5 听力
Although you might think that you have better sight than a bat, you definitely fall behind in the hearing department. A bat's hearing is so powerful that it almost single-handedly compensates for the creature's terrible vision. As a bat travels through a cave, it emits squeaking sounds that bounce around the nearby walls. The animal uses this information to know where not to fly.
可能你会认为你的视力强于蝙蝠，但你的听力与之相比会远远落于其后。蝙蝠的听力特别强大，强大到弥补了它们在视觉方面的不足。当蝙蝠在山洞中飞行的时候，它发出叽叽的叫声，这些声音会通过附近的墙面反射回来，借此蝙蝠能够判断飞行的方向。
A phenomenon common in many species is the idea that a lack of one sense strengthens another. In the bat's case, a lack of sight means less brain power devoted to seeing. As a result, more brain power can be devoted to its hearing abilities.
在动物界有个普遍现象，当一方面的感觉缺失时，另一方面的功能会增强。蝙蝠视力较差，意味着大脑中很少部分负责视觉，因此，大脑的很大部分被用于听觉了。
4 智力
Humans are incredible. We can sing, write, create language, explain remarkable things, and build space shuttles. Our seemingly less intelligent neighbors, however, have us beat in many categories.
人类的智力发展程度令人难以置信，我们能够唱歌、书写、创造语言，探索奇异的自然现象，建造居住场所等等。尽管如此，有些动物在某些方面还是能够将人类打败。
For instance, homing pigeons. No, not the ones from Harry Potter. Real-life homing pigeons. These cool little guys can travel over 1,770 kilometers (1,100 mi) and find their way home without any GPS or flares. The most amazing part is that they can use an iron structure in their beaks to determine their geographic position relative to the Earth's magnetic field.
比如说，家鸽——不是哈利波特中的鸽子，日常生活中普通的鸽子。鸽子能够飞行超过1770千米的距离之后，不需要借助任何的GPS或者信号灯找到回家的路。它们是靠嘴中的结构，确定在地球磁场中的相对位置。
Elephants may not seem too intelligent. But wow, are they astounding. According to researchers at the University of St. Andrews, elephants can use scent to create a mental map of their family members. Elephants can also identify how threatening people intend to be by human scent and clothing color.
大象看上去似乎很寻常，但是，在智力方面其实很令人吃惊。圣安德鲁斯大学的研究人员发现，大象能够通过气味创建一份家庭图谱。同样，大象能够通过辨别人类的气味和衣服的颜色来判断是否有险情。
3 战斗力
Humans like to consider combat as one of our greatest accomplishments. Various martial arts, such as Krav Maga and Muay Thai, have been developed over centuries alongside technological marvels, starting with the musket and moving on to the weapons we know today.
人类可能认为自己是战斗力最强的种族，毕竟人类创造出多种武术，如近身格斗、泰拳等。与此同时，科技的发展给人类带来了火枪，随后又出现更多我们今天熟知的武器。
We have truly taken combat and self-defense to an incredible scale. However, in the animal kingdom, the playing field is much rougher. In the underwater ecosystem, squid simply shoot ink at their predators. However, this is not the most extreme example.
人类确实将战斗和自我防卫延伸至较大的范围，但是，在动物世界里，战斗的环境要艰巨得多。在海底世界里，鱿鱼直接向敌人喷射墨汁，这还不是最极端的例子。
At first glance, the Texas horned lizard appears to be a standard lizard—spikes on the back with rough, scaly skin. Get on his nerves, however, and you'll realize how mistaken you are. This lizard sprays blood from its eyes. While the practicality is questionable, it's astounding how this lizard improvises when necessary.
德克萨斯角蜥乍一看像是普通的蜥蜴——背上皮肤粗糙，有尖锐的角。但一旦把它惹怒了，你会尝到苦果。这种蜥蜴能够从眼睛里喷出血来。尽管这听上去很难实现，但情急之下这种蜥蜴会这么做的。
2 交流
You're probably on a cell phone or computer right now. They are amazing forms of communication, but they can't compete with good, old-fashioned nature.
你可能正在用手机或电脑，它们是交流的一种形式，但它们不能与古老的自然交流方式相比拟。
Treehoppers, very small insects resembling leaves, extract sap from trees. As a natural ability, they can convert this liquid into honeydew. Many geckos absolutely love honeydew and, as a result, provide a hearty business for the treehoppers.
角蝉是种与树叶十分相似的小昆虫，靠汲取树中的汁液为生，它们天生能够将树汁转化为蜜露。很多壁虎非常喜欢蜜露，因此，这就给角蝉提供了一桩生意。
When a gecko finds a treehopper, the gecko can request honeydew by vibrating its head. Shortly after a confirmation on the treehopper's end, it will deliver some of the honeydew to the gecko. It is unknown why they merrily do this, but it has been theorized that the honeydew is a sort of “protection money.”
当壁虎找角蝉要蜜露时，它们会朝着角蝉不断点头，角蝉确认信息之后，就会给壁虎转化一些蜜露。现在还无法理解它们为什么会这么做，但有理论研究认为蜜露是一种“保护费”。
Ants communicate using pheromones, which are scented chemicals. Using their antennae, other ants can detect these various chemicals, with each acting as a sort of message or word.
蚂蚁通过一种有香味的化学物质即信息素交流，每种信息素都携带着一定的信息，其它蚂蚁通过触须能够捕获这些信息。
For instance, an ant coming under attack may emit a pheromone detectable by thousands of members of its colony. As a result, what seems like a lone ant might change very quickly.
比如说，一只蚂蚁在遇到袭击时会散发出信息素，它的同伴接收到信息后会成百上千地赶来。最后，处于弱势的一方很快就能扭转局面。
1 外貌
Oftentimes, we consider other species to be hideous. A close look at a butterfly or ant would disgust many people. In contrast, a human male might find a woman attractive. Scientifically, this has not been definitively explained. Despite this, many animals exist that look truly incredible.
通常我们会觉得其它物种极其难看，有些人近距离观察蝴蝶或者蚂蚁都会觉得恶心。与之相反，男性人类会觉得女性人类非常吸引人。科学并没有能够充分解释这一现象。尽管如此，现存的一些动物看上去还是很可爱的。
Animals such as baby chickens, birds, and rabbits are universally adorable. Scientists have claimed that this is due to their resemblance to human babies: large eyes, a rounded face, and small stature.
比如说刚出生的小鸡、小鸟和小兔子，大家都觉得比较可爱。科学家认为，这是由于这些动物看上去很像人类的婴儿：大眼睛、圆脸蛋，外加体型较小。
Some animals, in contrast, are simply astonishing. The "blue dragon" is a marvel of nature, having two differently colored sides. One side matches the appearance of the glimmering silver ocean surface, and the other side matches the blue of the ocean water.
与之相反，有些动物看上去比较可怕。“蓝龙”是大自然的神奇产物，身体两侧的颜色不一样。一侧是闪闪发光的银色，跟大海的水面一样，另一侧的颜色接近蓝色的海水。
This small creature is capable of taking on massive prey, such as the Portuguese man–of–war. This may be due to the blue dragon's sting, which is similar in strength to the man–of–war.
这种动物能够捕获大量的猎物，如电气水母。这可能是由于蓝龙的刺能够与水母的力量相抗衡。
Unfortunately, many of these magnificent creatures are endangered. This may be due to many various factors, but one thing is true: A world without some of these beautiful animals would be a sadder one.
不幸的是，很多这些神奇的动物现在都濒临危险。原因有很多，但有一点我们可以肯定：没有了这些动物，世界就没有那么美妙了。
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