在世界上有了这个……
Before there was this…
以及这个……
and this..
还有这个 和这个 和这个之前……
and this and this and this…
……世界上就有了这个 简单的松果
…there was this. The humble pine cone.
它不仅仅是圣诞节的装饰品
It’s more than a Christmas decoration.
而是一种树木繁衍的古老模式
It’s an ancient form of tree sex.
这是一枚雌性松果
This is a female pine cone
这一枚是雄性的
This one is male.
大多数结松果的树——它们被叫做针叶树——会同时结出雌雄两种松果
Most cone-bearing trees — they’re called conifers — produce both kinds.
每种松果都有其独特的使命
And each cone has a job to do.
雄性的使命？很简单
Males? That’s easy.
它们就是产生花粉——很多很多的花粉——并且让其随着风四处传播
They just make pollen — lots of it — and let the wind spread it around.
雌性会结出种子——它们藏在松果深处
Females hold the seeds — they’re tucked deep in there,
在每一片盔甲般的鳞片里面
inside each of those armor-like scales.
它必须保护它们 防止被（别的物种）吃掉
She has to protect them. Keep them from being eaten.
就像一座堡垒一样
Be like a fortress.
但有的时候也需要把种子暴露出来 以便与花粉接触并授粉
But the seeds also have to be exposed at some point… in order to catch pollen and be fertilized.
所以这个简单的松果却拥有一项令人惊奇的绝活
So this humble pine cone has an amazing trick.
在它生长的早期阶段 有那么一小段时间 它会微微的张开它的鳞片
For a short time, early in her development, she opens her scales, just slightly, to let
让花粉进入……然后它重新闭合鳞片 让种子成熟
the pollen in… Then she closes them back up, while the seeds mature.
然后……当种子发育完毕 它的鳞片弯曲张开
Then… when the seeds are ready, her scales flex and stretch.
鳞片会打开释放出种子 种子则会长成下一代树木
They open to release the seeds, which grow up into the next generation of trees.
这是一种很好的策略
It’s a good strategy.
世界上最大的生物 最古老的生物 它们都以松果的形式进行繁殖
The largest living things in the world? The oldest? They all reproduce with pine cones.
三亿年以来 针叶树都是这样
Conifers have been doing this for 300 million years.
自那之后出现了其它一些新物种
A few other plants have shown up since then…
会以它们自己更加迅速 或许更加壮观的方式来繁衍生息
With their own faster, maybe more spectacular ways of getting the job done.
它们已经占领了很多好地盘
They’ve taken up a lot of the best real estate.
今天 针叶树只在一些地区真正占据主导地位
Today, conifers only really dominate the landscape in places
也就是开花植物不能繁茂生长的地区
where flowering plants can’t thrive.
但在那些地方——寒冷 干旱 土壤贫瘠——
But in those places — the cold, the dry, the land with poor soil —
原始的松果占据着绝对统治地位
the primitive pinecone reigns supreme.
再次向大家问好 我是艾米
Hi again. It’s Amy.
这就是显微镜下松树花粉的样子
And this is what pine pollen looks like under a microscope.
这些微小的翅膀能帮助花粉乘风飞翔
Those little wings help the pollen catch wind and take flight.
而我们『深度观察』节目 同样要在假日期间停播几个星期
And we, at Deep Look, are also taking flight for a few weeks over the holidays.
我们将在一月份回归 我们希望能听听
We’ll be back in January. We’d love to hear
大家都想要看到什么样的故事
what kinds of stories you want to see.
在下方的评论区把你的点子告诉我们
Send us ideas in the comments field below.
当你评论时 还可以点击下方那个按钮进行关注
And while you’re at it, click that button right there and subscribe.
那样你就不会错过任何一个章节的内容了
That way you’ll never miss an episode.
非常感谢 大家保重
Thanks so much. Take care.