科学周：为什么蚯蚓对花园有益？

ABC，听好了。

ABC, listen.

你好。

Hello.

我叫尼吉。

My name is Nij.

今天在《想象一下》节目里，是科学周。

And today on Imagine This, it's science week.

今年的主题是科学的种子。

This year's theme is seeds of science.

所以我来到了花园里。

So I'm in the garden.

但科学周不只是把种子种到土里。

But Science Week isn't just about planting seeds in the ground.

它也是播下好奇心的种子，因为每一个伟大的科学发现，都始于我们对周围世界的好奇。

It's also about planting seeds of curiosity because every great scientific discovery starts with wondering about the world around us.

为什么天空是蓝色的？

Why is the sky blue?

为什么苹果会从树上掉下来？

Why do apples fall from trees?

我们脚下藏着什么？

What's hiding underneath our feet?

哦，就像这条扭来扭去的小虫子。

Oh, like this little wriggly worm.

嘿，小家伙。

Hey, buddy.

当你停下来，仔细观察，并提出问题时，你永远不知道你的好奇心会带你去哪里，那些种子会长成什么。

When you stop, look closely, and ask questions, you never know where your curiosity might take you and what those seeds might grow into.

所以在这个科学周，我们希望你们充满好奇，多问问题，用科学探索周围奇妙的世界。

So this Science Week, we want you to get curious, ask lots of questions, and explore the amazing world around you with science.

为了让好奇心的种子生根发芽，我们准备了一个《园艺澳大利亚少年版》的冒险活动，就从花园里这个扭来扭去的问题开始。

And to get those seeds of curiosity growing, we're digging up a Gardening Australia Junior adventure that starts right here in the garden with a very wriggly question.

为什么蚯蚓对花园有好处？

Why are worms good for the garden?

《园艺澳大利亚少年版》。

Gardening Australia Junior.

嗨，科斯塔。

Hi, Costa.

米莉，泽维尔。

Millie, Xavier.

有个人我想让你们见见。

There's someone here I'd like you to meet.

这一定就是了不起的《园艺澳大利亚少年》团队吧。

This must be the amazing Gardening Australia Junior crew.

嗨。

Hi.

我是尼吉，尼吉医生。

I'm Nij, doctor Nij.

我认得你的声音。

I know your voice.

你是个科学家。

You're a scientist.

哦，对。

Oh, yeah.

我们在《想象一下》播客上听过你的节目。

We've heard you on the Imagine This podcast.

是的。

Yeah.

那就是我。

That's me.

我也喜欢在我的菜园里种东西。

I also love growing things in my veggie patch.

我觉得园艺就像一场大型的持续科学实验。

I think of gardening like one big ongoing science experiment.

所以我今天请了Nij来参加我们的节目。

That's why I invited Nij to join us today.

我想给他看看这个科学杰作，它能帮助我们的花园长得更好。

I wanted to show him this scientific masterpiece that's going to help our gardens grow.

当当当。

Ta da.

哦，真酷。

Oh, cool.

这是什么？

What is it?

看起来就是个桶。

It looks just like a bucket.

它确实是个桶，但里面是个蚯蚓农场。

It is a bucket, and inside, it's a worm farm.

我记得老麦克唐纳可没养过蚯蚓。

I don't remember old McDonald having any worms.

看。

Look.

园丁们会在桶、桶和盒子里养蚯蚓，里面铺上厨余垃圾和土壤，因为蚯蚓对花园特别好。

Gardeners farm worms in tubs, buckets, and boxes with layers of food scraps and soil inside because worms are great for gardens.

有多冷？

How cold?

问得好。

Good question.

Nij，你能帮我们弄清楚为什么蚯蚓对花园这么好吗？

Nij, can you help us find out why worms are so good for our gardens?

当然可以。

Sure.

有时候在《想象一下》节目里，我们会发挥想象力，把自己缩小，以便更近距离地观察事物。

Sometimes on Imagine This, we use our imaginations to shrink ourselves to see things better up close.

