【流體力學】 主子是水造？ 主子往往會躲進「不可思議」的地 方裏，無論是狹窄的縫隙，還是奇 形怪狀的容器，牠都能似液體一般 出入無阻。這勾起了法國物理學 家法爾丁 (Marc-Antoine Fardin)的 興趣，甚至用流體力學來分析貓到 底可否被視為液體。他的研究中利 用「底波拉數」(Deborah Number, De) 來計算，公式如下： tc︰物質變形後的鬆弛時間，即貓填 滿容量所需的時間。 tp︰實驗觀察的時間，即貓留在容器 內的時間。 他指出，若觀察時間夠長，De 或會低於1，表示貓能適應容器 形狀並「流動」，因而得出貓既 是固體也是液體的想法，令他 獲得了「搞笑諾貝爾物理學獎」。 從工程方面分析當中秘密，原 來是因為貓的身體結構符合「解耦結 構」。人類的鎖骨闊寬，肩膀 可移動的範圍不大；貓的 鎖骨只有小小一塊，埋 在肌肉中，沒有 與肩胛骨形成 固定關節， 肩膀便可 大幅前後 滑動，讓 牠們的縱 向 截 面 積大幅 減小， 所以只 要 頭 部 能通過的 地方，身體 也大多能跟着鑽過 去。 【精密感測】 鬍鬚「液壓避障」 為了在狹窄空間導航，主子配備 了精密的「觸覺感測器陣列」。這些可 媲美工程感測器的陣列，就是人類恨 不得全刮掉的鬍鬚。牠們透過鬍 鬚，便能探測前方的位置是 否能夠通過。因為每一根 鬍鬚的底部，都緊密連 接血囊，就像是個液 壓感應器。當鬍鬚末 端碰到任何障礙物或 低頻振動（如空氣流 動），力會透過液體介 質瞬間放大，傳遞到根 部密密麻麻的神經末梢， 立刻把信號傳到主子的大 腦。因此，主子即使在漆黑 的夜裏，也能迅速知道自己 能不能通過前方的位置、得 悉周圍的風吹草動。所以， 就算是為了主子們美美的形 象，亦千萬不要修剪牠們的鬍鬚呢！ 【光學工程】 美瞳隱藏機制 貓眼是相當高效的光學採集 系統，不僅看起來亮晶晶的、 惹人喜愛，功能更是人類難以匹敵 的。主子們不用醫學美容，也不用 激光矯正，全憑自己的一副天生麗 質。牠們眼內的虹膜結構非常特 殊，視網膜裏有一層像鏡子一樣 的「絨氈層」。當光線進入眼睛， 這層「鏡子」會把部分光線反射回 視網膜，提高牠在昏暗環境中的 視力，這就是貓眼在黑暗中顯得 閃閃發亮的原因。 貓咪的眼睛色彩各異，像是戴 上了各種彩色隱形眼鏡。其實，貓 眼的顏色主要由虹膜中黑色素的含 量決定：若貓眼的虹膜中黑色素較 少，根據「丁達爾效應」與「瑞 利散射」，眼睛的顏色由 光線與虹膜組織內部的 微小顆粒交互作用產生 而成。光線在眼球組織 中散射，短波長的藍色被 散射出來，因此常會呈現 天藍色；若黑色素較多，綠 色、金色，甚至深銅色也會 成為主子們美瞳的其中一個選項。 當然，這雙眼睛絕非華而不 實。牠們的瞳孔由兩塊像簾子一樣 的肌肉控制，縮放速度極快，幾乎 能完全閉合。人類的瞳孔雖然也能 放大縮小，但瞳孔面積變化率只有 十多倍，變化速度緩慢。相傳海盜 們為了適應船艙內和甲板上的光線 差異，只好戴上眼罩， 讓兩隻眼睛分別適應不同強弱的光 線。而主子們的瞳孔面積變化率卻高 達百倍以上，這意味着牠們可以從伸 手不見五指的暗室，瞬間切換到極 度刺眼的烈日下，視力也不會 受影響。而且，牠們垂 直的瞳孔能增強深度 感與距離判斷，在不 大幅轉頭的情況 下，也能估計 獵物的距離， 隨時來一招突 擊！ 【動態力學】 「翻身反射」保命 「貓有九條命」這說法流傳已逾 千年，可能是因為貓咪能飛簷走 壁，經常從高處跳出「信仰之躍」， 從而產生這個誤會。其實，這全靠 牠的獨門武功「貓翻身反射」。貓的 椎骨之間間距較寬，讓牠能做 出大弧度的彎曲與扭轉，當 中更應用了「角動量守恆」的 原理。貓從高處墜落時， 會先彎曲身體，讓前半身 與後半身的轉動慣量不 同，再配合四肢收伸與尾 巴微調，在空中完成 翻轉，好讓四腳 朝下落地，這完 美的落地可在不 到一秒內大功告 成。這種在空中 精確、快速旋轉身體的秘技，能令 牠避免受傷。 令人驚訝的是，貓可愛的肉球 竟像是一套高性能的懸吊系統，是 避震的典範。肉球內裏有大量的脂 肪墊，使牠受力時會將撞擊力分 散至更大面積。而且貓有50多塊椎 骨，比人類還多，骨中間有軟小的 椎間盤，提供彈性和緩衝作用。當 然，這些構造並不是萬能的，主子 亦只有寶貴的一條性命，為了守護 牠的安危，安裝貓窗實在是各位愛 貓人士的首要任務。 小思考，大智慧 怎樣才能讀懂主子 的心情？ 參考答案 懂得察顏觀色是 愛貓人士必修一課。主 子的尾巴垂直高舉，對 着你瞇瞇眨眼，代表牠龍 顏大悅。若發現牠的鬍鬚已向前展 開、瞳孔擴張近圓形，代表牠正全 神貫注地鎖定眼前的獵物，千萬不 要因牠一副可愛模樣而突然抱走牠 呢！ 如果你稍一不慎，誤犯雷霆， 主子的鬍鬚會緊貼臉部，耳朵平 放，尾巴左右拍打，代表牠的心情 欠佳，切勿打擾。如果你仍不識 趣，強行摸摸，牠的鬍鬚豎起、毛 髮炸開，恐怕你只會得到幾道爪痕 作為小懲大誡了。 星島教室 生物 身為愛貓人士，我們常 戲稱貓咪是家中供養的「主 子」。你對主子們有沒有足夠 的了解呢？原來，從STEAM角 度分析，貓咪的身體構造堪稱 工程和物理學上的傑作，讓我 們來一探究竟。 黃潤權 中華基督教會 基慧小學（馬灣） STEAM統籌主任 褚鴻鵬 中華基督教會 基慧小學（馬灣） 科學科副科主任 作者介紹 本欄由教育評議會邀請資深中 小學老師、校長及大學講師撰稿， 旨在為學生提供多元化的STEAM 學習材料，引發學生探求知識的興 趣，將學習融入生活，培養學生的 世界觀、敏銳的觸覺、積極學習的 態度。 讀社論學 英文 With superior military and technological strengths, the US and Israel gained overwhelming dominance in the war against Iran as expected. On the first day of the conflict, they "decapitated" 40 top Iranian political and military leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while deliberately "sparing" the incumbent president Masoud Pezeshkian, who is regarded as relatively moderate. The following day, US forces reportedly sank multiple Iranian warships, nearly destroying its naval capability. Missile and drone offensives launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against Israeli territory and