The wreckage of the Titanic could disappear completely by 2030, all because of 'hungry' bacteria in the ocean.
由于海洋里“饥肠辘辘”的细菌,泰坦尼克号的残骸可能会在2030年完全消失。
The once grand Titanic has been sitting 3,800 meters below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean since 1912 – after it hit an iceberg and sank.
自1912年与冰山相撞沉没后,曾经宏伟不已的泰坦尼克号客轮就留在了北大西洋3800米的海底。
However, because of how deep the wreckage laid, it stayed well preserved until it was finally found in 1985.
不过由于沉没在海底深处,直到1985年再次被发现时,它都一直保存完好。
While it has been over thirty years since the wreck was discovered, now scientists don't think the remains of the ship have much time left.
自沉船被发现以来,已经有30多年的时间了,现在,科学家认为残骸可能时日不多了。
While the deterioration has slowed, in 2010 proteobacteria were found on rusticles that had been recovered from the wreckage.
尽管腐蚀的速度在放缓,但2010年,在残骸的锈迹上发现了变形菌。
Scientists named the new bacteria 'Halomonas titanicae' – but this new bacteria could mean the end is nigh when it comes to the Titanic's remains.
科学家们将这种新细菌命名为“泰坦尼克单胞菌”--但这种新的细菌可能意味着泰坦尼克号的残骸已接近末日了。
Recent estimates predict that by the year 2030 the ship may be completely eroded.
据最近的估计预测,到2030年,这艘船可能会彻底消失。
Where the Titanic sits, the water salinity lies at 3.5 per cent, meaning that it's easy for the bacteria to survive.
在泰坦尼克沉没的地方,水分盐度是3.5%,这意味着细菌在这样的环境下很容易生存。
Scientists guessed that the wreckage would disappear eventually, but didn't think it would be so soon.
科学家猜测,残骸会最终消失,但他们不认为会这么快。
However, considering the ships infamous story and all of the media attention surrounding it, it is unlikely that the ship will be forgotten any time soon – even if nothing remains of it.
然而,鉴于泰坦尼克不光彩的历史以及所有媒体对它的关注,这艘船不太可能被很快遗忘--即便它已经完全不复存在了。
And while the ship's wreckage may be deteriorating, items from the ill-fated ship are still fetching high prices at auction.
尽管客轮的残骸正日益腐化,但这艘不幸的客轮上的所有物品仍能在拍卖中拍得高价。
Back in October, a rare key which opened a life jacket cupboard on board the Titanic was sold at auction for 85,000 pounds. A letter written by the ship's assistant surgeon Dr John Simpson was also sold for 37,000 pounds.
就在去年10月,泰坦尼克号船上一把用于开启存放救生衣柜子的罕见钥匙被拍出了8.5万英镑。而船上一名助理外科医生约翰·辛普森写的一封信也拍出了3.7万英镑。