The Effects Technology Can Have on Human Bodies科技对人体的影响

From checking social media every minute to being lost in computer games， we tend to overuse technology. “For many people， a moment without your phone or laptop in sight can feel like a lifetime，” the Daily Mail commented.

A computer model called Mindy may persuade many people to think twice. A team from the US-based company Toll Free Forwarding built a three-dimensional model to uncover the negative effects technology can have on human bodies in less than 800 years.

“Spending hours looking down at your phone strains your neck and throws your spine off balance，” explained Caleb Backe， a health and wellness expert in the US. Then， the muscles in our neck need to spend extra effort to support the head， making our back hunched and neck wide.

每时每刻查看社交媒体、沉迷于电脑游戏，从这些行为现象可以看出，人们越来越依赖科技。《每日邮报》评论道：“对许多人来说，如果身边没有手机或笔记本电脑，一分钟就像一辈子那么漫长。”

然而，一个名为“明迪”的计算机模型提醒大家面对现代科技时要保持警惕。来自美国Toll Free Forwarding公司的一个研究小组制作了一个未来人类的3D模型，该模型揭示了科技在不到800年的时间里可能对人体产生的负面影响。

美国健康与保健专家凯勒·巴克解释道：“长时间低头看手机会拉伤颈部，使脊柱失去平衡。”这时，颈部肌肉就需要身体其他部位的肌肉协助支撑头部，从而造成驼背，颈部也会变得宽大。

“The way we hold our phones can cause strain in certain points of contact， causing text claw，” Nikola Djordjevic， a practicing physician in Serbia， told the team. It affects the elbows too， causing pain in the arm. Scientifically， it is called cubital tunnel syndrome. That’s why Mindy has a 90-degree elbow， and her hands look like she’s always holding a mobile phone.

Some people commented that human evolution may not work this way. They believe that only features with actual benefits would be kept throughout the years， for example， features that can increase the rate of survival， instead of the negative impact of technology.

However， current human lifestyles still raise concerns. A model called Emma was built by researchers in the UK in 2019 to show how the way people work at their desks could change them in 20 years.

The research team built Emma based on the health issues mentioned by over 3，000 workers in France， Germany and the UK. Emma’s back stays bent， and her legs are swollen due to the time people spend in front of computers. With little time spent outdoors and in the sun， her skin is pale， too.

来自塞尔维亚的执业医师尼古拉·乔尔杰维奇告诉研究小组：“我们拿手机的方式会让手部的部分肌肉产生压力，造成‘手机手’。”同时也会影响肘部，导致手臂疼痛，科学上称之为“肘管综合征”。这就是明迪模型的肘关节呈90度的原因，而且她的手部弯曲，看起来像是一直拿着手机。

有人认为，明迪模型并不能反映未来人类的进化方向。他们认为人类反而会随着进化过程逐步优化，例如，保留提高生存率等有益特征，淘汰技术带来的负面影响。

然而，人类目前的生活方式仍然令人担忧。2019 年，英国研究人员制作了一个名为“艾玛”的人类模型，展示了人类当下在办公桌前工作的方式，在20年后可能会对人体产生的影响。

研究小组根据法国、德国和英国3 000多名工人提到的健康问题制作了“艾玛”。由于长时间面对电脑，艾玛的背部弯曲，双腿肿胀；而极少参加户外活动和晒太阳，也让她的皮肤很苍白。

Word Bank

strain /streɪn/ v. 拉伤；损伤

He strained his back during a practice session.

swollen /'swəʊlən/ adj. 肿胀的

Her eyes were red and swollen from crying.