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制造更加轻便灵活的防弹衣

Over the centuries, body armor has been hindered by a common problem: The more resistant the protection, the more difficult it is for the wearer to move and maneuver. From the bronze plating of the ancient Greeks to the chain mail of the Middle Ages to, in more recent history, the age of bullet- and flame-resistant fibers, personal armor has been equally a blessing and the bane for soldiers in battlefields.

几个世纪以来，人体防护产品的发展始终受到一个常见问题的阻碍：防护产品的保护能力越强，穿戴者的行动就越不方便。从古希腊时期的青铜盔甲到中世纪使用的锁子甲，再到现代使用的避弹和阻燃纤维，个人防护装备对于战场上的士兵来说是福也是祸。

Now, scientists are looking at substances known as 'non-Newtonian fluids' to create effective forms of padding in protective items that are lightweight and flexible. Unlike water, non-Newtonian fluids change their behavior when external pressure is applied to them, such as thickening when stirred hard.

现在，科学家们正在研究使用“非牛顿流体(non-Newtonian fluids)制造高性能填充物，从而用在轻便、灵活的防护产品中。和水不一样，非牛顿流体可以在遇到外力的时候改变性状，比如在猛烈搅动的情况下变得更加浓稠。

An example is the toy Silly Putty: It flows as a very thick, slow-moving substance over a long period but breaks or bounces as a solid when pressure is applied to it.