Issue 033, 2026 SCIENCE FOCUS Organoids – An Alternative to Lab Rats? 類器官 — 實驗老鼠的替代方案？ The Science of Tears 淚之科學 Do “Seas Within the Sea” Like in SpongeBob Really Exist? 《海綿寶寶》中的「海中之海」真的 存在嗎？ Decoding the Aerodynamics of Incredible Shots Across the Sport Arena 劃過賽場上空的變幻球：空氣動力學 From Grapes to Diamonds: The Fascinating World of Wine Crystals 從葡萄到鑽石：葡萄酒結晶的奇妙世界
Dear Readers, As you look forward to your summer holidays, we hope that you will have time to explore ideas that are presented in this issue of Science Focus. After all, we have articles that are related to one of the biggest events this year, the World Cup. Are you intrigued about the design of the football that will be used in this year’s competition? You may want to take it into consideration when you cry about incredible goals scored against your favorite team. Interestingly, the tears you shed are going to be quite different from the ones triggered by pollutants. For those of you who are interested in chemistry, we treat you with a story on chirality beyond the textbook. Do you know what is in common between wine crystals and amino acids? While none of us can live in “seas within the sea” in the SpongeBob cartoon, can you imagine there are living things that can? Finally, we return from deep ocean to the lab and consider how organoids can be used to advance research and medical treatments. We would like to thank those of you who participated in our recent “Science in Transportation” Design Competition. We were very happy to see your creativity and artistry. Please head over to our Instagram page to see the winning entries. Yours faithfully, Prof. Ho Yi Mak Editor-in-Chief 親愛的讀者： 在盼待暑假來臨的同時，希望您能善用假期了解今期《科言》探索 的主題，當中的文章與今年最大盛事世界盃有關。 您對今年比賽用球的設計感興趣嗎？也許您為愛隊失球而痛哭時 應該好好考慮這點，有趣的是那時的眼淚並不會與因污染物觸發的相 同。對於喜愛化學的同學，我們會告訴您一個教科書沒有提及，關於手 性的故事，而您又知道葡萄酒結晶與氨基酸之間的共通之處嗎？此外， 雖然沒有人能在《海綿寶寶》中的「海中之海」存活，但您能想像竟然 有生物可以？最後，我們從深海回到實驗室，探討類器官如何有助推進 科研及疾病治療發展。 我們亦希望感謝最近參加過「交通工具的科學」設計比賽的同學， 大家的創意和藝術才能令我們眼前一亮。請瀏覽我們的 Instagram 專頁查看得獎作品。 主編 麥晧怡教授 敬上 Message from the Editor-in-Chief 主編的話 Copyright © 2026 HKUST E-mail: sciencefocus@ust.hk Homepage: https://sciencefocus.hkust.edu.hk Scientific Advisors 科學顧問 Prof. Jiying Li 黎吉映教授 Prof. Adrian Po 傅凱駿教授 Prof. Kenward Vong 黃敬皓教授 Editor-in-Chief 主編輯 Prof. Ho Yi Mak麥晧怡教授 Managing Editor 總編輯 Daniel Lau 劉劭行 Student Editorial Board學生編委 Editors 編輯 Charlotte Chau 周逸之 Ian Cheng 鄭朗健 Sam Fan 樊潤璋 Roshni Printer Jane Yang 楊靜悠 Daria Zaitseva Social Media Editor 社交媒體編輯 Inushi Dinethsa Galappaththi Graphic Designers 設計師 Nicole Lau 劉芯 Ashley Sia 佘恩萱 Winkie Wong 王穎琪 Contents Science Focus Issue 033, 2026 What’s Happening in Hong Kong? 香港科技活動 "Science in Transportation" Visual Explainer Challenge 1 2026 – Result Announcement 圖解「交通工具的科學」設計比賽 2026 — 結果公佈 Hong Kong Science Museum 35th Anniversary Exhibition 香港科學館 35 周年展覽 Science Today 今日科學 Organoids – An Alternative to Lab Rats? 2 類器官 — 實驗老鼠的替代方案？ Amusing World of Science 趣味科學 The Science of Tears 7 淚之科學 Do “Seas Within the Sea” Like in SpongeBob 12 Really Exist? 《海綿寶寶》中的「海中之海」真的存在嗎？ Decoding the Aerodynamics of Incredible Shots 16 Across the Sport Arena 劃過賽場上空的變幻球：空氣動力學 From Grapes to Diamonds: The Fascinating World 20 of Wine Crystals 從葡萄到鑽石：葡萄酒結晶的奇妙世界
What’s Happening in Hong Kong? 香港科技活動 Fun in Summer Science Activities 夏日科學好節目 Any plans for this summer? Check out the following event! 計劃好這個夏天的課餘節目了嗎？不妨考慮以下活動！ "Science in Transportation" Visual Explainer Challenge 2026 Result Announcement 圖解「交通工具的科學」設計比賽 2026 — 結果公佈 Champion 冠軍 Lee Jeannie On Kiu 李安翹 First Runner-Up 亞軍 Sun Fan Wan 孫凡勻 Second Runner-Up 季軍 Ho Tsz Yan Antonia 何祉欣 Best Effort Award 最佳努力獎 Lau Ya Lei 劉雅蕾 Visit our website for the winning entries. 請到《科言》網頁查看得獎作品。 Hong Kong Science Museum 35th Anniversary Exhibition 香港科學館35周年展覽 To celebrate its 35th anniversary, the Hong Kong Science Museum presents "Enjoy Science, Infinite Fun," a special exhibition that takes you on a journey through its history. Visitors can explore a time tunnel of the museum's development, revisit classic exhibitions, and see the museum's first-ever robot. The exhibition also reveals the inner workings of the iconic "Energy Machine." Through interviews with special guests, you will hear precious memories and gain diverse perspectives on science. Don't miss the AI interactive photo booth, where innovative technology and playful experiences come together to capture your joyful moments of encountering science. Period: Now – July 15, 2026 Venue: 1/F Lobby, Hong Kong Science Museum 展期： 現在至2026年7月15日 地點： 香港科學館一樓大堂 香港科學館為慶祝成立35周年，呈獻「樂 在科學 ‧ 無限趣味」特別展覽，邀請大家回顧科 學館歷史。觀眾將踏上介紹科學館發展的時光 隧道，重溫經典展覽，以及認識科學館首部機械 人。展覽亦會解構其「鎮館之寶」能量穿梭機的 運作原理。透過特別嘉賓的訪談片段，觀眾將了 解他們與科學館的珍貴回憶，並從不同角度欣賞 科學。不要錯過結合創新科技和趣味體驗的AI 互動照相亭，捕捉您與科學相遇的歡樂時刻。 1
