關於珠穆朗瑪峯你可能不知道的10件事
Over 60 years have passed since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made history as the first successful summiteers of Mount Everest, yet the desire to climb the mountain hasn't waned over the decades. We hear countless stories of the triumphant—or, more recently, tragic—attempts to reach the top. But many interesting facts about the mountain aren't common knowledge.
距離埃德蒙·希拉里爵士（Sir Edmund Hillary）和丹增·諾爾蓋（Tenzing Norgay）首次登頂珠穆朗瑪峯已有60餘年，但人們的登峯激情卻並未在這漫長的時間長河中消失殆盡。我們經常聽到有人成功登頂，以及一些不幸失敗的故事（尤其是最近）。但關於珠穆朗瑪峯的趣實卻遠不止這些。
10. Mountain Spiders
10. 峯上蜘蛛
Even high in the sky, with barely enough air to breathe, we still can't hide from spiders. Euophrys omnisuperstes ("standing above everything"), better known as Himalayan jumping spiders, hide in nooks and crevices on the slopes of Everest, making them one of the Earth's highest permanent residents. Climbers have spotted them as high as 6,700 meters (22,000 ft). The tiny spiders manage to feed on whatever stray insects the severe winds blow up the mountain. They're virtually the only animals permanently based at such a high altitude, aside from a few species of bird. In addition, several previously unnamed grasshopper species were collected during the famously ill-fated 1924 British Everest expedition and are now on display in the British Natural History Museum.
即使在幾乎沒有空氣可供呼吸的珠穆朗瑪峯，我們也有可能與蜘蛛不期而遇。在珠穆朗瑪峯斜坡上的凹縫和裂隙之中，就可以見到被稱爲“喜馬拉雅跳蛛”的Euophrysomnisuperstes（意爲“萬物之上”）蜘蛛，這些蜘蛛是世界上居住海拔最高的永久居民之一。登山者在海拔6700米（22000英尺）的地方發現了它們。這種小蜘蛛以被強風吹上山的迷途昆蟲爲食。除了一些品種獨特的鳥之外，這些跳蛛可以說是生活在如此高海拔地區的唯一動物。並且，在1924年的那次以失敗告終的英國珠峯探險之中，探險者就採集到了跳蛛樣本，這些樣本現在被陳列在英國自然歷史博物館（British Natural History Museum）之中。
9. Two Men Climbed It 21 Times
9. 兩個攀登珠峯21次的人
Two Sherpas, Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi, hold the joint record for most Everest ascents. The pair have each managed to reach the summit an impressive 21 times. Phurba reached the top of the world three times in 2007 alone, and Apa has successfully summited the mountain almost every year between 1990 and 2011. Apa says that he has seen clear changes on Everest caused by global warming over the years. He has spoken of his concerns over melting snow and glaciers, which expose the rock and make it increasingly tough to climb. He also worries for the well-being of Sherpas, after losing his own home in a flood caused by the melted glaciers. Apa has dedicated several Everest ascents to raising awareness of climate change. 8The World's Highest Brawl03
兩個夏爾巴人——阿帕·夏爾巴（Apa Sherpa）和普巴·塔西（Phurba Tashi）——共同保持着登頂珠峯次數最多的紀錄。令人敬佩的是，他們兩人各自成功登頂珠峯21次。普巴在2007年獨自一人三次登頂珠穆朗瑪峯這座“世界之巔”，而阿帕則是在1990年到2011年這段時間裏，幾乎每年都會成功登頂珠峯。阿帕說道，受全球變暖的影響，珠穆朗瑪峯在這些年裏發生了明顯變化。他擔心積雪和冰川的融化會使岩石裸露，這樣的話，登頂珠峯將會變得愈加困難。他也對夏爾巴人幸福康樂的生活表示憂慮，因爲他自己的家就毀於一次冰川融化造成的洪水氾濫之中。阿帕的好幾次登峯探險都致力於提高人們對氣候變化的意識。
8. The World's Highest Brawl
8. 史上海拔最高的“珠峯紛爭”
