納斯卡人創(chuàng)造了納斯卡線，他們?cè)谶@個(gè)地方深深地刻上了地質(zhì)痕跡。對(duì)于納斯卡線的說(shuō)法眾說(shuō)紛紜，其中大多數(shù)歷史學(xué)家們認(rèn)同的觀點(diǎn)是它們其實(shí)是在古代儀式中讓人跟著走的神圣路線。

In recent years, scientists have determined that the Nazca civilization caused its own destruction. By clearing so many huarango trees in their valleys for farming, they did irreparable damage to their environment. These nitrogen-fixing trees increased moisture and soil fertility. Without enough of them, the climate became too arid to grow food.

近幾年，科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)納斯卡人是自己導(dǎo)致這個(gè)民族毀滅的。他們?yōu)榱宿r(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)，不惜破壞Huarango樹，對(duì)環(huán)境造成了不能彌補(bǔ)的破壞。Huarango樹是有固氮作用的樹種，同時(shí)可以增加土壤濕度和使土地變得肥沃。砍伐Huarango樹會(huì)導(dǎo)致氣候過(guò)于干燥，不能種植糧食。

The huarango . . . was an important source of food, forage, timber, and fuel for the local people, said archaeologist David Beresford-Jones. The species was responsible for enhancing soil fertility and moisture, ameliorating desert extremes in the microclimate beneath its canopy and underpinning the floodplain with one of the deepest root systems of any tree known. In time, gradual woodland clearance crossed an ecological threshold—sharply defined in such desert environments—exposing the landscape to the regions extraordinary desert winds and the effects of El Nino floods.

“ Huarango樹是當(dāng)?shù)厝俗钪匾氖澄铮暳希静暮腿剂系膩?lái)源。”考古學(xué)家大衛(wèi)·貝雷斯福德·瓊斯博士說(shuō)，“這個(gè)樹種可以提高土壤肥力和濕度，改變極端的沙漠氣候，以其深深的樹根保護(hù)所在地區(qū)免遭洪澇之苦。”隨著時(shí)間推移，林地的不斷砍伐到了生態(tài)臨界點(diǎn)，將土地暴露于極端的沙塵暴以及厄爾尼諾洪水中。

Scientists believe that a major El Nino event occurred around the same time as the deforestation, triggering devastating floods due to the lack of trees. After that, the Nazca would have been unable to grow enough food for their people in that area.

科學(xué)家們相信，森林砍伐后，當(dāng)厄爾尼諾現(xiàn)象來(lái)臨，納斯卡的灌溉系統(tǒng)被洪水所淹沒(méi)，從那以后，納斯卡不再適合生產(chǎn)，也不能為居民提供食物了。

3. A War Bracelet Comes Home

3.身份牌回家

While serving in the Army during World War II, Warren McCauley lost or left his silver identification bracelet (dog tag) in Castel DAiano, Italy in 1945. According to an Army news release that year, war hero McCauley received the Bronze Star when he fearlessly advanced under a hail of small-arms fire to restore communications after the German enemy cut wire lines.

在二戰(zhàn)服役時(shí)，沃倫·麥考利1945年在意大利的達(dá)伊阿諾城堡失去了能證明他身份的銀牌（狗牌）。據(jù)當(dāng)年的軍方消息稱，戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)英雄麥考利被授予青銅獎(jiǎng)?wù)拢瑸榱吮碚盟诘萝娗袛嗔私饘倬€后，勇敢地去恢復(fù)通信。

While in Castel DAiano, McCauley stopped at the de Maria home, which the Italian family had opened to American soldiers for food and medical care. When McCauley left, his bracelet stayed behind, although no one knows if he lost it, forgot it, or left it on purpose as a kind of payment or tribute to the de Maria family. Nevertheless, Bruna de Maria, then eight years old and living there in poverty, found the bracelet and kept it as an unexpected treasure. She always lovingly cared for the bracelet but never tried to find its owner.