我们可以想象自己变成蚯蚓那么大。

We could imagine ourselves as worm sized.

我还有个主意。

I have another idea.

你口袋里装的是堆肥吗？

Is that compost in your

口袋？

pocket?

真是老套的科斯塔风格。

Classic Costa.

轻轻撒一下，现实世界就消失了。

A sprinkle here, a sprinkle makes the real world disappear.

所有的植物都会长得高高的。

All the touches will grow tall.

然后你就会看到，一切都变得非常渺小。

And you will see, so very small.

我觉得我的想象力在跟我开玩笑。

I think my imagination's playing tricks on me.

我也是。

Me too.

蚯蚓农场在长大。

The worm farm is growing.

一直在长大。

And growing.

一直在长大。

And growing.

现在那个桶都有摩天大楼那么大了。

The bucket's the size of a skyscraper now.

我从下面都看不到顶了。

I can't even see the top of it from down here.

我的堆肥是魔法。

My compost is magic.

这个解释不太科学，但我们就这么着吧。

That's not a very scientific explanation, but let's roll with it.

嗯，它能让所有东西都变得超级大。

Well, it makes everything supersized.

除了我们之外的一切。

Everything except for us.

我看得出来。

I can see that.

别担心。

Don't worry.

几分钟后就会消退。

It wears off after a few minutes.

趁现在，我们可以探索一下这个蚯蚓农场。

In the meantime, we can explore this worm farm.

让我看看谁在家。

Let me just see who's home.

马上就会有人从桶上的这个洞里探出头来。

Someone should pop their head out of this hole in the bucket any second now.

那是蟒蛇吗？

Is that an anaconda?

蟒蛇没这么大。

It's too big for an anaconda.

这是泰坦巨蟒。

It's a Titanoboa.

我还以为这是《园艺澳大利亚少年版》，不是《恐龙竞技场》呢。

I thought this was Gardening Australia Junior, not Dino Dome.

这不是蛇。

This isn't a snake.

这是一条巨大的蚯蚓。

This is an enormous earthworm.

哇。

Woah.

嘿，艾玛。

Hey there, Emma.

艾玛？

Emma?

是我给她取的名字。

I named her.

我觉得她看起来就像个艾玛。

She looks like an Emma to me.

艾玛，我们能进来吗？

Emma, can we come in?

哎呀。

Uh-oh.

她正从桶里扭出来朝我们这边来。

She's wriggling out of her bucket towards us.

她想载我们一程。

She wants to give us a ride.

所以这就是为什么蚯蚓有鞍座。

So that's why worms have saddles.

头部附近这个鼓起来的地方。

This lumpy bit near the head.

有些人叫它鞍部或者环带。

Some people call it a saddle or a collar.

它们还有缰绳呢。

They also have reins.

真的吗？

Really?

嗯，算是吧。

Well, kinda.

看到艾玛皮肤上长出来的这些细丝了吗？

See these wispy things growing out of Emma's skin?

是毛吗？

Is it hair?

对。

Yep.

现在轻轻抓住一缕，然后借力把自己拉上去。

Now gently grab onto a strand and use it to pull yourself up.

像这样吗？

Like this?

对，就是这样，泽维尔。

That's it, Xavier.

我上来了。

I'm up.

我也是。

Me too.

那就剩我了。

That leaves me.

我上来了。

I'm on.

现在，艾玛，扭动身体挣脱吧。

Now, wriggle away, Emma.

哇。

Woah.

抓紧她的头发。

Hold on to her hairs.

我们是不是倒过来了？

Are we up side down?

差不多。

Not quite.

我们是垂直的。

We're vertical.

艾玛正带我们沿着桶壁往上爬。

Emma's taking us up the side of the bucket.

我们就能进入蚯蚓养殖场了

We'll be able to enter the worm farm

从上面进去。

from the top.

