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Smarter than we thought
鱼真的只有7秒的记忆？
It's a popular belief that fish can't remember anything for longer than seven seconds.
许多人都认为，鱼的记忆不超过7秒。
It may seem sad to think that they don't remember what they've eaten or where they've been, and they don't recognize you or any of their friends – every moment in their lives would be like seeing the world for the first time.
这看似有些悲哀：它们不记得自己吃了些什么，去过哪些地方，也不认得你或者自己的任何一个朋友 —— 它们生命中的每一刻都像是第一次看到这个世界。
But don't be so quick to feel sorry for them. A recent study has found that fish have much better memories than we used to think. In fact, certain species of fish can even remember events from as long as 12 days ago, BBC reported.
但别着急为它们感到难过。近日有研究表明，鱼的记忆力比我们认为的要好得多。事实上，据英国广播公司报道，某些鱼类甚至能记得12天前发生的事。
In the study, researchers from MacEwan University in Canada trained a kind of fish called African cichlids to go to a certain area of their tank to get food. They then waited for 12 days before putting them back in the tank again.
研究中，来自加拿大麦科文大学的研究人员对一种名为非洲丽鱼科鱼的鱼类进行训练，令其游到鱼缸的特定区域获取食物。12天后，他们再次将这些鱼放到了这个鱼缸里。
This suggested that they could remember their past experiences. Researchers used computer software to monitor the fish's movements. They found that after such a long break the fish still went to the same place where they first got food.
该研究表明，这些鱼能够记住它们的过往经历。研究人员使用了电脑软件来监视鱼的活动。他们发现，在经过了这么长的一段时间后，这些鱼依然会游到它们第一次获得食物的地方。
In fact, scientists had been thinking for a long time that African cichlids might have a good memory.
事实上，科学家们很早便认为，非洲丽鱼科鱼或许有着良好的记忆力。
An earlier study showed that they behaved aggressively in front of certain fish, perhaps because they remembered their past fights. But until the latest findings, there was no clear evidence.
一项更早的研究表明，它们在某些鱼类面前表现出了攻击性，或许是因为它们记得之前曾打过架。但如今的最新发现却依然没有确凿的证据能证明这一点。
Just as a good memory can make our lives easier, it also plays an important part when a fish is trying to survive in the wild.
良好的记忆力能令生活更方便，也是鱼类在野外生存的关键。
"If fish are able to remember that a certain area contains safe food, they will be able to go back to that area without putting their lives in danger," lead researcher Trevor Hamilton told Live Science.
“如果鱼类能够记得哪片区域有安全的食物，它们便会游回到那里，令自己的生命免遭威胁，”该研究的首席研究员特雷弗·汉密尔顿在接受《生命科学》杂志采访时如此表示。
For a long time, fish were placed far below chimpanzees, dolphins and mice on the list of smart animals. But this study has given scientists a new understanding of their intelligence.
很长时间以来，鱼类在动物智商排行榜上都远在黑猩猩、海豚以及老鼠之下。但这项研究却令科学家们重新认识了它们的智力。
So the next time you are watching your pet fish from outside the tank, perhaps you should feel closer to them – they may remember who you are.
因此，下一次当你站在鱼缸外观赏自己的宠物鱼时，你或许会对它们感到更亲切 —— 它们有可能记得你是谁。