Everest climbs aren't always the harmonious triumphs you might imagine. In 2013, climbers Ueli Steck, Simone Moro, and Jonathan Griffith found themselves in a violent brawl with Sherpas after allegedly ignoring orders to halt their climb. The Sherpas accused the climbers of getting in their way and causing an avalanche that hit other Sherpas laying ropes downhill. The climbers denied the accusations, and the confrontation turned violent. The Sherpas kicked, punched, and beat the men with rocks, and Moro says one angry Sherpa even threatened to kill him. The fight might have ended considerably worse, but American climber Melissa Arnot warned the trio to flee to the basecamp before the rest formed a mob and stoned them to death. After the incident, a Nepal army official stood witness as both sides signed a peace agreement to settle the dispute. 7A 450-Million-Year History04
登頂珠穆朗瑪峯的探險，並不如你所想的那樣，總是洋溢着和諧的歡欣氣氛。2013年，三個登山愛好者烏里·斯特克（Ueli Steck）、西蒙尼·摩爾（Simone Moro）和喬納森·格里菲斯（Jonathan Griffith）罔顧夏爾巴人暫作歇息的命令而繼續攀爬的行爲，觸怒了當地夏爾巴人，從而引發了一場激烈紛爭。夏爾巴人指責這三個登山者妨礙了他們安裝繩索，並且他們不顧命令繼續攀爬的行爲致使山上冰塊坍塌，將正在山上安裝繩子的其他幾個夏爾巴人砸下了山。但這幾個登山者卻否認夏爾巴人的控訴，由此衝突愈演愈烈。夏爾巴人向這三個登山者投擲石子，拳腳相向，摩爾還透露說，一個憤怒的夏爾巴人甚至威脅要殺掉他。儘管雙方最後還是結束了這次紛爭，但美國登山者梅利莎·阿諾特（Melissa Arnot）還是警告這三個人趁着夏爾巴人未開始新一輪的暴亂，將他們用石頭投擲致死之前，逃回他們的宿營基地。在這次紛爭之後，雙方在一位尼泊爾軍官的見證下簽署了一份和平協議。
7. A 450-Million-Year History
7. 珠峯有着4.5億年的歷史
Although the Himalayan Mountains formed 60 million years ago, Everest's history actually goes back a lot further. The limestone and sandstone rock at the summit of the mountain was once part of sedimentary layers below sea level 450 million years ago. Over time, ocean floor rocks were forced together and pushed upward at a speed of up to 11 centimeters (4.5 in) per year, eventually reaching the current position. The upper formations of Everest now contain marine fossils of sea creatures and shells that once occupied the earlier ocean. Explorer Noel Odell first discovered the fossils embedded within Everest's rocks in 1924, proving that the mountain had once been below sea level. The first rock specimens from Everest were brought back by Swiss climbers in 1956 and by an American climbing team in 1963.6Height Dispute05
儘管喜馬拉雅山脈是在6000萬年前形成，但實際上珠穆朗瑪峯卻遠在這之前就已形成。峯頂上的石灰岩和砂岩曾是4.5億年前的海底沉積岩的一部分。隨着時間的推移，海底岩石因受擠壓而聚攏在一起，並且以每年11釐米（4.5英寸）的速度上升，最終形成了現在的高度。我們如今仍能在珠穆朗瑪峯的上面部分見到幾億年前的海生物和貝殼化石。探險家諾埃爾·奧德爾（Noel Odell）在1924年第一次發現了嵌入珠穆朗瑪峯巖石中的海洋化石，證明了珠峯所在地區原是一片海洋。1956年的瑞士登山隊和1963年的美國登山隊首次帶回了珠穆朗瑪峯的岩石樣本。
6. Height Dispute
6. 關於珠峯的海拔高度之爭
Exactly how tall is Mount Everest? That depends on what side of the border you're on. China has said the peak is at 8,844 meters (29,016 ft), while Nepal says 8,848 meters (29,029 ft). That's because China argues that the mountain should purely be measured by rock height, excluding the meters of snow at the very top. Whether or not that's the better measure, the international community regularly includes snow when describing the heights of peaks around the world. The two countries came to an agreement in 2010, settling the official height as 8,848 meters. 5It's Growing06
珠穆朗瑪峯究竟有多高？這可就得取決於你支持哪一國的言論了。中國認爲珠穆朗瑪峯的高度爲8844米（29016英尺），而尼泊爾卻堅持認爲珠峯的海拔高度爲8848米（29029英尺）。這是因爲中方認爲對珠穆朗瑪峯海拔的測量應該僅僅只以岩石高度爲基準，而不能將峯頂積雪計算在內。不管那是否是更加合理的測量方法，國際社會公認的珠峯高度是將峯頂積雪計算在內的覆雪高度。兩國在2010年就珠穆朗瑪峯海拔問題達成一致，正式將珠穆朗瑪峯的高度確定爲8848米。
5. It's Growing
5. 不斷增長的高度