尼吉，重力不是应该把我们往下拉吗？

Shouldn't gravity be pulling us down, Nij?

这个问题问得好。

That's a great question.

但是蚯蚓能爬墙而不会掉下来。

But worms can climb walls without falling.

你看艾玛的身体是不是像波浪一样在动？

See how Emma's body is moving like a wave?

对。

Yeah.

她在收缩肌肉来推动自己前进，而且她身上的毛也帮助她抓住桶壁。

She's squeezing her muscles together to push herself forward, and the hair on her body is also helping her grip the side of the bucket.

别忘了还有她的黏液。

Don't forget her mucus.

她的什么？

Her what?

你看看你后面。

Look behind you.

哎呀。

Ew.

就像一条黏液的痕迹。

It's like a rizard of slime.

对。

Yep.

艾玛把它从身体里排出来，帮助自己滑行。

Emma pushes it out of her body to help her slide along.

而且这招还真管用。

And it worked.

我们已经爬到桶顶了。

We've reached the top of the bucket.

那是一片巨大的生菜叶和一个超大的蛋壳吗？

Is that a humongous lettuce leaf and an enormous egg shell?

确实是的。

Sure is.

我把这些食物残渣放进蚯蚓农场里喂艾玛。

I put these food scraps in the worm farm to feed Emma.

看好了。

Watch.

哇。

Woah.

我都不知道艾玛还有嘴。

I didn't even know that Emma had a mouth.

它很小。

It's tiny.

嗯，当她正常大小的时候，你是看不见的。

Well, when she's regular sized, you wouldn't be able to see it.

但是没有牙齿。

But no teeth.

什么？

What?

她在肚子里磨碎食物。

She grinds food inside her stomach.

生菜下面有泥土，艾玛正往里面钻。

There's dirt underneath the lettuce, and Emma is diving into it.

抓紧了。

Hang on tight.

艾玛是条会钻洞的虫子。

Emma's a burrowing worm.

我们在地面上怎么呼吸？

How will we breathe on the ground?

我们会没事的。

We'll be okay.

艾玛钻的洞就像隧道一样。

Emma's burrows are like tunnels.

她在土壤里移动的时候，会开辟出空间。

She's creating space as she moves through the soil.

而且她还会吃掉一部分土壤。

And she's eating some of it too.

我觉得土壤里的沙粒能帮她磨碎肚子里的食物残渣。

I guess the grit from the dirt helps her grind the food scraps in her tummy.

你说得对，尼杰医生。

You got it, doctor Nij.

这里好黑啊。

It's dark down here.

还有点潮湿。

And kind of damp.

这正是艾玛喜欢的。

Just how Emma likes it.

潮湿有助于蚯蚓呼吸。

Moisture helps worms breathe.

它们不像我们那样有肺，但它们通过皮肤吸收氧气，而且需要保持湿润才能做到这一点。

They don't have lungs like us, but they absorb oxygen through their skin, and they need to stay wet to do that.

我们正在拐弯。

We're turning a corner.

就像坐过山车穿过隧道一样。

It's like we're on a roller coaster going through a tunnel.

艾玛是个出色的挖洞高手。

Emma is an excellent burrower.

所以这一定是蚯蚓对花园如此有益的一个原因。

So this must be one reason worms are so good for the garden.

这些隧道让空气和水进入土壤，而且这

These tunnels let air and water into the ground, and that

能保持土壤健康。

keeps the soil healthy.

说得对，博士。

Spot on, doctor.

但这并不是蚯蚓对花园有益的唯一原因。

But that's not the only reason worms are good for the garden.

这里好黑啊。

It's dark down here.

我们现在到哪儿了？

Where are we now?

那些残渣都不见了。

The scraps have disappeared.

科斯塔，这是不是我想的那个……

Costa, is this what I think it

……东西？

is?

蚯蚓的粪便。

Worm poo.

对。

Yep.