Organoids 類器官– An Alternative to Lab Rats? 實驗老鼠的替代方案？ The Problems of Using Lab Rats People often jokingly say "you are a lab rat" when one is being experimented on something new. For decades, early stages of clinical trials use rodents like rats and mice before testing on human subjects. However, there are still two major issues around the use of animal models. First, the ethical dilemma: Does the benefit of drug testing outweigh the cost of animal suffering? Can we minimize the use of vertebrates in research? Second, the scientific dilemma: Can rats sufficiently represent human? Scientists have used rats and mice for modeling complex mammalian physiology and pathology. This is based on the notion that the making of the human body is instructed by a network of conserved proteins that are mostly found in rats and mice. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to accurately predict drug efficacy in animal models [1]. What if we can grow models of human organs, using real human cells instead? Organoids in a Nutshell Enter organoids, self-assembling, 3D miniature cell clusters that mimic aspects of the real organ. The word “organoid” has two parts: “Organ” refers to a collection of cells and tissues that work together to perform specific functions, while the suffix “-oid” means the resemblance of a specified object – in this case an organ. So … is an organoid just an organ, with the same geometry but just smaller? Not exactly. Organs, as you may know, have a characteristic shape and internal structures. For example, the small intestine is a tubular structure. However, an organoid of a small intestine does not look like winding tubes under a microscope. In fact, the small intestine organoid, which is the first organoid to be developed, appeared as spherical hollow sacs, with small bud-like protrusions on their surface. These buds mimic intestinal crypts, pockets that house stem cells in real intestines, though the overall structure bears no resemblance to the winding tube shape [2]. The Story of the First Organoid It is well known that the absorptive and secretory cells on the surface of our intestine are periodically replaced by new cells that are derived from stem cells. However, the exact identity of the stem cells remained elusive until 2007, when Hans Clevers' group made a pivotal advance [3]. They identified Lgr5, a marker unique to stem cells residing in crypts of small intestine. With these cells now identifiable and purifiable, it begs the question: Could they be grown outside the body? Toshiro Sato joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow to answer precisely this question [2]. In the beginning of the study, Clevers and his team encountered a major problem – Intestinal stem cells would die when
By Ian Cheng 鄭朗健 3 separated from the other cells in the intestine. Sato tried thousands of combinations of growth factors to arrive at the conditions suitable for "eternal growth." They used a cocktail of three growth factors: R-spondin, epidermal growth factor, and noggin [4]. Instead of working on a 2D surface, they used a soft, porous material called Matrigel, which provides the stem cells with a 3D space to grow, just like inside of the body [5]. The results were shocking. "[Toshiro] realized what he had created was not just a lump of stem cells. It was a structure that recapitulates the normal structure of a gut and contains all the cell types of the epithelium, and even the cell types would be in the right location," Dr. Clevers recalled [2]. The stem cells did not simply multiply; they differentiated into multiple cell types and selforganized into unique spheroid structures. Sato and Clevers were not the first to use the term "organoid." It had been applied without consistent definitions to various 3D cultures since mid-1960s. But their 2009 breakthrough launched a field explosion: Stomach, colon, liver, and pancreas organoids were created using the same principles – planting stem cells on a 3D culture supplemented with growth factors between 2010 and 2013 [5, 6]. This rapid expansion created a need for clarity. In 2014, Lancaster and Knoblich formally defined an organoid as "a collection of organ-specific cell types that develops from stem cells or organ progenitors and self-organizes through cell sorting and spatially restricted lineage commitment" – a definition that captured what Sato, Clevers and their colleagues had accidentally discovered five years earlier [5]. Why Do We Need Organoids? In 2013, the Clevers and Watanabe labs published another pivotal research paper. They showed that intestine organoids transplanted to an injured area of the mice intestine could function normally [7]. The transplanted organoids integrated so well that they were indistinguishable from the host tissue when examined under the microscope [2]. The discovery opened a window for scientists to ponder the possibility of organoids in regenerative medicine. Patient-derived organoids enable autologous transplantation – transplanting one’s own tissues back to the body to replace the function of failing organs – solving the host-versus-graft problem in transplantation (the patient’s immune system attacks the transplanted organ from donor). In 2024, a group of researchers transplanted patient-derived organoids of pancreas (islets) into a patient with type I diabetes. Seventy-five days after the transplantation, the patient achieved insulin independence [8], in a disease which is otherwise lifelong, highlighting the potential of organoids in autologous transplantation. The success in this single patient warrants further clinical studies. Beyond regenerative medicines, researchers use animal models traditionally as an analogy to humans, and it has indeed provided us with ample insights about treating diseases. Yet there are features specific to humans that we cannot model with animal models like rats and mice [9]. Organoids derived from humans can act as a window to these features. A prime example is using organoids to understand the human brain – arguably the most complex object in the universe. Brain organoids are a simplified version of the brain,
