Usually it is synthesised either from methanol and formic acid, or methanol and carbon monoxide.

通常它由甲醇和甲酸，或甲醇和一氧化碳合成。

Some of these beetles can attack their prey by spraying formic acid from their abdomens.

这些甲虫中有一些能够用腹部向猎物喷射蚁酸。

Methanol is also processed by this enzyme, but the losses of hydrogens create formaldehyde and then formic acid instead.

甲醇也会被这种酶加工，但是氢的损失产生甲醛，然后甲酸代替。

The forage ants, for example, contain formic acid, so when you pop them, they taste like little limes or lemons because of the acidity.

比如，采集来的蚂蚁富含甲酸，所以当你食用时，甲酸的存在会让蚂蚁有种酸橙或柠檬的味道。

That's why the buildup of formic acid in someone's body can cause a range of horrifying effects, from holes in the stomach and intestines, to vomiting blood and kidney failure.

这就是为什么甲酸在一个人体内的积累会导致一系列可怕的影响，从胃和肠子上的洞，到吐血和肾衰竭。

Substances like these aren’t intoxicating, they’re just poisonous, usually because your body metabolizes them into some horrible, dangerous compound like formic acid or oxalic acid.

像这样的物质不会让人醉， 它们只是有毒，通常是因为你的身体将它们代谢成一些可怕的、危险的化合物， 如甲酸或草酸。

That's because your optic nerves — the nerves that transfer visual information from your eyes to your brain — need a lot of energy to function, so they're among the first to feel formic acid's toxic effects.

这是因为你的视神经——将视觉信息从眼睛传递到大脑的神经——需要大量能量才能正常工作，所以它们是第一批感受到甲酸毒性作用的神经之一。