| American researchers at Colorado State University have biologically engineered a plant that turns white when it detects even trace amounts of TNT in the air, Fox News reports. The technology could find its way into airports in just a few years. |
據福克斯新聞報道，美國科羅拉多州立大學的研究人員對一種植物進行生物性改造，這樣空氣中只要稍有三硝基甲苯的氣味，它就可以變白。這項技術可在數年之內應用于機場。 |
| "The idea to make detector plants comes directly from nature," said Professor June Medford, the lead scientist on the team. "Plants can't run or hide from threats, so they've developed sophisticated systems to detect and respond to their environment." |
科研組帶頭人瓊·梅德福教授表示：“探測植物的想法直接從自然界得來。植物遇到危險，不能跑也不能躲，所以它們發育出復雜的系統來探測應對環境。” |
| Still relatively immature, the current technology has a response time of hours but Medford hopes to reduce this down to a few minutes over the next couple of years. |
目前的技術相對來說還不成熟，需數小時才能做出反應，梅德福希望在接下來幾年里將反應時間縮短到幾分鐘。 |
| The redesigned plants are 100 times more sensitive than bomb-sniffing dogs. |
經改造的植物比炸彈嗅探犬的靈敏度高出100倍。
（China.org.cn） |