在達(dá)伊阿諾城堡，麥考利住在瑪利亞家，這個(gè)意大利家庭為他這個(gè)美國(guó)士兵提供了食物和醫(yī)療幫助。麥考利離開時(shí)，他的姓名牌留在了那里，沒(méi)有人知道，他當(dāng)時(shí)是丟了，還是忘記了，或是作為酬謝或是禮物送給瑪利亞家。

Decades later, her grown son, Stefano Sedda, persuaded his mother to return her treasure to its original owner. This bracelet made history, Sedda explained. It belonged to an American soldier who came here to fight, to defend our country—thats why I thought of giving it back.

數(shù)十年后，瑪利亞長(zhǎng)大的兒子斯特凡諾·薩奇勸他的母親把這塊姓名牌送還給它原來(lái)的主人。“這塊姓名牌承載了歷史，”薩奇解釋道，“這是一個(gè)美國(guó)大兵來(lái)到我們國(guó)家為了保護(hù)我們而戰(zhàn)斗。”這就是我為什么想還回去的理由。

Through a friend, Sedda contacted an American lawyer, who worked with a journalist and the Army to trace the bracelets ID number to McCauley. Though McCauley had died 30 years earlier, they found his 85-year-old widow, Twila McCauley, living in Buena Vista, California. Warren McCauley had shared some wartime stories with his family—like the time he fell into a river and a donkey walked over him—but hed never told them about the bracelet.

通過(guò)朋友，薩奇聯(lián)系到一個(gè)美國(guó)律師，這個(gè)律師曾與一位記者工作過(guò)。后來(lái)，軍隊(duì)通過(guò)姓名牌編號(hào)查到這是屬于麥考利的，盡管他已經(jīng)過(guò)世30年了，但他們找到了他85歲的遺孀，特維拉·麥考利，她住在加利福尼亞的布埃納維斯塔。沃倫·麥考利給他的家人講述過(guò)他的故事，比如他掉入河中還有驢子從他身邊走過(guò)，但他沒(méi)有提到姓名牌。

Along with the rest of her family, Mrs. McCauley was touched and grateful to have this special connection to her late husband brought home almost 70 years after it went missing.

麥考利太太及全家都被觸動(dòng)了并很感激在她晚年能得到丈夫的身份牌。

2. The Cambyses Cover-Up

2.岡比西斯（Cambyes,古波斯帝國(guó)國(guó)王）之隱瞞事件

As weve discussed earlier, the lost army of Persian king Cambyses II has been a great historical mystery. Around 524 B.C., the king ordered 50,000 men into the Egyptian desert around the ancient city of Thebes (now Luxor). When the men disappeared, the official story from ancient historians said the army had been wiped out by a sandstorm.

正如我們之前討論的，莫名消失的波斯國(guó)王岡比西斯二世（Cambyses II）的軍隊(duì)，成為了重大的歷史之謎。大約公元前524年，岡比西斯二世命令5萬(wàn)士兵進(jìn)駐埃及的底比斯城古城（現(xiàn)在的盧克索）的沙漠地區(qū)。這些士兵消失后，古代歷史學(xué)家的官方報(bào)道聲稱，軍隊(duì)被沙塵暴所吞噬。

However, modern Egyptologist Olaf Kaper was skeptical. Since the 19th century, people have been looking for this army: amateurs, as well as professional archaeologists, Kaper said. Some expect to find somewhere under the ground an entire army, fully equipped. However, experience has long shown that you cannot die from a sandstorm, let alone have an entire army disappear.

然而，當(dāng)代埃及考古學(xué)家?jiàn)W拉夫·開普（Olaf Kaper）對(duì)此卻持相反觀點(diǎn)，“自19世紀(jì)以來(lái)，民間人士和考古專家一直在尋找這支軍隊(duì)，”開普表示，“一些人期許在地底下找到這支全副武裝的軍隊(duì)。然而，經(jīng)驗(yàn)證實(shí)，沙暴不會(huì)吞噬一個(gè)人，更不必說(shuō)吞噬整支軍隊(duì)。”

By piecing together information from excavations, historical records, and especially the writings of an Egyptian rebel leader (which Kaper had translated from ancient temple blocks), Kaper believes the Persian army was on its way to Dachla Oasis, where the rebel leader Petubastis III and his troops had been located. But the Persian army was ambushed by the rebel leader and suffered a crushing defeat. From his victory, Petubastis went on to reconquer much of Egypt and crown himself Pharaoh in the capital of Memphis.

