Bee's disappearing

[Kitsune]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

"Now that the bees are all dead, try our new strain of pollination free plants. They're patented, so you need to send us 30% royalties on your annual harvest."

Cheaper to have migrant workers do it. Give them a cotton swab and make them run around the fields brushing it over all the flowers.

"Pablo?"
"Que?"
"You're not doing it right."
"..." (heavy sigh) "Buzzzzzzz~zzzzzzz, buzzzzz bzzzzzzz...."

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Kitsune

Cheaper to have migrant workers do it. Give them a cotton swab and make them run around the fields brushing it over all the flowers.

"Pablo?"
"Que?"
"You're not doing it right."
"..." (heavy sigh) "Buzzzzzzz~zzzzzzz, buzzzzz bzzzzzzz...."

Or we could just let them run through the fields naked.

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by Kitsune

Cheaper to have migrant workers do it. Give them a cotton swab and make them run around the fields brushing it over all the flowers.

"Pablo?"
"Que?"
"You're not doing it right."
"..." (heavy sigh) "Buzzzzzzz~zzzzzzz, buzzzzz bzzzzzzz...."

[duck_duck]

Here is an article that claims cell phone radiation may be the cause.

"The theory is that radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' navigation systems, preventing the famously homeloving species from finding their way back to their hives. Improbable as it may seem, there is now evidence to back this up."

link

[tw]

Originally Posted by duck_duck

"The theory is that radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' navigation systems, preventing the famously homeloving species from finding their way back to their hives. Improbable as it may seem, there is now evidence to back this up."

Yes it is possible. But where are specific details on any of those studies. It sounds like Saddam's WMDs all over again.

Wifi operates at frequencies that are best for vibrating and therefore warming water. Same frequency used by microwave ovens. Can we conclude anything from this? Those authors might. The real answer: No. Can certain cell phone frequencies subvert magnetic navigation within a bee? Maybe. However we don't even know what bees use for navigation. First a study must be conducted to determine if the 'maybe' is a viable theory. Clearly that has not been done. Then more studies must follow to demonstrate the theory as fact.

Meanwhile, the article is too typical of what English and communication majors do - no technical citations - citing the isolated and rare case while ignoring other facts. I have a serious doubt about the authors' credibility since they cited other disreputable 'fears' (cell phone cause brain cancer) that are repeatedly rejected by science but are promoted by people with the same grasp of science as Cheney and George Jr.

The speculation is rather interesting - has merit. But messenger demonstrates why communication majors are little different from propaganda experts. That news article distorts what is and is not known - just like Saddam's WMDs and just like those who claim the intelligence community got the WMD thing wrong. The only wrong part was the messenger who could not put reality into perspective - ie an MBA named George Jr. Just another example of how we are supposed to learn from history.

I love the speculation: how great studies get started. The messenger completely fails to grasp the other facts: it is total speculation. The messenger also cites other junk science proclamations (cell phones cause brain cancer) to prove their point. Classic of how the naive promote urbane myths.