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圣经圣经(Bible)中记载，耶稣诞生时，天使飞越全世界向世人报佳音。但最近科学家指出，这一传说很有问题，因为天使根本就飞不起来。英国生物学家罗格•沃顿认为，从生理学角度来看，艺术作品中那些长有翅膀的天使根本不可能飞得起来。

 
一位顶尖的生物学家从生理学角度，将飞行动物与艺术作品中时常出现的，宗教及神话中的精灵进行比对。他发现：无论天使、还是精灵都不可能凭借自己的力量飞到圣诞树上。 A leading biologist has compared the physiology of flighted species with the representations of spiritual and mythical creatures in art – and found the angels and fairies that sit atop of Christmas trees did not get there under their own steam.
来自伦敦大学学院的罗格•沃顿教授认为，那些被描绘成同时长着胳膊及羽翼的天使，从生理学角度来看，根本不可能飞得起来。 Prof Roger Wotton, from University College London, found that flight would be impossible for angels portrayed with arms and bird-like feathered wings.

“通过粗略测试代表作品中的刻画及描述，我们就可获知：天使以及童天使根本没有动力系统，无法起飞，”沃顿教授说。“即使它们可以滑翔，但在起飞时他们需要极高的风速，如果有那么大的风，即使没有翅膀，它们也会被刮得无影无踪。” "Even a cursory examination of the evidence in representational arts shows that angels and cherubs cannot take off and cannot use powered flight,” said Prof Wotton. “And even if they used gliding flight, they would need to be exposed to very high wind velocities at take off - such high winds that they would be blown away and have no need for wings."

在一些举世闻名的宗教建筑及画作中，都有天使、童天使以及丘比特点缀其中；他们盘旋于天际，见证着上帝与人类的所作所为。 Angels, cherubs and putti adorn some the world’s most famous religious paintings and architecture, hovering in the air to witness target=_blank class=infotextkey>witness the deeds of God and men.



他们如此打动人心，以至于去年的一项调查显示大多数美国人相信有天使的存在。 Their power to capture the imagination is so strong that a survey last year revealed that most Americans believe in angels.

皮尤宗教和公共生活论坛经研究发现，在此次受访的36000人中，有68%的人相信天使与魔鬼确实存在。 The study by the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life found that 68 per cent of the 36,000 adults polled thought that angels and demons were at work in the world.

最新研究表明，鸟类的翅膀是由其祖先的前臂进化而来的，随着时间的推移，覆盖全身的羽毛决定了它们的整个体型。骨骼密度的降低使得鸟类的骨架更轻盈，更利于飞行。 According to the latest study, birds’ wings evolved from the forearms of their ancestors and over time their whole body shape was determined by the covering of feathers. The reduced density of the bird skeleton provided a light but strong frame.



但天使的身材中等，童天使以及丘比特更是属于超重一族，作品中常将其描绘成长着小翅膀的、胖嘟嘟的小孩。更重要的是，他们缺乏鸟类那样能够扑打翅膀的强壮肌肉。 But angels have normal-sized bodies and cherubs and putti are often given additional weight, portrayed as chubby babies with tiny wings. They also lack the powerful muscles which allow birds to beat their wings.

天使、丘比特、龙和仙女，他们通常具有昆虫一样的翅膀，多数为蝴蝶和豆娘那样的翅膀。这两种昆虫的飞行机理比较复杂，胸部长有较多肌肉，这样它们才能有力量振动翅膀。 Angels, putti, dragons and fairies are generally shown with insect wings, often those of damselfly or butterflies. Both insects have complex flight mechanisms with major muscles in the thorax, the chest region, which power the flapping of wings.

“如果像蝴蝶那样依靠胸部肌肉拍打翅膀起飞，仙女们肯定感到非常不舒服，”沃顿教授指出。“事实情况是，她们根本不会飞。” “The distortion of the thorax needed for flight in fairies with butterfly wings would be exceedingly uncomfortable,” said the academic. “For sure, fairies don’t fly.”

在犹太教和基督教中，天使都有着特殊的重要性，就连在伊斯兰信仰中，它们都承担着某些角色。在圣经中有许多章节都提到飞行的天使。 Angels have a special significance in the Judeo-Christian tradition and also play a role in Islam. Numerous passages in the King James Bible mention angels flying.

为何要有天使这一神话呢，沃顿教授在自己的论文中也进行了探讨。 Prof Wotton’s paper explores why the mythology is so strong.

沃顿教授说:“在我们的信念中，天使是非常有力量的宗教偶像。他们长相与人相似，这使得他们更为人类所信服。同时，他们要高于人类，因此他们拥有翅膀。它们要到天堂传递消息，所以它们必须会飞。” “Angels are very powerful religious icons for people with faith. Their similarity to humans adds to their power. At the same time, they have wings on them because they are more than human. They take messages to heaven and therefore have to fly.” said the academic

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