Now, he says, researchers can focus on whether we can harness brown fat--perhaps by spurring its activity with drugs--to help overweight patients burn off unsightly and unhealthy white fat.

• 现在，他说，研究人员可集中精力到这方面来：能否利用褐色脂肪组织的这种特性，或者说是用药物来刺激它的活性，来帮助超重的人把燃烧掉那些多余的白色脂肪。