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Pollination: Why the bees sucks?
授粉：為何雄蜂很差勁？
Plans for artificial pollinators are afoot.
人造授粉者計劃蓄勢待發
It is, in one way, the ultimate drone.
人造雄蜂堪稱終極的飛行利器。
In another, though, it is the antithesis of what a drone should be.
但它與自然界的雄蜂截然不同。
Drones are supposed to laze around in the hive while their sisters collect nectar and pollinate flowers.
雄蜂一般都在蜂巢附近徘徊，而由工蜂采集花蜜和為花朵授粉。
But pollination is this drone’s very reason for existing.
但是，今天我們所說的是生來就是為了授粉的人造雄蜂。
The drone in question is the brainchild of Eijiro Miyako, of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, in Tsukuba, Japan.
人造雄蜂的構想由日本筑波市產業技術綜合研究所的宮古博士率先提出。
It is the first attempt by an engineer to deal with what many perceive as an impending agricultural crisis.
對于大家覺得即將發生的農業危機，這是第一次有工程人員出面加以應對。
Pollinating insects in general, and bees in particular, are falling in numbers. The reasons why are obscure.
基本上，授粉昆蟲（尤其是蜜蜂）的數量正日漸減少，而原因卻不甚分明。
But some fear certain crops will become scarcer and more expensive as a result.
但有些人擔憂的是，這種現象將導致某些特定作物的產量下降，價格上漲。
Attempts to boost the number of natural pollinators have so far failed.
至今，所有試圖增加授粉生物數量的嘗試均告失敗。
Perhaps, thinks Dr Miyako, it is time to build some artificial ones instead.
可能正如宮古博士所想，人造授粉者登場的時候到了。
His pollinator-bot does not, it must be said, look much like a bee.
實際上，宮古博士的授粉機器人看上去并不像真的蜜蜂。
英文文本來自經濟學人 譯文來自陌生