making the task of understanding the organ more manageable [10]. For example, some researchers harness brain organoids to trace how brain cells develop and migrate in the fetus, while others connect a few brain organoids to investigate how pain signals travel from our skin to our brain [10]. More importantly, to be able to model a disease in rodents, scientists need to know the cause of it, and that takes about a year [9]. Patient-derived organoids can speed up the process significantly, allowing scientists to move faster when developing a model. In brain organoid research, scientists have already used brain organoids derived from patients to model Alzheimer's disease and Parkison’s disease [6]. Perhaps a more exciting is the application of organoids in drug screening. For a long time, poor assessment of drug toxicity in the preclinical stage has been a major cause behind the failure of many drug developments [6]. This is particularly true for cancer therapies, which may have severe, sometimes lethal side effects. To this end, drug efficacy and toxicity can be better studied by comparing the response of organoids that are derived from normal and cancer cells from the same patients [6]. The End of Lab Rats? So where does this leave us? Are organoids the end of "you're a lab rat?" Not yet. Model organisms still have unique value in the scientific community. With a large body of work and laboratory techniques already established, animal models allow a low-cost way for fundamental research [9]. While the potential for organoids in precision and regenerative medicine is widely recognized, the field of organoids is still in its infancy, with major technical bottlenecks ahead and limited clinical outcomes. However, regulatory progress has been made with the passing of the “FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Modernization Act 2.0” in the United States. It authorizes the use of “new approach methodologies,” including organoids and 使用實驗老鼠的弊病 當有人被迫參與試驗新事物時，人們常開玩笑說：「你 被人拿來當白老鼠。」過往數十年，新藥在進行人體試驗 前，都會先在大鼠和小鼠等囓齒動物上進行初步臨床測 試。然而，以動物為模型仍有兩大難題。首先是道德上的 取捨：藥物測試帶來的好處，是否抵得過動物承受的痛 苦？我們能否在研究中減少使用脊椎動物？其次是科學 上的難題：大鼠能充分模擬人類嗎？科學家一直用大小 鼠模擬哺乳動物複雜的生理與病理過程，這是基於操控 人類體內活動的蛋白質大多亦存在於大小鼠身上，它們 都是在演化過程得以保留的蛋白質。可是，要準確地以 動物模型預測藥物在人體上的效用仍然困難 [1]。 若我們能以人類細胞培養出人體器官模型，又會怎 樣呢？ 甚麽是類器官？ 類器官（organoid）是可以自我成形的三維迷你細 胞團，在某程度上能模擬真實器官。「類器官」一詞由兩 部分組成：「器官」（organ）是指一群執行共同特定功 能的細胞及組織，「類」（-oid）則表示與特定物件的相 似性，在此即指「類似器官的東西」。 那麼，類器官就是具有正常器官形狀的迷你版器官 嗎？這個描述並不準確。正如你可能知道，器官具有特定 形狀和內部結構，就像小腸是管狀結構。然而，小腸類器 官在顯微鏡下並不是彎曲的管道。事實上，作為史上第 一個類器官，它是中空的球狀囊泡，表面帶有芽狀突出 物。儘管整體結構與小腸彎曲的管狀外形毫不相似，但 AI-based computational models, as alternatives to the compulsory animal testing to support an investigational new drug application [11, 12]. This enables new drugs to be tested in a more effective and human-relevant way [12]. In April 2025, the FDA further announced a roadmap to phase out animal studies in the next three to five years [11]. The end of lab rats – in clinical trials – might not be that far away, after all.
5 表面的芽狀結構類似於真實腸道中容納幹細胞的口袋 ─ 腸隱窩（intestinal crypts）[2]。 首個類器官的故事 研究界已知道腸道表面負責吸收和分泌的細胞會 定期被由幹細胞分化而成的新細胞更替。然而，科學家 一直未能找出識別這些幹細胞的方法，直到2007年 Hans Clevers的研究團隊取得關鍵突破 [3]，發現了小 腸隱窩內幹細胞獨有的生物標記 Lgr5，故此我們能識 別並分離這些細胞。然後下一個問題是：我們能否在體 外培養這些細胞？佐藤俊郎以博士後研究員的身份加入 Clevers的團隊，嘗試解答這個問題 [2]。 在研究初期 Clevers 及其團隊面臨一個重大難題， 就是腸道幹細胞一旦與腸道內其他細胞分離，就會死亡。 佐藤嘗試了數以千計的生長因子組合，終於找到適合持 續生長的培養條件。他們使用了由三種生長因子組成的 混合配方：R-脊椎蛋白1、表皮生長因子和頭蛋白 [4]。 此外，他們不只是在二維平面上培養細胞，而是選用一 種名為基質膠的多孔柔軟材料，為幹細胞提供類似人體 內的三維生長空間 [5]。 實驗結果令人震驚。 Clevers 博士回憶道：「……〔佐藤〕意識到自己創造 出來的並不只是一團幹細胞，而是跟腸道正常結構相似 的組織，當中不僅囊括上皮所有細胞類型，甚至連不同 細胞也分佈在正確的位置 [2]。」因此這些幹細胞不僅自 我複製，更分化成不同細胞類型，並自動組織成獨特的 球狀結構。 佐藤和 Clevers 並非最早使用「類器官」一詞的人。 自1960 年代中期以來，這個詞已被人用來籠統描述各 種三維組織，定義並不統一。然而，他們 2009 年的發現 為整個領域的迅速發展打響頭炮，在 2010至 2013 年 間科學家運用相同原理，將幹細胞置於添加了生長因子 的三維培養基中，成功培養出胃、結腸、肝和胰的類器官 [5, 6]。隨著類器官的快速發展，它需要一個清晰的定 義。2014 年，Lancaster 和 Knoblich 正式將類器官 定義為「源自幹細胞或器官前驅細胞（將會分化為器官 細胞的細胞），並透過細胞分選和在特定位置下進行細 胞特化，而自我成形的一群器官細胞」，這個定義正正 概括了佐藤、Clevers 等人五年前意外發現的成果[5]。 我們為何需要類器官？ 2013 年，Clevers 和渡邊的研究團隊發表了另一篇 關鍵論文。他們的實驗證明，移植到小鼠腸道受損區域 的腸道類器官仍然能夠正常運作 [7]，它們甚至與原來 的身體組織融合得天衣無縫，以至在顯微鏡下幾乎無法 與周圍組織區分 [2]。 這項發現讓科學家思考將類器官應用於再生醫學 （regenerative medicine）上的可能。使用患者自身 細胞培養類器官使自體移植得以實現，因為將患者自身 組織移植至其體內以取代功能衰竭的器官，就能避免傳 統移植中排斥反應（即患者的免疫系統攻擊來自他人的 移植器官）。2024 年，有研究團隊利用一名第一型糖尿 病患者的身體組織培育出胰（島）類器官，然後移植回 該名患者體內。在移植後 75天，該名患者無需再依賴胰 島素注射 [8]，治療了本為終生的疾病。這單一病例上的 成功突顯了此方法的潛力，因此值得以臨床試驗進一步 驗證。 除了再生醫學，研究人員傳統上一直使用動物模型 代替人類。雖然這確實為治療疾病提供了不少啟發，但 是人類仍有一些大小鼠等動物模型無法比擬的獨特之 處 [9]。 從人類組織培育的類器官正好讓我們窺探這些獨特 之處，典型例子是利用類器官研究被喻為可能是宇宙中 最艱澀的人類大腦。腦的類器官較真正大腦簡單，讓我 們更易理解這個像謎一樣的器官 [10]。有研究人員利用 腦類器官追蹤胎兒腦細胞如何發育與遷移，也有研究人 員將數個腦類器官連接，探究疼痛訊號如何從皮膚傳遞 到大腦 [10]。 更重要的是，若要在囓齒動物上模擬疾病，科學家必 須先了解病因，過程通常耗時一年 [9]。從患者組織培養