US military bases in the region achieved relatively limited results. Whether intentionally or not, some strikes hit civilian facilities such as airports and hotels in several pro-American Arab countries. Several US warplanes lost so far are suspected to have been accidentally shot down by air defence systems at military bases in Kuwait or other Western allied facilities, rather than by Iranian forces. Anti-US Middle East allies remain defiant Despite repeated military setbacks, Iranian political and military leaders remain hardline, declaring they will fight to the end and refusing US demands to lay down arms or seek negotiations. US President Donald Trump, who initially suggested the war might last about a week, said on March 2 that it could continue for a month, and once again called on Iranians to overthrow the Tehran regime. The US clearly does not intend to deploy ground troops to Iran to avoid repeating the mistakes in Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Instead, it hopes to replicate its earlier intervention in Venezuela removing anti-American President Nicholas Maduro and installing a more US-friendly local leadership to eliminate Iran's threat to itself and Israel. Admittedly, some Iranians are dissatisfied with Khamenei's longstanding authoritarian rule, but due to religious, historical or other factors, Tehran is unlikely to collapse overnight and suddenly become pro-American like Venezuela. Furthermore, although Iran and its regional allies have seen their influence decline significantly since the Israel-Palestine conflict, they are far from finished. Hezbollah in Lebanon has already gone to war with Israel, and Yemen's Houthi forces are believed to be preparing to join the fight. Anti-American groups and individuals embedded in Middle Eastern countries or even Western societies remain active. Anti-US protests in Pakistan have escalated into serious unrest, and a suspected pro-Iranian shooting attack has occurred on US soil. In short, the world is already in turmoil. The longer the war drags on, the greater the risks and consequences. China and Russia, Iran's two major allies, have strongly condemned US and Israeli aggression, accusing them of disregarding international law and basic moral standards to destabilize the Middle East and the world. However, Russia has been preoccupied with the war in Ukraine and largely withdrawn from the Middle East. When the pro-Russian Bashar alAssad regime in Syria collapsed earlier, Moscow was unable to provide assistance; the same is likely true this time. China, meanwhile, maintains its consistent stance of promoting dialogue and refraining from intervening in other countries' conflicts, though it remains unclear whether Beijing will adjust its approach to Trump's planned visit to China later this month. Those who lack virtue have few allies. Even pro-American countries and Western allies have shown little enthusiasm for what they see as reckless bullying by the US and Israel. Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain and Oman traditionally not close to Iran and themselves targets due to their ties with the US or hosting US bases have also refused to openly support Washington. Countries including the UK, France, Germany, Australia and Japan have merely reiterated against Iran possessing nuclear weapons and, at most, condemned Iran's attacks on neighbouring states. Among them, only the UK has agreed to allow its military bases to be used by US forces for "defence", while the others have been unwilling to align with the US and Israel. Western allies unwilling to back US Who can restrain "madman" Trump? Perhaps only the Americans themselves. Polls show that only 27% support the recent operation, far lower than the previous military aid to Israel or intervention in Venezuela. This war appears to lack just cause but seen as an attempt to distract from Trump's domestic policy failures at the cost of American soldiers' lives and reversing gains in the recovering stock market and declining oil prices. Even Trump's MAGA supporters are divided, with some criticizing the move as contradicting the "America First" principle and pledge not to deploy troops to regions unrelated to US interests. If the war drags on, US casualties rise, oil prices and inflation surge, financial markets suffer and domestic terrorist attacks increase, anti-war sentiment could grow rapidly. Trump's calculation that confronting Iran would boost his popularity and help the Republican Party in the midterm elections may fail or even backfire disastrously. 翻譯自3月3日《星島日報》社論 （http://std.stheadline.com/） Unjust attack on Iran, US risks waning support 翻譯︰George decapitate (v) ——斬首 spare (v) ——不傷害 setback (n) ——挫折 hardline (adj) ——強硬路線的 replicate (v) ——重複 install (v) ——任命 embed (v) ——埋入 virtue (n) ——美德 Vocabulary drone offensive ——無人機攻勢 military base ——軍事基地 civilian facility ——民用設施 ground troop ——地面部隊 Useful Terms US President Donald Trump said on March 3 that he ordered the attack on Iran to thwart its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, vowing to pursue the war for as long as necessary. He said, without providing evidence, the threat from Iran had been imminent when he made the decision to order the strikes. The attacks have sunk Iranian warships and hit more than 1,000 targets so far. Did you know? 1. The word _____ in the first paragraph is the opposite of "extreme". 2. Donald Trump wants Iranians to overthrow the Tehran _____. 3. In the passage, the word _____ means "chaos". 4. US allies do not support its reckless _____ of other countries. 5. According to the last paragraph, Trump's attempt to boost his _____ in the midterm elections may backfire. Answers 1. moderate 2. regime 3. turmoil / unrest 4. bullying 5. popularity & Q A D6 侷芎 06.08.2026 星期一
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODc1MTYz