開普從考古發(fā)掘、歷史記載，尤其是一位埃及叛軍領(lǐng)袖的手稿中判斷，波斯軍隊(duì)是在去戴拉（Dachla）綠洲的路上莫名消失的，而該地是叛軍領(lǐng)袖派塔貝斯特斯三世（Petubastis III）的軍隊(duì)所駐扎之地。如此，波斯軍隊(duì)遭遇叛軍的伏擊，并且慘敗。戰(zhàn)斗勝利后，派塔貝斯特斯三世繼續(xù)征服更多的埃及領(lǐng)地并且在孟斐斯（Memphis）首都為自己加冕。

According to Kaper, the Persian king Darius I put an end to this Egyptian rebellion in a bloody battle two years after Cambyses was defeated. To restore Persias dignity, Darius covered up his predecessors embarrassing downfall with the sandstorm story.

開普認(rèn)為，在岡比西斯戰(zhàn)敗后，波斯國(guó)王大流士一世（Darius I）平定了長(zhǎng)達(dá)2年的殘酷戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)。為了挽回波斯的尊嚴(yán)，大流士以沙暴之說(shuō)來(lái)掩蓋其前期不堪入目的衰敗時(shí)期。

1. What Caused The Hindenburg Explosion

1. 興登堡號(hào)爆炸之迷

The promise of the Hindenburg, a hydrogen-filled airship that could cross the Atlantic in half the time of a ship at sea, exploded along with the craft itself as it prepared to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey in May 1937. Of the 100 people on board that day, 35 died.

興登堡號(hào)是一艘充滿氫氣的飛艇。在當(dāng)時(shí)，它穿過(guò)大西洋所需的時(shí)間只是普通輪船的一半。然而，1937年5月，正當(dāng)興登堡號(hào)準(zhǔn)備在新澤西的萊克赫斯特海軍航空總站著陸時(shí)，發(fā)生了爆炸。當(dāng)時(shí)，興登堡號(hào)上有100人，35人遇難。

Scientists have debated the reason for the explosion for decades. They knew that a spark ignited leaking hydrogen, but they differed on the reason for the spark and the leaking gas. Theories included lightning, explosive properties in paint, and a bomb.

科學(xué)家們?yōu)槠浔ㄔ驙?zhēng)論了幾十年。他們認(rèn)為，是火花引燃了泄露的氫氣。但是，科學(xué)家們對(duì)火花和泄漏的氫氣的原因的看法產(chǎn)生了分歧。可能的原因包括閃電、油漆上的易爆物質(zhì)或者炸彈引發(fā)了爆炸。

However, in 2024, a team of experts ruled out the other theories and determined that the Hindenburg had become charged with static electricity from a thunderstorm. Either a faulty gas valve or broken wire caused hydrogen to leak into the ventilation shafts. A spark of static electricity ignited the hydrogen, which started the fire in the tail section and led to the explosion.

然而，在2024年，一個(gè)專家團(tuán)隊(duì)排除了其他可能的原因，認(rèn)為興登堡號(hào)爆炸的原因是由于大雷雨所產(chǎn)生的靜電所致。氣體閥泄漏或者線路損壞，導(dǎo)致了氫氣進(jìn)入到通風(fēng)裝置中。在飛艇尾翼，靜電產(chǎn)生的火花引燃了氫氣，導(dǎo)致爆炸。

I think the most likely mechanism for providing the spark is electrostatic, said British aeronautical engineer Jem Stansfield. That starts at the top, then the flames from our experiments [blowing up or setting fire to scale models of the airship] wouldve probably tracked down to the center. With an explosive mixture of gas, that gave the whoomph when it got to the bottom.

英國(guó)航空工程師杰姆·斯坦斯菲爾德（Jem Stansfield）表示，“我認(rèn)為，產(chǎn)生火花最可能的原因是靜電。”實(shí)驗(yàn)用發(fā)泡類物質(zhì)制作了一個(gè)同比例飛艇模型。在實(shí)驗(yàn)初始階段，火焰在飛艇的頂部燃燒，進(jìn)而燃燒到了飛艇中心。混合的爆炸性氣體進(jìn)入到飛船底部的時(shí)候，飛船發(fā)生了劇烈爆炸。

注：本文轉(zhuǎn)載自前十網(wǎng)，譯者：Freya然

5. The Shape Of Stonehenge

5.巨石陣的形狀

For a long time, historians have been divided on whether the stones at Stonehenge had originally formed a full circle. With no stones found in the southwest area, some researchers believed the structure had never been completed.