是不是很美？

Isn't it beautiful?

哎呀。

Ew.

别哎呀。

Not ew.

哦。

Oh.

这东西对花园来说可是宝贝，而且一点都不臭。

This stuff is gold for the garden, and it doesn't even smell.

对。

Yeah.

你，你真聪明。

You're you're bright.

其实闻起来还挺不错的。

It smells pretty good, actually.

我们把蚯蚓的粪便叫做蚯蚓粪，把它们加到土壤里，土壤就变成超级土壤了。

We call worm poo castings, and when you add them to soil, it becomes super soil.

而且富含营养的土壤能帮助植物长得更大更强壮。

And soil that's full of nutrients helps plants to grow bigger and stronger.

对。

Yep.

所以，像艾玛这样的蚯蚓对花园有三大好处。

So there are three reasons worms like Emma are good for the garden.

它们吃腐烂的东西。

They eat saps.

这是第一点。

That's one.

它们挖洞，让空气和水进入土壤。

They make burrows and let air and water into the soil.

这是第二点。

That's two.

而且它们的粪便里富含好东西，能帮助花园生长。

And their poo is full of good stuff that helps the garden grow.

这是第三点。

That's three.

哎呀。

Uh-oh.

隧道是不是变窄了？

Are the tunnels getting narrower?

艾玛是不是在缩小？

And is Emma shrinking?

科斯塔，我觉得你的堆肥效果在减弱。

Costa, I think your compost is wearing off.

桶壁正在向我们合拢。

The sides of the bucket are closing in on us.

快。

Quick.

底部有洞。

There are holes in the bottom.

跟我来。

Follow me.

快跑。

Run.

快跑。

Run.

再见，艾玛。

Bye, Emma.

快点，

Hurry,

尼基。

Nij.

呼。

Phew.

我觉得我吞了点土。

I think I swallowed some dirt.

可能是蚯蚓粪吧。

Maybe it's worm castings.

那不是你堆肥里的神奇成分吧，科斯塔？

That's not the magic ingredient in your compost, is it, Costa?

我永远不会说的。

I'll never tell.

科斯塔，为什么桶底有洞？

Costa, why did the bucket have holes in it?

啊，如果你想把一个桶变成蚯蚓养殖场，这些洞是必不可少的。

Ah, they're essential if you wanna turn a bucket into a worm farm.

我们能做吗？

Can we do that?

当然可以。

Sure thing.

尼杰医生可以当我的助手。

Doctor Nij can be my assistant.

我这儿正好有个桶。

I've got a bucket right here.

太好了。

Great.

现在你是成年人了，所以你能做这个，尼杰。

Now you're a grown up, so you can do this, Nij.

我们需要在桶底打大约10个洞，洞的大小要跟10分硬币差不多。

We need about 10 holes in the bottom of the bucket, and the holes need to be about the size of a 10¢ coin.

好的。

Okay.

我可能会用电钻。

I might use a drill.

所以打洞这事儿得成年人来干，而且桶的侧面也需要打差不多数量的洞。

That's why the hole making is a job for a grown up, and we need about the same number of holes in the side of the bucket.

收到。

Roger.

那为什么桶上要打这么多洞呢？

So why does the bucket need all the holes in it?

这些洞能让空气和湿气进入桶里，帮助蚯蚓呼吸，同时也能让蚯蚓的排泄物漏出来，这样我们就可以在花园里使用了。

Well, they let the air and moisture into the bucket to help the worms breathe, but they also let the worm castings out so we can use them in the garden.

洞打好了。

Holes are done.

接下来做什么？

What's next?

我们还需要一个洞，但是另一种类型的。

We need another hole, but a different kind.

我们需要在花园里挖一个洞。

We need to dig a hole in the garden.

给你铲子，Nij。

Here's a shovel, Nij.

谢谢，米莉。

Thanks, Millie.

