The climate crisis may lead the human race to shrink in size, as mammals with smaller frames appear better able to deal with rising global temperatures, a leading fossil expert has said.
一位顶尖化石专家表示,气候危机可能导致人类体型缩小,因为体型较小的哺乳动物似乎能够更好地适应全球气候变暖。
Prof Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh, suggested the way in which other mammals have previously responded to periods of climate change could offer an insight into humans' future.
爱丁堡大学古生物学家史蒂夫•布鲁萨特教授认为,其他哺乳动物此前在气候变化时期的反应可以预示人类的未来。
Brusatte said becoming smaller was "a common way that mammals deal with climate change".
布鲁萨特表示,变小是“哺乳动物应对气候变化的常见方式”。
He added: “That's not to say every species of mammal would get smaller, but it seems to be a common survival trick of mammals when temperatures spike pretty quickly.”
他还表示:“这并不是说每一种哺乳动物都会变小,但当温度迅速升高时,这似乎是哺乳动物常见的生存技巧。这确实提出了一个问题:如果温度真的迅速升高,人类会变小吗?我想这是很有可能的。”