最近，意大利境内的阿尔卑斯山出现了一个奇怪的现象：山上的雪竟然变成粉色了！

造成变色的罪魁祸首，是一种来自格陵兰岛的藻类。

这可不是什么美丽的自然奇观，反而会造成严重的后果——加剧气候变暖所带来的影响。

Scientists in Italy are investigating the mysterious appearance of pink glacial ice in the Alps, caused by algae that accelerate the effects of climate change.
意大利的科学家正在调查阿尔卑斯山中出现粉红色冰川的神秘现象。这是由藻类所引起的，而这种藻类可以加剧气候变暖所带来的影响。

There is debate about where the algae come from, but Biagio Di Mauro of Italy's National Research Council said the pink snow observed on parts of the Presena glacier is likely caused by the same plant found in Greenland.
关于藻类的来源存在争议，但意大利国家研究委员会委员Biagio Di Mauro表示，在普雷塞纳冰川部分区域观察到的粉色积雪可能是由格陵兰岛上发现的同一种植物引起的。

其实，这种藻类植物本身并没有什么危险性。可一旦数量众多的藻类覆盖在冰川上，就会使冰雪的颜色加深，从而加速辐射吸收，导致冰川融化速度加快，加剧全球变暖。

"The alga is not dangerous, it is a natural phenomenon that occurs during the spring and summer periods in the middle latitudes but also at the Poles," said Di Mauro, who had previously studied the algae at the Morteratsch glacier in Switzerland.
此前曾在瑞士莫特拉奇冰川研究藻类的Di Mauro说：“这种藻类本身并不危险，是一种自然现象，常于春夏两季发生在中纬度地区，也会出现在两极地区。“

Normally ice reflects more than 80 percent of the sun's radiation back into the atmosphere, but as algae appear, they darken the ice so that it absorbs the heat and melts more quickly.
通常，冰川将超过80％的太阳辐射反射回大气中，但是当藻类出现时，它们会使冰川颜色变暗。这样一来，冰川就吸收了热量，融化得更快了。

他还指出，登山者和缆车之类的人类活动可能会对藻类有一定的影响。

在冰川游玩的旅客对此也感到非常惋惜。

"Overheating of the planet is a problem, the last thing we needed was algae, Unfortunately we are doing irreversible damage. We are already at the point of no return, I think." said tourist Marta Durante.
游客Marta Durante说：“地球过热是一个严重的问题，藻类的出现是我们最不想看到的现象。不幸的是，我们正在进行不可逆转的伤害，我认为我们已经到了无法回头的地步。“

唉，保护坏境真的是迫在眉睫了！

 

翻译：Wilson