极地降温能力减弱 冰雪正加速融化

Climate change is damaging archaeological treasures which have been frozen for thousands of years, according to British scientists.
　　据英国学者称，气候变幻破坏那些冰冻封存上千万年珍贵考古遗迹。

Remains in some of the coldest places on earth are becoming exposed as warmer temperatures cause ice and hardened ground to thaw, research by experts at the University of Edinburgh's Business School has found.

爱丁堡商学院的专家们发现，那些存在于地球上极寒冷之地的考古遗迹正因气温上升导致冰雪融化，从而曝露于“光天化日”之下。

Ancient relics at risk include tombs, artefacts and human remains.

这将使得包括人类遗迹在内的众多珍贵古迹遭受破换。

The scientists, who studied cases of damage at three sites across the world, are calling for a global organisation to be set up to maintain a record of vulnerable sites and to co-ordinate efforts to conserve items that are at risk, particularly indigenous remains.

为此，有相关领域的科学家呼吁成立一个全球性的保护组织，以便统一监控全球变暖对于历史古迹的破坏情况，以便于采取设当措施，加以保护。

Dr Dave Reay, who supervised the study, said: 'Warming climates are expected to lead to more melting ice, and we need to take action to safeguard ancient treasures.

该项目的戴夫·雷伊博士说：“气温升高将是的更多的冻土融化，我们必须采取措施，以使得那些历史珍宝免于毁灭。”

'Long-term efforts are needed to locate archaeological remains that are at risk, and research how best to care for them.

“要定位那些正遭受随还的遗迹是一项长期性的工作，同时还必须探究出应对之策。”

'We must also consider the political and cultural implications of preserving important relics.'

“此外，我们还需要看到，保护这些考古遗址在政治与文化的层面上都具有重要意义。”

Permafrost in the Altai Mountains in central Asia, sea ice in Alaska and glaciers in the Rocky Mountains were studied for the research.

中亚的阿尔泰山冻土，阿拉斯加的海冰遗迹，落基山山脉冰川等众多地域均列于此项研究之中。

Scientists found that coastal erosion caused by retreating sea ice is damaging remains in an Inuit village in Alaska, including a fourth-century coastal cemetery.

科学家们还发现，受到侵蚀的海岸线已经威胁到了生活在阿拉斯加的因纽特人村庄，其中还有年久的沿海墓地遗迹。

Melting glaciers in the Rocky Mountains were also found to be posing a threat to Native American human remains and artefacts such as hunting tools, weapons and clothing.

落基山脉冰川的融化对于当地原著民的遗骸，遗迹例如狩猎工具本文物遗迹造成了破坏。

The research also showed that thawing temperatures in the Altai Mountains put burial mounds at site contains the only frozen tombs in the world and is the resting place of Eurasian nomadic horsemen with links to modern-day Siberian nomads.

同时，气温升高还使得阿尔泰山古代遗冢的保存告急。

Katie Molyneaux, primary researcher on the study, said: 'There have been studies that climate change is a major factor affecting all of these sites.

'At the site in Alaska I was blown away by the rate of damage. The melting sea ice has meant large waves have caused the coast to retreat by metres every year.

主要研究人员凯蒂-莫里诺说：“阿拉斯加地区所遭受的破坏让我相当震惊，海冰融化所形成的海浪对于海岸线的侵蚀相当严重。”

'A lot of these sites are undocumented and are only being studied as they protrude out of the ice when they are already starting to degrade.'

“不光是已经被发掘了的遗迹，还有很多尚未正式登记的地域也在遭受气候变暖所带来的危险。”