在很長(zhǎng)一段時(shí)間，歷史學(xué)家在巨石陣的石頭在形成初期是否是一個(gè)完整的圓這個(gè)問(wèn)題上有了分歧。因?yàn)樵诰奘嚨奈髂喜坎](méi)有發(fā)現(xiàn)任何石頭，一些研究者認(rèn)為這個(gè)結(jié)構(gòu)從未完整過(guò)。

But a short hosepipe accidentally solved the mystery without excavation or expensive equipment. Tens of thousands of people had earlier overlooked the answer.

但是一段小小的水管竟然偶然地解開了這個(gè)謎團(tuán)，這并沒(méi)有開掘現(xiàn)場(chǎng)或者用到任何昂貴的裝備。數(shù)以萬(wàn)計(jì)的人們一早就忽略了這個(gè)謎底。

When a custodian couldnt water the grass in the entire Stonehenge area (as was usually done) due to the short hose, the grass failed to grow in the unwatered area, revealing depressions in the ground. If some of those parched areas had held stones, the circle would have been complete. Other brown patches matched areas of known archaeological excavations, confirming that the parched areas represented ground that had been intentionally disturbed.

因?yàn)樗懿粔蜷L(zhǎng)，看守人不能澆到整個(gè)巨石陣區(qū)域的草（就像之前每次做的那樣），沒(méi)有澆到水的區(qū)域長(zhǎng)不出草來(lái)，顯得這片地面比較蕭條。如果這些干枯的區(qū)域上有過(guò)石頭，那么巨石陣可能曾經(jīng)確實(shí)是一個(gè)圈。其它褐色土地對(duì)應(yīng)著已知的考古發(fā)掘現(xiàn)場(chǎng)，證實(shí)了這些干枯的區(qū)域代表著那些被人為破壞的地面。

A lot of people assume weve excavated the entire site and everything were ever going to know about the monument is known,” said historian Susan Greaney of English Heritage. “But actually, theres quite a lot we still dont know and theres quite a lot that can be discovered just through non-excavation methods.”

“很多人以為我們發(fā)掘了整個(gè)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)，并且關(guān)于這座歷史遺跡所有我們?cè)撝赖亩贾懒耍庇⒏裉m遺產(chǎn)組織的歷史學(xué)家蘇珊·格里尼說(shuō)，“但是實(shí)際上，我們?nèi)匀贿€有很多不知道的東西，而且有很多東西我們可以利用非開挖的方式來(lái)發(fā)現(xiàn)。”

That still leaves the mystery of what happened to the missing stones. Were they used to build houses or roads in the area? No one knows, but English Heritage may purposely avoid watering some areas of Stonehenge during the next dry spell to see if the answers to other puzzles emerge.

那些不見(jiàn)了的石頭發(fā)生了什么仍然是個(gè)謎團(tuán)。它們是否被用來(lái)在當(dāng)?shù)亟ㄔ旆课莺吐访妫瑳](méi)有人知道，但是英格蘭遺產(chǎn)組織可能會(huì)在下一段干旱期有意識(shí)的避免給巨石陣的一些區(qū)域澆水，以觀察其它謎團(tuán)的答案是否會(huì)浮現(xiàn)。

4. The Disappearance Of The Nazca Civilization

4. 消失的納斯卡文明

For years, historians were baffled by the mysterious disappearance of the Nazca people of Peru around A.D. 500. This was the civilization responsible for the Nazca lines, huge geoglyphs carved into the ground in that region. There have been many theories to explain the lines, but most historians agree that the Nazca probably used them as sacred pathways when practicing their rituals.