你想要多深

How deep do you want

这个洞，科斯塔？

this hole, Costa?

和桶一样深。

As deep as the bucket.

明白了。

Got it.

《园艺澳大利亚少年版》比我想象的要费劲一些。

Gardening Australia Junior's a bit more work than imagine this.

然后

Then

我们把桶放进洞里，装满美味的食物和植物残渣。

we put the bucket into the hole and fill it with delicious food and plant scraps.

不过要记得把湿料和干料搭配好。

But make sure you have a mixture of wet and dry stuff.

比如湿漉漉的软烂菜叶，配上干草和碎纸？

Like wet mushy salad leaves and dry straw and shredded paper?

没错。

Exactly.

每铺一层厨余，都要撒上一层薄薄的土。

And sprinkle a bit of soil over the scraps as you layer them in

帮它们磨碎食物

to help with the grinding

在蚯蚓的胃里。

in the worm's tummies.

记忆力真好，Nij。

Good memory, Nij.

不过你还得往蚯蚓堆里加点水，因为要保持湿润才行。

But you also wanna add water to the worm farm because you've gotta keep it moist.

帮助蚯蚓呼吸。

To help the worms breathe.

还能产生黏液。

And make mucus.

对。

Yep.

然后盖上桶盖，防止害虫进入。

Then you put the lid on the bucket to keep out pests.

最后，用覆盖物盖住，比如树叶、草屑或木屑。

And finally, cover it with mulch, like leaves or grass clippings or wood chips.

我觉得我们做完了，科斯塔。

I think we're all done, Costa.

园艺做得不错，尼杰医生。

Great gardening, doctor Nij.

剩下的就是每隔几周添加一些厨余垃圾和水。

And all that's left is to add more scraps and water every couple of weeks.

搬进来的蚯蚓会开心得不得了。

And the worms who move in will be happy as Larry.

拉里是谁？

Who's Larry?

我给她取名叫艾玛。

I named her Emma.

还记得吗？

Remember?

对，没错。

That's right.

谢谢你来参观，尼杰医生。

Thanks for visiting, Doctor Nij.

也许我们可以在《想象一下》节目里拜访你。

Maybe we can visit you on Imagine This.

哦，欢迎欢迎。

Oh, please do.

我们会回答很多科学问题，其中一些也和园艺有关，比如种子是怎么形成的，还有树叶为什么会掉下来。

We answer lots of science questions, and some of them are also about gardening, like how are seeds made and why do leaves fall off trees?

我也想知道科斯塔的堆肥里到底有什么。

I'd also like to know the answer to what's in Costa's compost.

想都别想。

Not happening.

尼杰医生，你倒是挺会问的。

Nice try, doctor Nij.

我可不会分享我的魔法堆肥秘方。

I will not be sharing my magic compost recipe.

请记住，不管是不是魔法堆肥，都只能撒在土壤上，别撒在其他地方。

Please do not sprinkle any compost, magic or not, on anything except soil.

其实，没有大人帮忙的话，哪里都不要撒堆肥。

In fact, don't sprinkle compost anywhere without the help of a grown up.

你永远不知道会发生什么神奇的事。

You never know what magic might happen.

如果你喜欢《园艺澳大利亚少年》播客，也一定要去看看电视节目。

If you like the Gardening Australia Junior podcast, make sure you check out the TV show too.

你可以在ABC iview上找到我们。

You'll find us on ABC iview.

听起来熟悉吗？

Sound familiar?

不。

No.

不。

No.

有时候可能会有不。

There can sometimes be No.

说到睡觉，我在全国各地录了一些很长的录音。

When it comes to bed Some long recordings that I've made around the country.

就是大自然的声音。

Just nature.

没有晃来晃去的。

No wobblies.

没有。

No.

而且是免费的。

And for free.

太好了。

Yay.

无论你在哪里收听播客，或者通过ABC Listen应用都可以。

Wherever you get your podcasts and on the ABC Listen app.