Both Chinese and Nepalese ideas of the mountain's height may be wrong, according to more recent measurements.A research team discovered in 1994 that Everest continues to grow approximately 4 millimeters (0.16 in) every year. The Indian subcontinent was originally an independent landmass that collided with Asia, forming the Himalayas, and the continental plates are still moving, pushing the mountains ever archers from the American Millennium Expedition in 1999 placed a global positioning satellite device below the summit to measure growth. Their more accurate findings from the modern technology led to the official height of Everest being changed to 8,850 meters (29,035 ft). Meanwhile, other tectonic activity actually costs the mountain height, but the overall movement seems to be upward. 4Multiple Names07
最新的測量結果顯示，中國與尼泊爾關於珠穆朗瑪峯高度的說法可能都不準確。1994年的一個研究小組發現，珠穆朗瑪峯以每年4毫米（0.16英寸）左右的速度繼續上升。印度次大陸原本是一個相當獨立的地理單元，後來在漂移的過程中與歐亞大陸發生碰撞，形成了喜馬拉雅山脈，然後印度板塊推動着歐亞板塊一起漂移，使喜馬拉雅山脈逐年升高。1999年美國“千禧年珠峯測量計劃”的研究人員在峯頂上安置了全球衛星定位系統，以此來測量珠峯高度。這種依靠現代科技測量出來的海拔高度更爲精確，由此美國將珠穆朗瑪峯的海拔高度正式更改爲8850米（29035英尺）。同時，其他的一些地殼運動實際上會使珠穆朗瑪峯的高度有所削減，但珠峯的整體運動似乎還是趨向於上升的。
4. Multiple Names
4. 多樣的名稱
Although we know the mountain as "Everest," Tibetan natives have called the mountain by the ancient name ""Chomolungma" (also spelled "Qomolangma") for centuries. The Tibetan name means "Goddess Mother of Mountains." But that isn't the only other name it goes by. The Nepalese people know it as "Sagarmatha," meaning "Forehead in the Sky," so the mountain is now a part of the Nepalese "Sagarmatha National Park."The mountain was only named "Everest" when British surveyor Andrew Waugh failed to find a commonly used local name. After studying maps of the surrounding areas and still being unable to make a decision, he named the mountain after Indian Surveyor General George Everest, head of the British team that first surveyed the Himalayas. Colonel Everest objected to the honor, but the British officially changed their name for the mountain from "Peak XV" to "Mount Everest" in 1865.3A Human Traffic Jam08
儘管我們通常稱此山爲“埃佛勒斯峯（Everest）”，但藏族人民在幾個世紀裏對它的傳統稱謂卻是“珠穆朗瑪峯（Chomolungma或Qomolangma）”。將它的藏語名稱簡譯出來就是“神女峯”（Goddess Mother of Mountains）。但這並不是這座山峯唯一的名字。尼泊爾人民將它稱爲“薩迦瑪塔（Sagarmatha）”，其意是“高達天庭的山峯”（Forehead in the Sky），因此這座山峯如今屬於“薩迦瑪塔國家公園”（Sagarmatha National Park）的一部分。英國測量員安德魯·華夫（Andrew Waugh）在測量此山時首次將其命名爲 “埃佛勒斯峯”（Everest），因爲他是在印度平原遙測的，並未進入西藏和尼泊爾，所以對這座山峯的其他當地名稱一概不知。當他在地圖上對周邊地區巡視了一番之後，仍不能確定它的名稱，於是他以印度測量局前任局長，即此次英國測量隊的領頭人喬治·埃佛勒斯（George Everest ）的名字命名此山。儘管埃佛勒斯上校本人反對這個稱謂，但英國還是在1865年正式將此山的名字由“第15峯（Peak XV）”更改爲“埃佛勒斯山”。
3. A Human Traffic Jam
3. 珠峯上的“交通擁堵”
Despite Everest costing thousands of dollars to climb, more people than ever are trying to summit it. In 2012, German mountaineer Ralf Dujmovits captured a shocking image showing hundreds of climbers lining up to reach the summit. Ralf had made the decision to turn back at the South Col of the mountain due to poor weather conditions when he spotted the painfully long queue. On May 19, 2012, climbers crowding one landmark near the summit faced a two-hour wait. In the course of just half a day, 234 people managed to reach the peak—but four people died, raising major concerns over the climbing process. Nepal specialists that year added a new fixed rope to ease congestion, and there have even been talks of installing permanent ladders.2The World's Dirtiest Mountain09