多年來(lái)，歷史學(xué)家們一直對(duì)公元500年左右，神秘民族納斯卡人的消失感到困惑。納斯卡人創(chuàng)造了納斯卡線，他們?cè)谶@個(gè)地方深深地刻上了地質(zhì)痕跡。對(duì)于納斯卡線的說(shuō)法眾說(shuō)紛紜，其中大多數(shù)歷史學(xué)家們認(rèn)同的觀點(diǎn)是它們其實(shí)是在古代儀式中讓人跟著走的神圣路線。

In recent years, scientists have determined that the Nazca civilization caused its own destruction. By clearing so many huarango trees in their valleys for farming, they did irreparable damage to their environment. These nitrogen-fixing trees increased moisture and soil fertility. Without enough of them, the climate became too arid to grow food.

近幾年，科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)納斯卡人是自己導(dǎo)致這個(gè)民族毀滅的。他們?yōu)榱宿r(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)，不惜破壞Huarango樹，對(duì)環(huán)境造成了不能彌補(bǔ)的破壞。Huarango樹是有固氮作用的樹種，同時(shí)可以增加土壤濕度和使土地變得肥沃。砍伐Huarango樹會(huì)導(dǎo)致氣候過(guò)于干燥，不能種植糧食。

The huarango . . . was an important source of food, forage, timber, and fuel for the local people, said archaeologist David Beresford-Jones. The species was responsible for enhancing soil fertility and moisture, ameliorating desert extremes in the microclimate beneath its canopy and underpinning the floodplain with one of the deepest root systems of any tree known. In time, gradual woodland clearance crossed an ecological threshold—sharply defined in such desert environments—exposing the landscape to the regions extraordinary desert winds and the effects of El Nino floods.

“ Huarango樹是當(dāng)?shù)厝俗钪匾氖澄铮暳希静暮腿剂系膩?lái)源。”考古學(xué)家大衛(wèi)·貝雷斯福德·瓊斯博士說(shuō)，“這個(gè)樹種可以提高土壤肥力和濕度，改變極端的沙漠氣候，以其深深的樹根保護(hù)所在地區(qū)免遭洪澇之苦。”隨著時(shí)間推移，林地的不斷砍伐到了生態(tài)臨界點(diǎn)，將土地暴露于極端的沙塵暴以及厄爾尼諾洪水中。

Scientists believe that a major El Nino event occurred around the same time as the deforestation, triggering devastating floods due to the lack of trees. After that, the Nazca would have been unable to grow enough food for their people in that area.

科學(xué)家們相信，森林砍伐后，當(dāng)厄爾尼諾現(xiàn)象來(lái)臨，納斯卡的灌溉系統(tǒng)被洪水所淹沒(méi)，從那以后，納斯卡不再適合生產(chǎn)，也不能為居民提供食物了。

3. A War Bracelet Comes Home

3.身份牌回家

While serving in the Army during World War II, Warren McCauley lost or left his silver identification bracelet (dog tag) in Castel DAiano, Italy in 1945. According to an Army news release that year, war hero McCauley received the Bronze Star when he fearlessly advanced under a hail of small-arms fire to restore communications after the German enemy cut wire lines.

在二戰(zhàn)服役時(shí)，沃倫·麥考利1945年在意大利的達(dá)伊阿諾城堡失去了能證明他身份的銀牌（狗牌）。據(jù)當(dāng)年的軍方消息稱，戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)英雄麥考利被授予青銅獎(jiǎng)?wù)拢瑸榱吮碚盟诘萝娗袛嗔私饘倬€后，勇敢地去恢復(fù)通信。

While in Castel DAiano, McCauley stopped at the de Maria home, which the Italian family had opened to American soldiers for food and medical care. When McCauley left, his bracelet stayed behind, although no one knows if he lost it, forgot it, or left it on purpose as a kind of payment or tribute to the de Maria family. Nevertheless, Bruna de Maria, then eight years old and living there in poverty, found the bracelet and kept it as an unexpected treasure. She always lovingly cared for the bracelet but never tried to find its owner.

在達(dá)伊阿諾城堡，麥考利住在瑪利亞家，這個(gè)意大利家庭為他這個(gè)美國(guó)士兵提供了食物和醫(yī)療幫助。麥考利離開時(shí)，他的姓名牌留在了那里，沒(méi)有人知道，他當(dāng)時(shí)是丟了，還是忘記了，或是作為酬謝或是禮物送給瑪利亞家。

Decades later, her grown son, Stefano Sedda, persuaded his mother to return her treasure to its original owner. This bracelet made history, Sedda explained. It belonged to an American soldier who came here to fight, to defend our country—thats why I thought of giving it back.

