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Mystery of the Dying Bees Solved
jamie points out news of a study attempting to explain the decline of honeybee populations across the US. As it turns out, the fungus N. ceranae that was thought to be killing off bee colonies had a partner in crime — a DNA-based virus that worked in tandem with N. ceranae to compromise nutrition uptake. From the NY Times:
"Dr. Bromenshenk's team at the University of Montana and Montana State University in Bozeman, working with the Army's Edgewood Chemical Biological Center northeast of Baltimore, said in their jointly written paper that the virus-fungus one-two punch was found in every killed colony the group studied. Neither agent alone seems able to devastate; together, the research suggests, they are 100 percent fatal. 'It's chicken and egg in a sense — we don't know which came first,' Dr. Bromenshenk said of the virus-fungus combo — nor is it clear, he added, whether one malady weakens the bees enough to be finished off by the second, or whether they somehow compound the other's destructive power. 'They're co-factors, that's all we can say at the moment,' he said. 'They're both present in all these collapsed colonies.'"
Phrase of the year!
So let me get this straight all the bees need is some athletes foot powder and some chicken soup?
This is why you have to keep people alive.
Anyone of us could hold the DNA to be resistant to anything. It doesn't matter what someone did or who they are*, you must keep everyone alive. Apparently there was a massive killing of humanity with a volcano, so we're not very versatile except for the different ethnic groups.
Clearly the bees that are alive were partly immune to at least one.
* People like Murderers, rapists. Then people who cannot take care of themselves like those with extreme learning difficulties. You have NO idea what the incapability of their genes could actually immune to. If they're too dangerous to keep around, stick em in a freezer.
Slashdot needs Geekcode | Can anyone recommend any good SCIFI? My tastes: Foundation, Startide Rising, CITY, Ringworld,
Let's hope the scientists make a beeline for the cure. :P
Wait, so it isn't God's vengeance for Bee homosexuality?
After all, since He created the Earth in seven days, he figured why mess with biology and science and not do a little Divine Intervention to keep Bees from ruining his Picnic.
Every time He holds a picnic, after all, Jesus always complains about his dinosaurs getting stung by them.
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
I always wonder how many people tried to play the same hoax you're trying there but they took it so serious that they didn't click the "Preview" and theeen the "submit" buttons.
I fact, I like them better.
First we build a second Earth...
I drank what? -- Socrates
You know who else liked experiments?
Hitler!
"Sometimes, I think Trent just needs a cup of hot chocolate and a blankie." -Tori Amos on Nine Inch Nails
I'm also going to say, the whole "RF/Secretgovernment testing/out to destroy us all" conspiracy theories have once again proven to what they are. Bullshit.
Are you kidding? This so-called "paper" was "co-written" by some Army chemists. If anything, it PROVES the conspiracy theories!
*adds yet another layer of tinfoil to an already heavy hat*
Take off every 'sig' for great justice.
Granted, when you develop a drug for bees you are less worried about side-effects than you are with humans, but it's still not that easy.
Damned straight. I find that I get stung roughly once for every 12-15 bees I try to force feed medicine. Even when I explain how it's for their own good, they buzz and scream and kick up a fuss and somebody always ends up getting stung.
I hate my job.
If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
> As a practical beekeeper I feel it is my duty to take this one step further and speculate on how to apply this finding to saving my bees.
You should leave the speculation to the theoretical beekeepers.
golf clap.
"We do not have the man power to pollinate our crops by hand, without bees no fruit."
We can solve two problems with a single stroke. With 20 million Americans out of work, let's get them out in the fields, woods, orchards and gardens with little paintbrushes, pollinating like crazy.
hi!
> it isn't like you go through a honey bottle a week or something.
Speak for yourself.
Signed,
The Bears.
Tinfoil-hat protection is an aluminum-industry conspiracy.
I manufacture a latex anti-conspiracy suit you can purchase for the low low price of only $20. By two (in case the first one rips) and tell your friends!
woperson?
Why not just breed the honey bees with a hardier strain of bee? Perhaps something from Africa...
Ack, I can't decide between funny and insightful, so I'll just comment instead!
Uh, "if it looks roughly mouse-shaped according to my infra-red sensitive pit, eat it"? --Chris Burke 09-08-10
What a magnificent example of both critical research failure and Godwin law, all rolled together in a single flamebait. Brilliant !
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
Everyone who repeats this non-sense phrase, is a complete moron, it's like asking which came first the woman or the child. Of course the chicken came first, it evolved from another creature, unless you can imagine the egg suddenly appearing out of nowhere, like the monolith for example.
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