References 參考資料： [1] Perrin, Steve. “Preclinical research: Make mouse studies work.” Nature, vol. 507, no. 7493, 2014, pp. 423–425. https://doi.org/10.1038/507423a. [2] Clevers, Hans. “Hans Clevers (Hubrecht I., UU) 1: Discovery and Characterization of Adult Stem Cells in the Gut.” Youtube, uploaded by Science Communication Lab, 19 February 2020, https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=HgVivkoA7UA. [3] Barker, Nick, et al. “Identification of stem cells in small intestine and colon by marker gene Lgr5.” Nature, vol. 449, no. 7165, 2007, pp. 1003–1007. https://doi. org/10.1038/nature06196. [4] Paré, Jean-François, and James L. Sherley. “Biological Principles for Ex Vivo Adult Stem Cell Expansion.” Current Topics in Developmental Biology, vol. 73, 2006, pp. 141–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0070-2153(05)730052. [5] Simian, Marina, and Mina. J. Bissell. “ Organoids: A historical perspective of thinking in three dimensions.” Journal of Cell Biology, vol. 216, no. 1, 2017, pp. 31–40. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201610056. [6] Corrò, Claudia, et al. “A brief history of organoids.” American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology, vol. 319, no. 1, 2020, pp. C151–C165. https://doi.org/10.1152/ ajpcell.00120.2020. [7] Yui, Shiro, et al. “Functional engraftment of colon epithelium expanded in vitro from a single adult Lgr5+ stem cell.” Nature Medicine, vol. 18, no. 4, 2012, pp. 618–623. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.2695. [8] Wang, Shusen, et al. “Transplantation of chemically induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived islets under abdominal anterior rectus sheath in a type 1 diabetes patient.” Cell, vol. 187, no. 22, 2024, pp. 6152–6164.e18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.09.004. [9] Kim, Jihoon, et al. “Human organoids: model systems for human biology and medicine.” Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, vol. 21, no. 10, 2020, pp. 571– 584. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-020-0259-3. [10] Zimmer, Carl. “What We Can Learn From Brain Organoids.” The New York Times, 8 Nov. 2025, https:// www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/science/brainorganoids-neurons.html. [11] “S.5002 – 117th Congress (2021-2022): FDA Modernization Act 2.0.” Congress.gov, 2022, https:// www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/5002. [12] “FDA Announces Plan to Phase Out Animal Testing Requirement for Monoclonal Antibodies and Other Drugs.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 10 Apr. 2025, https://www.fda.gov/news-events/pressannouncements/fda-announces-plan-phase-outanimal-testing-requirement-monoclonal-antibodiesand-other-drugs. 類器官能大幅縮短過程，讓科學家快速建立疾病模型。 在腦類器官的研究中，科學家已利用來自患者的類器官 模擬阿茲海默症和柏金遜症 [6]。 也許另一個更令人振奮的類器官應用是藥物篩選。 一直以來，臨床試驗前對藥物毒性評估不佳，是許多新 藥研發失敗的主因 [6]。這點在癌症藥物中尤為明顯， 因為這類療法可能帶來嚴重，甚至致命的副作用。為此， 研究人員透過比較源自同一患者的正常細胞和癌細胞 所培育出的類器官對藥物的反應，就能更準確地評估藥 物的功效和毒性 [6]。 再見實驗老鼠？ 最後這一切到底意味著甚麼？類器官會終結「白老 鼠」的時代嗎？目前還不會。模式生物在科學界仍有獨特 價值，由於已有大量研究成果和成熟的實驗技術，動物 模型提供了成本較低的方法進行基礎研究 [9]。雖然類 器官在精準治療和再生醫學中的潛力已廣受認可，但這 個領域仍處於起步階段，前方還有重大的技術瓶頸，臨 床成果也相當有限。儘管如此，隨著美國通過《食品藥 物管理局（FDA）現代化法案 2.0》，監管上的進程得以 推進，因為法案授權使用類器官和人工智慧電腦模型等 「嶄新方法」，取代新藥臨床試驗申請所需的強制動物 測試 [11, 12]。這使新藥能以更有效，更能模擬人體反 應的方式進行測試 [12]。2025年4月，FDA進一步宣 布了在未來三至五年逐步淘汰動物實驗的路線圖 [11]。 如此看來，可能在不久之後，至少在臨床試驗中，我們將 能與實驗老鼠說再見。
7 By Daria Zaitseva The Science of Tears 淚之科學 Ever cried when watching a movie, chopping onions, or when dirt gets in your eye? The tears rolling down aren’t just saline: They're a sophisticated biological fluid safeguarding your eyes, which contain metabolites, electrolytes, glucose, oxygen, and up to 1,500 proteins, including the most abundant ones associated with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity [1, 2]. Tears play a vital role in protecting and lubricating the eye surface. They can even offer insights about your health. Now let’s unpack the science of tears! What Makes a Tear? First of all, tears can be classified into three types. “Basal tears” are for housekeeping purposes to keep the eye protected and lubricated all the time. Our eye also secretes “reflex tears” in response to irritants like dust or smoke, and “emotional tears” in response to strong emotions like sadness, anger, and joy [1]. Some scientists suspected that emotional tears could provide an emotional relief based on the discovery that additional proteins and hormones were detected, but current evidence remains inconclusive to this hypothesis [3]. Have you wondered why tears can stay on the eye surface? A thin layer of tear fluid called “tear film” is evenly spread on the eye surface every time we blink. The tear film turns out to be not just a layer of aqueous liquid; it consists of an inner mucin layer, a middle aqueous layer, and an outer lipid layer [1]. The inner mucin layer anchors the middle aqueous layer to the hydrophobic corneal surface. The aqueous layer is crucial for lubricating and protecting the eye surface by flushing away toxins and debris.
