Bones Found in 1940 Probably Amelia Earhart's, Study Says
VOA News
March 08, 2018 6:42 PM Associated Press (source)
Bones Found in 1940 Probably Amelia Earhart's, Study Says
研究:1940 年發現的骨骸可能為飛行員愛蜜莉亞.艾爾哈特
March 08, 2018 6:42 PM Associated Press
NEW YORK —
Bones found in 1940 on a western Pacific Ocean island were quite likely to be remains from famed aviator Amelia Earhart, a new analysis concludes.
The study and other evidence "point toward her rather strongly," University of Tennessee anthropologist Richard Jantz said Thursday.
Earhart disappeared during an attempted flight around the world in 1937, and the search for an answer to what happened to her and her navigator has captivated the public for decades.
Jantz's analysis is the latest chapter in a back-and-forth that has played out about the remains, which were found in 1940 on Nikumaroro Island but are now lost.
All that survive are seven measurements, from the skull and bones of the arm and leg. Those measurements led a scientist in 1941 to conclude the bones belong to a man. In 1998, however, Jantz and another scientist reinterpreted them as coming from a woman of European ancestry, and about Earhart's height. But in 2015, still other researchers concluded the original assessment as a man was correct.
Now Jantz weighs in with another analysis of the measurements, published in January in the journal Forensic Anthropology.
For comparison, Jantz used an inseam length and waist circumference from a pair of Earhart's trousers. He also drew on a photo of her holding an oil can to estimate the lengths of two arm bones.
Analysis showed "the bones are consistent with Earhart in all respects we know or can reasonably infer," he wrote in the journal article. It's highly unlikely that a random person would resemble the bones as closely as Earhart, he wrote.
In a phone interview, Jantz noted that some artifacts found on the island also support the possibility that the bones came from Earhart.
"I think we have pretty good evidence that it's her," he said.
根據一份新的研究分析報告的結論,1940 年時在西太平洋(Pacific Ocean)的島嶼上所發現的骨骸,很可能就是著名的(famed)飛行員(aviator)愛蜜莉亞.艾爾哈特(Amelia Earhart)的遺骸(remains)。
[編按:愛蜜莉亞.艾爾哈特(Amelia Earhart)是美國的女飛行員,也是第一位獨自飛越大西洋(Atlantic Ocean)的女性飛行員,但在 1937 年嘗試環球飛行時於飛越太平洋期間失蹤。]
美國田納西大學(University of Tennessee)人類學家(anthropologist)理查.詹茨(Richard Jantz)於週四(編按:2018 年 3 月 8 日)時表示,此研究及其他的證據都「強烈地顯示出這是艾爾哈特之遺骸的可能性(point toward . . .)」。
艾爾哈特 1937 年在嘗試環球飛行的途中失蹤。她和同行的航導員(navigator)最後的遭遇成謎,尋求解答在幾十年來一直深深吸引著(captivate)大眾的注意。
過去已有多次來來回回的論戰因這具遺骸展開(play out),這次詹茨提出的研究分析又開啟了論戰最新的一章。這具遺骸是在 1940 年時於尼庫馬羅羅環礁(Nikumaroro Island)上被發現[編按:太平洋島國吉里巴斯(Kiribati)的環礁,屬於鳳凰群島的一部分],但現已不知去向。
現所存留下來的僅有 7 筆從頭顱(skull)、手臂以及腿部骨頭得來的測量數值。 1941 年時,有一名科學家以這些骨頭的測量數值導出結論,認為這些骨頭屬於男性。但詹茨與另一名科學家於 1998 年再次解讀(reinterpret)這些數值時,則認為這些骨頭來自於一名具有歐洲血統(of . . . ancestry)的女性,且其身高約與艾爾哈特相同。然而在 2015 年時,又有其他研究人員做出結論,認為原先把這些骨頭認定為男性的評斷(assessment)才是正確的。
現在,詹茨提出了另一份關於這些骨骸測量數值的分析報告,再度參與此論戰(weigh in)。此研究發表於 1 月(編按:2018 年 1 月)的《法醫人類學》(Forensic Anthropology)期刊。
[編按:《法醫人類學》(Forensic Anthropology)是由美國佛羅里達大學出版社(University Press of Florida)出版的期刊,主要收錄法醫人類學和法醫考古學(Forensic Archaeology)這兩方面領域的研究。]
為了與骨骸的測量數值進行比對,詹茨參照了一件艾爾哈特的長褲其褲檔至腳踝(inseam)的長度以及腰圍(waist circumference)的數值。他也參考(draw on)了一張艾爾哈特手握油罐的照片來評估她兩隻手臂骨頭的長度。
分析顯示出「這些骨頭符合(be consistent with . . .)我們對艾爾哈特在各方面的了解以及合理的推斷(infer)」,詹茨在期刊文章中如此寫道。他亦表示,偶然之間要有一個人的骨骸能與艾爾哈特如此相似(resemble)的可能性極低。
詹茨在電話訪問中指出,島上發現的一些人工製品(artifact)也支持這些骨骸是艾爾哈特的可能性。
他說:「我認為我們有相當的證據能認定這就是艾爾哈特」。
Language Notes
remains [rɪ`menz] (n) 人的/某人的遺體(或遺骸)
* 本字除指「遺骸」之外,亦可指「剩餘物;殘留物;遺跡」,皆使用複數形
aviator [`evɪ͵etɚ] (n) 飛行員
* 注意本字重音在第 1 音節
* aviation [͵evɪ`eʃən] (n) 航空(學);飛行(術)
point to/toward sth (v phr) 表明可能是 . . . . . .;顯示 . . . . . . 可能會發生
anthropologist [͵ænθrə`pɑlədʒɪst] (n) 人類學者
* 本字由 "anthropo-"「人;人類」、"-ology"「學問;科學」和 "-ist"「. . . . . . 的實行者」三部分組合而成
* anthropology [͵ænθrə`pɑlədʒɪ] (n) 人類學
captivate [`kæptə͵vet] (v) 使著迷;迷住;吸引
* 本字有一常見的形容詞 "captivating"「迷人的;動人的;可愛的」
play out (v phr) 發生;出現
ancestry [`ænsɛstrɪ] (n) 祖宗;世系
* 本字指「歷代的祖先」或「家族的祖源」,具有群體之概念,其相關詞彙 "ancestor" 亦指「祖先;祖宗」,但未傳達群體之概念
weigh in (v phr) 積極參與(辯論或討論);提出意見
* 本片語常接介系詞 "with" 或 "on",例如 "weigh in with criticism" 指「提出批評意見」,"weigh in on the immigration policies" 則指「對移民政策提出意見」
circumference [sɚ`kʌmfərəns] (n) 圓周;周長
* 注意本字重音在第 2 音節
* 新聞中 "waist circumference" 即「腰圍」
draw on sth (v) 利用,依賴(資訊或知識)
consistent [kən`sɪstənt] (a) 一致的;符合的
* 本字後常搭配介系詞 "with" 使用,表示「與 . . . . . . 一致、相符」
artifact [`ɑrtɪ͵fækt] (n) 人工製品,製造物,手工藝品
Check your vocabulary!
Fill in the blanks with a word or phrase from the list above. Make necessary changes. After you finish, highlight the blanks to reveal the hidden answers.
1. What the witness said in court was not consistent with the statement he made to the police.
2. With her beauty and charm, she captivated film audiences everywhere..
3. His novels draw heavily on his childhood.
4. Let's wait and see how things play out.
5. Several leading architects weighed in with criticisms regarding the design of the new museum.
6. The island is 3.5 km in circumference.
編譯:簡嘉呈
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