研究者们并不完全清楚为什么流感病毒喜欢低的绝对湿度。

The researchers do not know exactly what it is about low absolute humidity that the flu virus likes.

美国最新研究表明，空气绝对湿度与流感病毒的传播有密切关系。

New US research indicates that the absolute humidity, which measures the amount of water present in the air, is the key to reducing the spread of flu.

相对湿度，是空气中绝对湿度与饱和湿度的比值，它随着温度变化。

Relative humidity, a percentage, is the ratio between the water vapor present and the air's saturation point, a figure that changes with the temperature.

“一个关键的问题是有多少流感病毒在热带地区传播”——这个地区终年有着较高的绝对湿度——“并且它和温带地区的的关系是什么，”他说。

"One really key question is how much influenza is transmitted in tropical locations" -places with high absolute humidity year-round - "and how this compares to temperate parts of the world," he said.