8 The outer lipid layer can maintain the thickness of the film by reducing the rate of tear evaporation. Only with these structures can the tear film be firmly attached to the eye surface. Tear secretion is a carefully controlled process [4]. When sensory afferent nerves of the cornea and conjunctiva detect dryness and irritants [5], they will signal the efferent parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves connected to the lacrimal gland (Figure 1), to induce secretion of electrolytes, water, and proteins to the eye surface [4]. Notably, the sensory input can be modulated by the lacrimal nucleus of the brain, which integrates input from other centers as well, including emotional input, to produce a graded output. A stronger integrated input can induce the secretion of a greater volume of tear by the lacrimal gland. This can explain why tears overflow during emotional episodes, or in response to environmental irritants to flush away deleterious substances. In fact, low levels of nerve stimulation are already enough to produce basal tear to maintain the normal thickness of the tear film. Artificial Tears The uncomfortable sensations of eye dryness can be distressing. Common causes of dry eye include eye strain from prolonged computer use, specific medical conditions, and exposure to smoky or windy environments [6]. To alleviate this discomfort, lubricating eye drops, often referred to as artificial tears, can be beneficial [7]. Most artificial tears consist of aqueous solutions with thickeners such as carboxymethyl cellulose, hyaluronic acid, hydroxypropyl guar, and polyethene glycol to enhance lubrication and prolong their stay on the eye. Natural tears are a non-Newtonian fluid whose viscosity temporarily reduces during each blink to protect the eye surface. Because of the resemblance to natural tears in terms of physical properties, hyaluronic acid is now under extensive research as a promising viscosityenhancing agent. Other ingredients of artificial tears include electrolytes, pH buffers, antioxidants, and preservatives. It is also worth noting that such aqueous-based artificial tears work by replenishing the aqueous layer of the tear film. However, lipid-based drops also become increasingly common as they can target the outer lipid layer, relieving dry eye symptoms in individuals whose meibomian gland (Figure 1) cannot properly secrete lipids to maintain the layer [7]. A Cry for Help: Tears in Disease Screening and Health Analysis As a peripheral body fluid that can be collected in an easy and non-invasive manner, tears have been studied for their potential use in disease screening. By analyzing tear composition, it could be possible to diagnose a disease by quantifying certain biomarkers, Figure 1 Lacrimal gland and meibomian glands.
9 in this case biological molecules associated with the disease in question. Scientists are exploring clinical applications for various diseases, from eye diseases like dry eye disease and allergic conjunctivitis, to neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. For instance, in a subtype of dry eye disease caused by a deficiency in aqueous tear, inflammatory cytokines are synthesized and released to promote inflammation. Multiple studies reported that IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17 are three inflammatory cytokines that could potentially be the biomarkers for the diagnosis of aqueous-deficient dry eye disease [8]. Tear test, if successfully developed, could also help with the diagnosis of another eye disease, allergic conjunctivitis (AC). Type IV AC is associated with prolonged exposure to allergens, but it is often mistaken for seasonal type I AC in clinical practice. A quick test to quantify the amount of IgE in tear fluid could reliably differentiate the two conditions because low IgE levels are found to be indicative of type IV AC. The test will enable physicians to administer appropriate medication to the patients [9]. Non-invasive tear tests could also become an easy screening method for various neurological diseases because the elevated level of biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid is also observed in tears in some cases. For example, TNF-alpha and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin are two such biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, respectively [10]. Scientists are also making efforts to identify reliable biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. If tearbased screening methods can be developed and commercialized eventually, we will be able to promote population screening in the community. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve the quality of life for both the patients and their caregivers [11]. As for tear-based biodevices, a recent study suggested the possibility for diabetic patients to continuously monitor their tear glucose level with a smart contact lens [12]. The previous challenge of using tear glucose level as an alternative indicator for blood glucose was that single measurement using conventional tear collection methods, such as filter paper strip and capillary tube, always undesirably induce the generation of reflex tears, which will interfere with the results. By embedding an antenna, a glucose sensor and an NFC chip in the soft contact lens, the research team could continuously monitor the glucose level in basal tears, with the ability to transfer real-time data to a mobile device. While tears may contain a wide array of biomarkers that can reveal our health status, there is still a long way to go before relevant technologies can reach the clinic. With extensive research efforts working on the identification of biomarkers and the development of smarter biodevices, tears can one day become a powerful indicator of our health. The Shape of Tears One way to artistically study tears is to observe them under a microscope – by observing the airdried salt crystals or the tear fluid compressed between a microscopic slide and a coverslip [13]. A photographer, Rose-Lynn Fisher, created a project called “The Topography of Tears,” in which she captured the diverse morphology of tears shed by herself and her friends on various occasions. More about the project:
你曾在看電影、切洋蔥，或是有灰塵跑進眼睛時流過 淚嗎？眼淚並不僅是鹽水：它是成分複雜的體液，能保護 你的眼睛，當中包含代謝物、電解質、葡萄糖、氧，以及多 達 1,500 種蛋白質，含量最高的蛋白質與消炎和抗菌息息 相關 [1, 2]。淚液在保護和潤滑眼球表面上扮演至關重要 的角色，甚至能讓你窺探自己的健康狀況。現在就讓我們 揭開淚水的科學面紗吧！ 淚水由甚麼構成？ 首先，淚水可分為三類。「基礎眼淚」每分每刻都在保 護眼睛及保持眼睛潤澤，而眼睛受塵埃或煙霧等刺激物刺 激時會分泌「反射眼淚」，也會在悲傷、憤怒和喜悅等強烈 情緒下分泌「情感眼淚」[1]。由於情感眼淚含有在其他眼 淚中沒有發現的蛋白質和激素，有科學家猜測它能夠提供 情感上的舒緩，儘管目前證據尚未能對此作出定論 [3]。 你有想過眼淚為何能停留在眼球表面嗎？每當我們眨 眼，就能使稱為「淚膜」的淚液層均勻地分佈在眼球表面。 淚膜不是單層水溶液，而是由底層的黏液層、中間的水性 層和外層的脂質層這三層組成 [1]。底層的黏液層將中間 的水性層固定在本為疏水的角膜表面。水性層對潤滑和保 護眼球表面非常重要，皆因它能沖走毒素和碎屑。外層的 脂質層則能降低淚液蒸發的速度，從而維持淚膜的厚度。 只有具備這些結構，淚膜才能牢固地附著在眼球表面。 淚液分泌是受嚴密調控的過程 [4]，當角膜和結膜的 感覺傳入神經偵測到乾燥和刺激物時 [5]，它們會向與淚 腺（圖一）連接的傳出副交感神經和交感神經發出信號， 使淚腺分泌電解質、水分和蛋白質至眼球表面 [4]。這些輸 入信號可進一步被大腦的淚腺核調節，淚腺核會整合來自 其他中樞的信號，包括情感輸入等，進而產生強度有別的 輸出。換言之，經整合後強度較高的輸入能使淚腺分泌更 多淚液，這解釋了為甚麼在情緒激動時眼淚會不斷流淌， 以及在受到環境刺激時，眼睛能分泌大量淚水沖走有害物 質。事實上，低水平的神經刺激就足以產生基礎淚液以維 持淚膜的正常厚度。 人工淚液 眼乾所帶來的不適令人困擾，常見原因包括長時間使 用電腦造成的眼睛疲勞，受某些疾病影響，或身處煙霧 或大風中 [6]。 為了緩解不適，使用稱為「人工淚液」的滋潤眼藥水 可能會有幫助 [7]。大多數人工淚液都由含有增稠劑的水 溶液組成，以增強潤滑效果並延長其在眼球上的停留時 間，添加的增稠劑可以是羧甲基纖維素、玻尿酸、羥丙基 瓜爾膠或聚乙二醇等。天然淚液是非牛頓流體，黏度會 隨每次眨眼暫時降低，以保護眼球表面。由於玻尿酸在物 理特性上與天然淚液相似，因此科學家正對其進行深入 研究，未來有望成為較廣為使用的增稠劑。人工淚液的其 他成分還包括電解質、pH 緩衝劑、抗氧化劑和防腐劑。 值得提及的是，這類水性人工淚液是透過補充淚膜 中的水性層發揮作用，然而脂質類眼藥水亦變得日益普 及，因為它們能針對補充淚膜外層的脂質層，緩解因瞼板 腺（圖一）無法正常分泌脂質而引起的乾眼症狀 [7]。 眼淚的秘密：淚液於疾病篩檢與健康分析中的應用 作為能以簡單、非侵入性方式收集的周邊體液，科學 家正研究採用淚液作疾病篩檢用途。透過分析淚液成分， 我們可以藉由量化當中的生物標記（即與特定疾病相關 的生物分子）來診斷疾病。科學家正探索此技術在各種 疾病中的臨床應用，涵蓋乾眼症和過敏性結膜炎，以至阿 茲海默症等神經系統疾病。 譬如在因水性淚液分泌不足而引發的乾眼症中，身體 會透過合成並釋放促炎性細胞因子引起發炎。多項報告 因此指出，IL-6、IL-8 和 IL-17 這三種促炎性細胞因子就 可能成為診斷淚液生成不足型乾眼症的生物標記 [8]。 如果淚液測試發展順利，亦可能有助診斷另一種眼疾： 過敏性結膜炎。第四型過敏性結膜炎與長期接觸致敏原 有關，但在臨床診斷上常被誤診為季節性的第一型。以快 速測試量度淚液中免疫球蛋白E（IgE）的含量，就能可 靠地區分這兩種亞型，因為低 IgE 水平是第四型過敏性 結膜炎的特徵。此測試將有助醫生為患者處方適當的藥 物 [9]。 非侵入性的淚液測試亦可能成為各種神經系統疾病 的簡易篩檢方法，因為在一些疾病中，腦脊髓液中生物 標記含量上升的情況，亦出現在淚液中。舉例說，腫瘤 壞死因子 α 和 α1 抗胰凝乳蛋白酶就分別是柏金遜症和 圖一 淚腺與瞼板腺
References 參考資料： [1] Chang, A. Y., & Purt, B. (2023, June 5). Biochemistry, Tear Film. StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572136/ [2] Vera-Montecinos, A., Pardo, C. C., Hernández, M., Saldivia, P., Nourdin, G., Elizondo-Vega, R., Sánchez, E., Amulef, S., Koch, E., Vargas, C., & Oyarce, K. (2025). High throughput tear proteomics with data independent acquisition enables biomarker discovery in allergic conditions. Scientific reports, 15(1), 31181. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-17105-y [3] Collier, L. (2014, February). Why we cry. Monitor on Psychology, 45(2), 47. https://www.apa.org/ monitor/2014/02/cry [4] Dartt, D. A. (2009). Neural regulation of lacrimal gland secretory processes: Relevance in dry eye diseases. Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, 28(3), 155–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.preteyeres.2009.04.003 [5] Meng, I. D., & Kurose, M. (2013). The role of corneal afferent neurons in regulating tears under normal and dry eye conditions. Experimental Eye Research, 117, 79–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exer.2013.08.011 [6] Pagan-Duran, B. (2022, February 9). Lubricating Eye Drops for Dry Eyes. EyeSmart, American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/ treatments/lubricating-eye-drops [7] Semp, D. A., Beeson, D., Sheppard, A. L., Dutta, D., & Wolffsohn, J. S. (2023). Artificial Tears: A Systematic Review. Clinical Optometry, 15, 9–27. https://doi. org/10.2147/OPTO.S350185 [8] Fong, P. Y., Shih, K. C., Lam, P. Y., Chan, T. C. Y., Jhanji, V., & Tong, L. (2019). Role of tear film biomarkers in the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease. Taiwan Journal of Ophthalmology, 9(3), 150–159. https://doi. org/10.4103/tjo.tjo_56_19 [9] Shang, X., Zhang, Y., Luo, S., Liu, M., Li, H., Fang, X., Xie, Z., Xiao, X., Yang, Z., Lin, Y., & Wu, H. (2025). Tear IgE point-of-care testing for differentiating type I and type IV allergic conjunctivitis. Frontiers in Medicine, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2025.1577656 [10] Gijs, M., Ramakers, I. H. G. B., Visser, P. J., Verhey, F. R. J., van de Waarenburg, M. P. H., Schalkwijk, C. G., Nuijts, R. M. M. A., & Webers, C. A. B. (2021). Association of tear fluid amyloid and tau levels with disease severity and neurodegeneration. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 22675. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01993-x [11] Kalló, G., Emri, M., Varga, Z., Ujhelyi, B., Tőzsér, J., Csutak, A., & Csősz, É. (2016). Changes in the Chemical Barrier Composition of Tears in Alzheimer's Disease Reveal Potential Tear Diagnostic Biomarkers. PLoS one, 11(6), e0158000. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0158000 [12] Park, W., Seo, H., Kim, J., Hong, Y., Song, H., Joo, B. J., Kim, S., Kim, E., Yae, C., Kim, J., Jin, J., Kim, J., Lee, Y., Kim, J., Kim, H. K., & Park, J. (2024). In-depth correlation analysis between tear glucose and blood glucose using a wireless smart contact lens. Nature Communications, 15(1), 2828. https://doi.org/10.1038/ s41467-024-47123-9 [13] Fisher, R. (n.d.). The Topography of Tears. https://roselynnfisher.com/tears.html 11 多發性硬化症在淚液中可被觀察到含量上升的生物標記 [10]；科學家也正努力尋找阿茲海默症的可靠生物標記。 如果淚液篩檢測試最終能成功開發並推出市場，我們將 能在社區進行大規模篩檢，始終早期診斷和治療能改善 患者及照顧者的生活質素 [11]。 在使用淚液的醫療裝置方面，最近一項研究提出糖尿 病患者透過智能隱形眼鏡監測淚液葡萄糖水平的可能性 [12]。以往以淚液代替血液量度葡萄糖水平的挑戰在於 淚液採集方法，使用傳統的單次淚液採集方法（如濾紙 條和毛細管條等）總會刺激眼睛分泌反射眼淚，干擾量 度結果。透過在軟式隱形眼鏡中嵌入天線、葡萄糖感測 器和 NFC 晶片，研究團隊能夠持續監測基礎眼淚中的葡 萄糖水平，並能實時將數據傳輸至行動裝置。 儘管淚液可能含有一系列能揭示我們健康狀況的生 物標記，但在相關技術進入臨床應用之前仍有很長的路 要走。隨著科學家更努力去尋找生物標記和研發更先進 的醫療裝置，淚液有一天將能成為反映我們健康狀況的 有力指標。 眼淚的形狀 其中一種研究眼淚的藝術方法是把其放在顯 微鏡下觀看，鑑賞風乾後的晶體，或壓在蓋玻片 下的淚液 [13]。攝影師Rose-Lynn Fisher因 此展開了名為「眼淚拓撲學」的計劃，以顯微照 片記錄她和朋友在不同場合下流過的眼淚。 更多資訊：
Do “Seas Within the Sea” Like in SpongeBob Really Exist? 《海綿寶寶》中的 「海中之海」 From Cartoon to Reality: The Mystery of Underwater Lakes In the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants, characters surf, sunbathe, and hang out at Goo Lagoon – a beach where the “goo” looks and acts like a separate body of water inside the ocean [1]. But wait – If they are all sea creatures which already live underwater, then why is there another pool? Isn’t the whole ocean already water? This seems like pure cartoon nonsense…until you learn that “seas within the sea” actually exist on the ocean floor! These strange underwater lakes are called deep-sea brine pools. They’re not made of cartoon goo, but of extremely salty water. Because of this density difference, the brine doesn’t mix with the ocean above [2–4]. Instead, it sits on the seafloor like a lake, with a visible surface you can even “float” a robot submarine on [5]. Just like in the cartoon, animals that wander too deep into the brine can die – because inside, there’s almost no oxygen, and the water often contains high levels of hydrogen sulfide and methane, causing immediate suffocation and toxic shock for animals that enter it [2, 5, 6]. How Were Brine Pools Discovered? One of the brine pool systems most frequently studied – the NEOM Brine Pools – was discovered in a 2020 expedition in the Gulf of Aqaba, between Saudi Arabia and Egypt [4, 5]. Located 1,770 meters below the surface, this site includes one large pool about the size of two football fields, and three tiny ones nearby [5]. The discovery of brine pools was made using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) – basically an underwater robot with cameras. What they saw looked like something from another planet: a still, dark “lake” with an orange-to-gray rim, surrounded by shrimp and eels cautiously dipping in to grab stunned prey [4, 5]. How Do They Form? Brine pools aren’t filled by salt dumped from the sky. Instead, they form when ancient salt layers, buried under the seafloor for millions of years, dissolve into seawater that seeps down through cracks in the ocean crust [5, 6]. These massive salt deposits are leftovers from a time when the water body was partially cut off from the ocean and
13 」真的存在嗎？ By Jane Yang 楊靜悠 dried up [4]. In some regions, geothermal heating can enhance this circulation and dissolution process. The resulting brine is so heavy that it flows downhill like syrup and collects in seafloor depressions. In the NEOM pools, the salinity within just 15 centimeters below the brine surface is four times greater than that of normal seawater above [5]. The oxygen levels crash to nearly zero within just 50 centimeters down the surface, killing most sea creatures inside [5]. A Pool of Death or An Underwater Oasis? While the center of a brine pool may seem deadly, its edges are surprisingly alive. Researchers found a novel species of clam, Apachecorbula muriatica, in this mixing zone between normal seawater and brine [5, 7]. Shrimp, eels, and sharks also patrol the edges, using