儘管登頂珠峯所需花費高達上萬，但仍有越來越多的人嘗試登頂珠峯。2012年，德國登山家拉爾夫·杜伊莫維茨（Ralf Dujmovits）拍攝了一張令人震撼的照片，照片拍攝的是一羣攀登珠峯的登山者排隊登頂的情景。拉爾夫在抵達珠峯南坳時，由於遇到惡劣的天氣狀況，他決定就此返回，但就在下山途中，他看到了這樣一支費力攀爬的登山長隊。2012年5月19日，涌向這座“世界之巔”的大批登山者被堵在了峯頂附近，並在此滯留了兩個多小時。僅在這半天裏，就有234人成功登頂珠峯——但有四人在下山時喪生，這提高了人們在登峯過程中的安全意識。尼泊爾當局在那年還額外安裝了一根新的固定繩索，以此來緩解珠峯上的交通擁堵，甚至曾經還有人提出要在珠峯上安裝幾架永久梯子。
2. The World's Dirtiest Mountain
2. 世上最“髒”的山
Countless photos document climbers on their way to the Everest summit, but we rarely see images of what they leave behind. Everest is littered with not just the corpses of climbers but an estimated 50 tons of waste, with more left behind each season. The slopes are strewn with disregarded oxygen bottles, climbing equipment, and plenty of human feces. The Eco Everest Expedition has hit the mountain each year since 2008 to tackle the problem, and they've collected over 13 tons of waste so far. The Nepalese government have enforced a new rule starting in 2014 that climbers must each bring down 8 kilograms (18 lb) of waste on their descent, else lose their $4,000 deposit. Artists working on the “Everest 8848 Art Project” have turned 8 tons of the rubbish, including broken tents and beer cans, into 75 pieces of art. Sixty-five porters worked over two spring expeditions to carry down the trash, and the artists turned it into sculptures to highlight the issue of mess on the mountain. 1It's Not The Tallest Mountain10
有數不盡的照片記錄着登山者攀登珠穆朗瑪峯的過程，但我們卻極少看到記錄這些登山者遺留物的照片。珠穆朗瑪峯上除了遇難登山者的屍體之外，還約有50餘噸的廢棄物，而且每個季節都會產生新的垃圾。被廢棄的氧氣罐、登山裝備和人類排泄物在珠峯上隨處可見。自2008年以來，珠峯生態探險隊（Eco Everest Expedition）每年都會登上珠穆朗瑪峯來處理垃圾污染問題，截至目前，他們已經拾撿了13餘噸垃圾。尼泊爾政府就此還出臺了一項新規定，從2014年開始，每位登山者必須攜帶8公斤（18磅）垃圾下山，否則他們的4000美元保證金將被扣押。“珠峯8848藝術項目”（Everest 8848 Art Project）的藝術家們把8噸珠峯垃圾（包括破舊的帳篷和啤酒罐）變爲75件藝術展品。65人在春季登頂珠峯兩次，纔將這些垃圾從珠峯上帶了下來，藝術家們的這次“變廢爲寶”的展覽是爲了引起人們對珠峯環境問題的重視。
1. It's Not The Tallest Mountain
1. 珠穆朗瑪峯並非世界最高峯
Although Mount Everest is the highest point on Earth from sea level, Mauna Kea, an inactive Hawaiian volcano, holds the record as the world's tallest mountain. Everest's peak is at a higher altitude, but that doesn't make it taller. Mauna Kea may only reach a height of 4,205 meters (13,796 ft) above sea level, but the volcano extends an incredible 6,000 meters (20,000 ft) below the water's surface. Measured from its base on the ocean floor, its full height stands at 10,200 meters (33,465 ft) making it almost a mile taller that Everest. In fact, depending on how you measure it, Everest is neither the tallest mountain nor the highest peak. Chimborazo, in Ecuador, only reaches 6,267 meters (20,661 ft) above sea level, but it's the highest point from the exact center of the Earth. This is because Chimborazo lies just one degree south of the equator. The Earth bulges at its midsection, so Ecuador's sea level sits farther from the planet's center than Nepal's.
雖然珠穆朗瑪峯是地球上距海平面最高的山峯，但世界最高峯卻是夏威夷的一座死火山——莫納克亞山（Mauna Kea）。儘管珠穆朗瑪峯峯頂處於高海拔，但那並不能額外延伸珠峯高度。而莫納克亞山在海平面以上的高度雖然只有4205米（13796英尺），但不可思議的是，這座山卻在海平面之下延伸了6000米（20000英尺）。如果從海底開始測量，那它的總高度將達到10200米（33465英尺），差不多比珠穆朗瑪峯高了整整一英里。實際上，不論你採取何種測量方式，珠穆朗瑪峯既不是海拔最高，也不是總高度最高的山峯。厄瓜多爾的欽博拉索山（Chimborazo）雖然在海平面以上的高度只有6267米（20661英尺），但它卻是離地心最遠的地方。因爲欽博拉索山位於赤道以南一度左右的地方。地球剛好在它的中部區域凸出來，因此，厄瓜多爾的海平面離地心的距離較尼泊爾更遠。
注：文章轉載自前十網，譯者：李念