數(shù)十年后，瑪利亞長(zhǎng)大的兒子斯特凡諾·薩奇勸他的母親把這塊姓名牌送還給它原來(lái)的主人。“這塊姓名牌承載了歷史，”薩奇解釋道，“這是一個(gè)美國(guó)大兵來(lái)到我們國(guó)家為了保護(hù)我們而戰(zhàn)斗。”這就是我為什么想還回去的理由。

Through a friend, Sedda contacted an American lawyer, who worked with a journalist and the Army to trace the bracelets ID number to McCauley. Though McCauley had died 30 years earlier, they found his 85-year-old widow, Twila McCauley, living in Buena Vista, California. Warren McCauley had shared some wartime stories with his family—like the time he fell into a river and a donkey walked over him—but hed never told them about the bracelet.

通過(guò)朋友，薩奇聯(lián)系到一個(gè)美國(guó)律師，這個(gè)律師曾與一位記者工作過(guò)。后來(lái)，軍隊(duì)通過(guò)姓名牌編號(hào)查到這是屬于麥考利的，盡管他已經(jīng)過(guò)世30年了，但他們找到了他85歲的遺孀，特維拉·麥考利，她住在加利福尼亞的布埃納維斯塔。沃倫·麥考利給他的家人講述過(guò)他的故事，比如他掉入河中還有驢子從他身邊走過(guò)，但他沒(méi)有提到姓名牌。

Along with the rest of her family, Mrs. McCauley was touched and grateful to have this special connection to her late husband brought home almost 70 years after it went missing.

麥考利太太及全家都被觸動(dòng)了并很感激在她晚年能得到丈夫的身份牌。

2. The Cambyses Cover-Up

2.岡比西斯（Cambyes,古波斯帝國(guó)國(guó)王）之隱瞞事件

As weve discussed earlier, the lost army of Persian king Cambyses II has been a great historical mystery. Around 524 B.C., the king ordered 50,000 men into the Egyptian desert around the ancient city of Thebes (now Luxor). When the men disappeared, the official story from ancient historians said the army had been wiped out by a sandstorm.

正如我們之前討論的，莫名消失的波斯國(guó)王岡比西斯二世（Cambyses II）的軍隊(duì)，成為了重大的歷史之謎。大約公元前524年，岡比西斯二世命令5萬(wàn)士兵進(jìn)駐埃及的底比斯城古城（現(xiàn)在的盧克索）的沙漠地區(qū)。這些士兵消失后，古代歷史學(xué)家的官方報(bào)道聲稱，軍隊(duì)被沙塵暴所吞噬。

However, modern Egyptologist Olaf Kaper was skeptical. Since the 19th century, people have been looking for this army: amateurs, as well as professional archaeologists, Kaper said. Some expect to find somewhere under the ground an entire army, fully equipped. However, experience has long shown that you cannot die from a sandstorm, let alone have an entire army disappear.

然而，當(dāng)代埃及考古學(xué)家?jiàn)W拉夫·開普（Olaf Kaper）對(duì)此卻持相反觀點(diǎn)，“自19世紀(jì)以來(lái)，民間人士和考古專家一直在尋找這支軍隊(duì)，”開普表示，“一些人期許在地底下找到這支全副武裝的軍隊(duì)。然而，經(jīng)驗(yàn)證實(shí)，沙暴不會(huì)吞噬一個(gè)人，更不必說(shuō)吞噬整支軍隊(duì)。”

By piecing together information from excavations, historical records, and especially the writings of an Egyptian rebel leader (which Kaper had translated from ancient temple blocks), Kaper believes the Persian army was on its way to Dachla Oasis, where the rebel leader Petubastis III and his troops had been located. But the Persian army was ambushed by the rebel leader and suffered a crushing defeat. From his victory, Petubastis went on to reconquer much of Egypt and crown himself Pharaoh in the capital of Memphis.