the brine like a trap: They watch as small animals drift in, get shocked and sink, then dart in to scavenge the easy meal [2, 4, 5]. This is what the BBC calls a “brine pool of death” – not because it’s evil, but because its edges support life by harvesting death from its center [2]. Even more amazingly, life can also be found within the pool. The microbial communities vary significantly across different depths [5]. In the top layers, including the rim of the pool where microbes forming colorful “beaches,” the microbes are primarily aerobic. However, in the deeper regions, anaerobic microbes that can survive without oxygen take over. Those microbes are equipped with diverse metabolic capabilities to generate energy in low-oxygen environments, such as sulfate reduction, methanogenesis and fermentation. Why Do Scientists Care? Brine pools aren’t just weird – they’re scientific treasure chests. Because of its inhospitability to animals, the seafloor remains undisturbed due to the lack of burrowing animals. The sediments at the bottom stay perfectly layered, like pages in a history book. In the NEOM pools, scientists pulled up a 1,200-year-old sediment core that records flash floods, underwater landslides, and even tsunamis – including the one possibly linked to the powerful 1995 Nuweiba earthquake [4, 5]. So next time you watch SpongeBob surf at Goo Lagoon, remember: The ocean is full of real
從動畫到現實：水底湖泊之謎 在動畫《海綿寶寶》中，角色在「酷樂湖」（Goo Lagoon）衝浪、曬太陽和玩耍；那是一片海灘，黏液在 海洋世界裡構成了獨立的水體 [1]。等等，如果角色們 本來就是活在水中的海洋生物，那為甚麼要另一個海 洋呢？本來的海洋不就是水嗎？這看來純粹是動畫胡 扯……直至你認識實際存在於海床上的「海中之海」！ 這些奇怪的水底湖泊稱為深海鹽池，它們並不像動畫 裡的由黏液形成，而是鹽度極高的鹹水。由於密度差異， 這些鹽水不能與上方的海水混合 [2–4]，因此反而會像 湖泊一樣停留在海床上，甚至可以在其可辨別的「水面」 上放置一架漂浮潛艇 [5]。就像動畫裡一樣，誤闖鹽池的 動物可能會性命不保，因為鹽池內幾乎沒有氧氣，並通常 含有高濃度的硫化氫和甲烷，導致動物窒息及麻痺 [2, 5, 6]。 鹽池是如何被發現的？ 經常被研究的鹽池包括NEOM鹽池群，它是在 2020 年於沙特阿拉伯和埃及之間的亞喀巴灣進行探險 活動時被發現 [4, 5]，地點位於水底1,770米，由一個約 兩個足球場大的大池，和附近三個小池組成 [5]。 這組鹽池是透過水底遙控載具發現的，亦即是帶攝 影機的水底機械人。科學家看到的畫面彷彿來自另一個 星球：靜止的「湖泊」顏色深沉，邊緣由橙色漸變成灰色， 四周有蝦和鰻魚小心翼翼地探入其中，捕捉被麻痺的獵 物 [4, 5]。 鹽池如何形成？ 鹽池的鹽分並不是從天而來。過往部分海洋被分割成 半獨立的水體，它們乾涸後留下巨大的沉積鹽 [4]。這些 埋於海床下數百萬年的古老鹽層，再次被海水溶解後， 從海洋地殼裂縫滲出，形成現在的鹽池 [5, 6]。在某些地 區，地熱能加快這種流動和溶解的過程。 由此產生的鹽水密度非常高，會像糖漿般向下流動， 積聚於海床的窪地中。在NEOM鹽池群，池下僅15厘 米處的鹽度比上方一般海水高出四倍 [5]，而池下50厘 米處的氧氣濃度就驟降至近乎零，足以殺死大部分海洋 生物 [5]。 死亡之池還是水中綠洲？ 雖然鹽池中心看似死氣沉沉，但邊緣卻出奇地充滿生 機。研究人員在一般海水與鹽水交界的區域發現了一個 新的蛤類物種 — Apachecorbula muriatica [5, 7]。 蝦、鰻魚和鯊魚也在邊緣徘徊，把鹽池當作狩獵陷阱：牠 們看著小動物闖進鹽池，麻痺然後下沉，就以迅雷不及掩 耳的速度撿去這些垂手可得的食物 [2, 4, 5]。這就是英 國廣播公司（BBC）稱之為「死亡鹽池」的原因：與其說 是鹽池本身危機四伏，不如說這種以池中亡靈供養池邊 生態的循環細想之下令人不寒而慄 [2]。 wonders stranger than fiction. The “sea within the sea” isn’t just a cartoon joke – it’s a window into Earth’s hidden past and possibly life beyond our planet.
References 參考資料： [1] Goo Lagoon. (n.d.). Spongebob Fandom. https:// spongebob.fandom.com/wiki/Goo_Lagoon [2] BBC. (2017, November 3). Brine Pools of Death [Video]. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05ll3c0 [3] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). Brine Pools. NOAA Ocean Exploration. https:// oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/multimedia/daily-imagemedia-20200917/ [4] Pappas, S. (2022, October 1). Rare Red Sea Brine Pool Holds Secrets of Past Natural Events. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ rare-red-sea-brine-pool-holds-secrets-of-past-naturaldisasters/ [5] Purkis, S. J., Shernisky, H., Swart, P. K., Sharifi, A., Oehlert, A., Marchese, F., Benzoni, F., Chimienti, G., Duchâtellier, G., Klaus, J., Eberli, G. P., Peterson, L., Craig, A., Rodrigue, M., Titschack, J., Kolodziej, G., & Abdulla, A. (2022). Discovery of the deep-sea NEOM Brine Pools in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. Communications Earth & Environment, 3, 146. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-02200482-x [6] Eder, W., Jahnke, L. L., Schmidt, M., & Huber, R. (2001). Microbial Diversity of the Brine-Seawater Interface of the Kebrit Deep, Red Sea, Studied via 16S rRNA Gene Sequences and Cultivation Methods. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 67(7), 3077–3085. https:// doi.org/10.1128/AEM.67.7.3077-3085.2001 [7] Oliver, P. G., Vestheim, H., Antunes, A., & Kaartvedt, S. (2014). Systematics, functional morphology and distribution of a bivalve (Apachecorbula muriatica gen. et sp. nov.) from the rim of the ‘Valdivia Deep’ brine pool in the Red Sea. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 95(3), 523–535. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315414001234 15 更令人驚奇的是，在鹽池內部也能找到生命。微生物 群落隨深度不同會有顯著差異 [5]。頂層的微生物主要 是好氧的，包括賦予「海灘」顏色的微生物所棲息的鹽池 邊緣。然而，更深的區域轉為由可在無氧環境下存活的 厭氧微生物佔據。這些微生物具有不同可在低氧環境下 產生能量的特殊代謝能力，例如硫酸鹽還原、甲烷生成 和發酵作用等。 科學家為何關注鹽池？ 鹽池不僅奇特，更是科學寶庫。由於不宜動物居住， 海床在沒有穴居動物干擾下保持了原貌，池底的沉積 物就像一頁頁歷史書一樣分層完美。科學家從NEOM 鹽池群提取了一塊具1,200年歷史的沉積物岩芯， 當中記錄了歷史上的洪水、海底崩移（underwater landslides），甚至海嘯 — 包括可能與1995年努韋巴 強烈地震相關的海嘯 [4, 5]。 所以，下次你看到海綿寶寶在酷樂湖衝浪時，請記住 海洋充滿著比虛構故事更荒謬的奇觀。「海中之海」不僅 是動畫裡的玩笑，亦是通往地球過去的窗口，也讓我們 窺探可能存在於我們星球之外的生命模樣。
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