Blowing bubbles: Soapy spheres pop pollen on fruit trees

科学家吹泡泡受启发：肥皂泡可为果树授粉

Beloved by children and many adults, soap bubbles would hardly seem to be the most robust vehicle for pollinating fruit and vegetables. But Japanese researchers have found that these delicate spheres can each carry up to 2,000 grains of pollen, and their gentle kiss is strong enough to fertilise a flowering pear tree.

深受儿童和许多成年人的喜爱，肥皂泡似乎不是给果蔬授粉的最有力的载体。但日本的研究人员们发现，这些易碎的球体每个都能携带多达2000个花粉颗粒，它们温柔的轻吻足以使一棵开花的梨树受粉。

The lead researcher had previously experimented with drones for pollination without much success. But one day, while blowing bubbles with his young son in a park, inspiration literally popped up in front of his face.

这项研究的首席研究员曾实验过用无人机授粉，但成效不大。但是有一天，当他和年幼的儿子在公园里吹泡泡的时候，灵感顿时出现在他的面前。

After a few chemical alterations to the soapy mixture, the scientists loaded up their bubble guns and headed to a local pear orchard. Sixteen days later, young fruits started to form at a similar rate to trees pollinated by hand.

在对肥皂混合物做出了一些化学改变之后，科学家们把肥皂混合物装进汽泡枪，前往当地的一个梨园。16天后，幼果开始形成，其速度与人工授粉的树木不相上下。

While scientists agree that natural pollination is the best method of fertilising fruit and veg, the Japanese team believe that drones armed with soap bubble sprayers could, in future, take some of the strain from hardworking bees.