Baby ducks are known for paddling in an orderly line behind their mother. Now scientists know why. The babies take a ride on their mom's waves, and that boost saves the ducklings' energy.
小鸭子总是排成一排游在妈妈后面，是因为鸭子们游在妈妈身后的波痕里能够节省力气。
Earlier research studied how much energy ducklings burn while swimming. That showed that the youngsters saved energy when swimming behind mom, but how they saved energy wasn't known. So Zhiming Yuan made computer simulations of waterfowl waves. A naval architect, Yuan works at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Yuan and his colleagues calculated that a duckling in just the right spot behind its mother has an easier swim.
之前的调查研究了小鸭子在游泳时消耗的能量，结果表明当小鸭子游在鸭子妈妈后面时，他们能够节省能量，但是怎么节省的，还未曾得知。苏格兰的一个科学团队用计算机模拟了禽类游泳的波浪，计算得出小鸭子在妈妈正后方时，游着会更加轻松。
When a duckling swims on its own, it kicks up waves in its wake. This uses up some energy that would otherwise send it surging ahead. Called wave drag, this resists the duckling's motion. But wave drag is reversed for ducklings in the sweet spot, and they feel a push instead of drag.
当小鸭子独自游泳时，会在自己的航迹上激起波浪，而这个波浪会形成小鸭子前进的阻力（波浪阻力），消耗它的能量。但是如果小鸭子处在合适的位置，此时的波浪就会形成动力，推动它向前。
Like good siblings, the ducklings share with one another. Each duckling in the line passes along waves to those behind, so the whole brood gets a free ride.
所以小鸭子们会像好兄妹一样，共用一个航迹，前面的小鸭子波浪传给下一只，
这样所有的小伙伴就都能搭便车了。
But to reap the benefits, the youngsters need to keep up with their mom. If they fall out of position, swimming gets harder. That's fair punishment for ducklings that dawdle.
但是为了能享受这个便利，小鸭子们必须跟着它们的妈妈，要是某一个小鸭子偷懒没跟上，游到了不好的位置，那么游起来会更加费力。
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