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This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Karen Hopkin. This will just take a minute.

Some people never forget a face. Others never forget a flu. Even if they were infected more than 90 years ago. A team of American scientists studied 32 people who survived the 1918 flu epidemic¹. That virus, also called the Spanish flu, killed an estimated 20 to 100 million people worldwide.

Of course many more survived, and some are still around today. The scientists tracked them down and took a small sample of their blood. And they found that all 32 people they tested still had circulating antibodies that could recognize the 1918 flu strain. What’s even more remarkable² is that these immune molecules³ still work. Injecting the antibodies into mice protected the animals from experimental infection with the virus. The results were published online in the journal Nature on August 13th.

The scientists say that these elder antibodies could guide the way to new therapies to ward⁴ off flu should a virus similar to the 1918 strain arise. In the meantime, I guess you can be thankful that as your joints⁵ grow creaky and your vision fades, at least your immune system stays on its feet.

Thanks for the minute for Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Karen Hopkin.

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收听单词发音

1 epidemic
n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的
参考例句：
That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。 The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

2 remarkable
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。 These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

3 molecules
分子( molecule的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。 Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

4 ward
n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开
参考例句：
The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。 During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

5 joints
接头( joint的名词复数 )；关节；公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所）（非正式）；一块烤肉（英式英语）
参考例句：
Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。 Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。