From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。
British scientists say they have developed a material that could help protect older adults from breaking bones when they fall. The new substance is called Armourgel. Scientists say it is soft enough to be put in normal everyday clothing.
英国科学家表示他们开发出了一种材料，有助于防止老年人摔倒时骨折。这种新的物质被称为Armourgel（液态盔甲）。科学家表示，这种物质软到足以放入日常服装中。
As people get older, many of them develop the disease osteoporosis. It makes their bones so weak that even a minor fall can cause a bone to break. In some cases, older adults can die from breaking bones or from problems resulting from them. The Reuters news service Reports that Britain's National Osteoporosis Society says more than 1,000 people die every month in Britain from hip fractures.
随着人们年龄的增长，很多人会患上骨质疏松症。这会让他们的骨头变脆，这样即使轻微跌倒也能导致骨折。在一些病例中，老年人因为骨折或由此引发的问题而去世。路透社报道说，英国国家骨质疏松症学会表示，英国每月都有1000多人因为髋部骨折去世。
Armourgel is a combination of two new man-made materials. These materials quickly take in or absorb energy when they hit something, this protects whatever is behind the material.
Armourgel是由两种人造材料组成的。这些材料受到碰撞时会迅速吸收能量，从而保护这种物质背后的任何东西。
Researcher Daniel Plant works at Imperial College in London. He launched a company called Armourgel Limited. He says one of the materials in Armourgel moves with the clothing, but becomes hard when it strikes something.
研究人员丹尼尔·普兰特（Daniel Plant）就职于伦敦帝国理工学院。他创办了Armourgel有限公司。他说，Armourgel会跟随衣服的运动，但在受到撞击时会突然变硬。
"It's soft and flowable so it moves with the musculature of the body but when you impact it it momentarily goes rigid," said Plant.
普兰特说，“Armourgel柔软且可以流动。这样它能跟随身体肌肉的运动。但它受到撞击时会瞬间变硬。”
Researchers have joined the material with a substance whose cells collapse when they are hit.
研究人员将这种材料和一种受到撞击时其结构会奔溃的物资相结合。
"When you impact it in this direction it actually folds in on itself," said Plant.
普兰特说，“当你从这个方向撞击它，它会自我收缩起来。”
Daniel Plant says, it is the combination of these materials that makes Armourgel special. The new product is said to be much thinner than other protective materials currently being sold.
普兰特表示，正是这些材料的结合使得Armourgel与众不同。据说这种新产品比目前正在销售的其它防护材料要薄得多。
In a video on the company's website, an unprotected ball hit by a hard object is shown breaking into many pieces. But a ball protected by Armourgel does not break. That is because the Armourgel pad hardens and absorbs the energy of the object when it is hit. Soon after the material hardens, it becomes soft again.
在该公司网站的一则视频中，一个未加保护的球受到硬物撞击时碎成很多块。但一个受到Armourgel保护的球并未破。这是因为Armourgel保护垫在受到撞击时吸收了该物体的能量。该材料变硬后不久会再次变软。
Steven Gambert is a geriatric trauma specialist at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He helps older men and women who have suffered injuries. He told VOA on Skype that having the ability to turn soft quickly means Armourgel can be put into clothing. But Doctor Gambert says, bone protectors, no matter how good, are not the best solution.
史蒂芬·盖博特（Steven Gambert）是马里兰大学医学中心的一位老年创伤专家。他帮助受伤的老年人康复。他通过Skype对美国之音表示，Armourgel具有快速变软的能力意味着它能被放进衣服中。但盖博特医生表示，保护骨骼再好也不是最好的解决方案。
"The key is to prevent the bones from losing their mineral content, staying healthy. And then even if you fall, you won't not break your bone," said Gambert.
盖博特表示，“关键是防止骨头中矿物质的流失，保持健康。这样即使摔倒，也不会骨折。”
Daniel Plant says, stores could begin selling clothing with Armourgel as soon as 2016.
普兰特表示，商店最快可能会在2016年开始销售含有Armourgel的服装。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)