X-ray analysis of the melanosomes further supported that theory.

透過 X 光分析再次支持這個理論。

These little organelles called melanosomes are associated with color.

这些小细胞器被称为素体，与颜色有关。

When light hits the thin front surface of a bird's hollow melanosome, some is reflected and some passes through.

当光波到达鸟类羽毛表面的中空色素体时，一部分光被反射回来 一部分穿过。

The melanocytes make the pigment, which is then packed into small packets of pigment called melanosomes.

素细胞制造色素，然后将其包装成称为素体的小包色素。

The melanosomes are packed together inside cells, and other factors, like how the melanosomes are arranged within the feather, also matter.

这些色素体会和其他因子一起挤在细胞中，还有这些色素体是如何在羽毛中的排列也很重要。

Well, you know what else has melanosomes?

那么，你知道还有什么有素体吗？

Other dark-colored fish tend to have unpigmented gaps between melanosomes.

其他深色鱼的素体之间有未着色的间隙。

And what we see is that it is composed of tiny little oblate structures called melanosomes.

我们看到它是由一种被称为色素体的微小扁球形结构组成的。

For example, long, skinny melanosomes make black and gray, like the black you find around cardinals' eyes.

例如， 细长的素体会产生色和灰色，就像红雀眼睛周围的色一样。

But to Vinther's eye, they looked like special structures that help give animals color -- melanosomes.

但在 Vinther 看来，它们看起来像是有助于赋予动物颜色的特殊结构——素体。

Each melanosome contains some type of melanin which is a natural pigment.

每个素体都含有某种类型的色素，这是一种天然色素。

The melanosomes' size, shape and arrangement may help direct light that isn't absorbed by an individual melanosome to others in the layer.

素体的小、形状和排列可能有助于将未被单个素体吸收的光引导到层中的其他素体。

The specimen was an extremely well-preserved fossil of Psittacosaurus, with pigment-containing structures called melanosomes that gave clues to the dinosaur’s coloration.

该标本是保存极为完好的鹦鹉嘴龙化石，其含有称为素体的色素结构， 为了解恐龙的颜色提供了线索。

But if melanosomes are short and round, they make reddish colors, like what you see on red tail hawks.

但如果素体又短又圆，它们就会呈现红色， 就像你在红尾鹰身上看到的那样。

And its melanosomes didn't look like the ones found in living penguins.

而且它的色素体看起来不像在活企鹅身上发现的色素体。

They compared these microraptor melanosomes to those of modern birds and found a close similarity, though not a perfect match, to the iridescent teal feathers found on duck wings.

他们还把这只盗龙的色素体拿来和现代的鸟类做比较发现盗龙羽毛中的色素体和拥有闪色的羽毛的水鸭，尽管不是完全吻合，但是仍然存在许多相似之处。

As long as a dinosaur is preserved with feathers, or some other structure that keeps melanosomes intact, scientists can figure out their basic colors!

只要恐龙保存有羽毛，或保持素体完好无损的其他结构，家就可以弄清楚它们的基本颜色！

Experts can look at the feather of a living bird, like a cardinal or a crow, and see what kinds of melanosomes make that feather's color.

专家们可以观察一只活鸟的羽毛，比如红雀或乌鸦， 看看是哪种素体使羽毛呈现颜色。

The scientists then chose 20 feathers from one fossil and found that the melanosomes in all 20 looked alike, so they became pretty sure this dinosaur was one solid color.

家们又从一个化石中 选取了20种羽毛成分发现20种成分中的色素体都十分相似，由此他们得出结论 这只恐龙是一种纯色的生物。

And one specimen of the little horned dinosaur Psittacosaurus was even found to have melanosomes in its skin, revealing that the dino was dark on top and light underneath.

一只小角恐龙 Psittacosaurus 的标本甚至被发现在它的皮肤上有素体，这表明这种恐龙的皮肤是色的， 下面是浅色的。