開普從考古發(fā)掘、歷史記載，尤其是一位埃及叛軍領(lǐng)袖的手稿中判斷，波斯軍隊(duì)是在去戴拉（Dachla）綠洲的路上莫名消失的，而該地是叛軍領(lǐng)袖派塔貝斯特斯三世（Petubastis III）的軍隊(duì)所駐扎之地。如此，波斯軍隊(duì)遭遇叛軍的伏擊，并且慘敗。戰(zhàn)斗勝利后，派塔貝斯特斯三世繼續(xù)征服更多的埃及領(lǐng)地并且在孟斐斯（Memphis）首都為自己加冕。

According to Kaper, the Persian king Darius I put an end to this Egyptian rebellion in a bloody battle two years after Cambyses was defeated. To restore Persias dignity, Darius covered up his predecessors embarrassing downfall with the sandstorm story.

開普認(rèn)為，在岡比西斯戰(zhàn)敗后，波斯國(guó)王大流士一世（Darius I）平定了長(zhǎng)達(dá)2年的殘酷戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)。為了挽回波斯的尊嚴(yán)，大流士以沙暴之說(shuō)來(lái)掩蓋其前期不堪入目的衰敗時(shí)期。

1. What Caused The Hindenburg Explosion

1. 興登堡號(hào)爆炸之迷

The promise of the Hindenburg, a hydrogen-filled airship that could cross the Atlantic in half the time of a ship at sea, exploded along with the craft itself as it prepared to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey in May 1937. Of the 100 people on board that day, 35 died.

興登堡號(hào)是一艘充滿氫氣的飛艇。在當(dāng)時(shí)，它穿過(guò)大西洋所需的時(shí)間只是普通輪船的一半。然而，1937年5月，正當(dāng)興登堡號(hào)準(zhǔn)備在新澤西的萊克赫斯特海軍航空總站著陸時(shí)，發(fā)生了爆炸。當(dāng)時(shí)，興登堡號(hào)上有100人，35人遇難。

Scientists have debated the reason for the explosion for decades. They knew that a spark ignited leaking hydrogen, but they differed on the reason for the spark and the leaking gas. Theories included lightning, explosive properties in paint, and a bomb.

科學(xué)家們?yōu)槠浔ㄔ驙?zhēng)論了幾十年。他們認(rèn)為，是火花引燃了泄露的氫氣。但是，科學(xué)家們對(duì)火花和泄漏的氫氣的原因的看法產(chǎn)生了分歧。可能的原因包括閃電、油漆上的易爆物質(zhì)或者炸彈引發(fā)了爆炸。

However, in 2024, a team of experts ruled out the other theories and determined that the Hindenburg had become charged with static electricity from a thunderstorm. Either a faulty gas valve or broken wire caused hydrogen to leak into the ventilation shafts. A spark of static electricity ignited the hydrogen, which started the fire in the tail section and led to the explosion.

然而，在2024年，一個(gè)專家團(tuán)隊(duì)排除了其他可能的原因，認(rèn)為興登堡號(hào)爆炸的原因是由于大雷雨所產(chǎn)生的靜電所致。氣體閥泄漏或者線路損壞，導(dǎo)致了氫氣進(jìn)入到通風(fēng)裝置中。在飛艇尾翼，靜電產(chǎn)生的火花引燃了氫氣，導(dǎo)致爆炸。

I think the most likely mechanism for providing the spark is electrostatic, said British aeronautical engineer Jem Stansfield. That starts at the top, then the flames from our experiments [blowing up or setting fire to scale models of the airship] wouldve probably tracked down to the center. With an explosive mixture of gas, that gave the whoomph when it got to the bottom.

英國(guó)航空工程師杰姆·斯坦斯菲爾德（Jem Stansfield）表示，“我認(rèn)為，產(chǎn)生火花最可能的原因是靜電。”實(shí)驗(yàn)用發(fā)泡類物質(zhì)制作了一個(gè)同比例飛艇模型。在實(shí)驗(yàn)初始階段，火焰在飛艇的頂部燃燒，進(jìn)而燃燒到了飛艇中心。混合的爆炸性氣體進(jìn)入到飛船底部的時(shí)候，飛船發(fā)生了劇烈爆炸。

注：本文轉(zhuǎn)載自前十網(wǎng)，譯者：Freya然