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Researchers Find That Queen Bees Vaccinate Their Offspring
The Washington Post reports that a team of researchers has discovered a previously unrecognized behavior in bees which gives the insects an extra layer of protection against certain diseases. Though the analogy to human-style vaccination is not perfect, it's close enough to make sense. Queen bees, the group found, break down some disease-causing pathogens found in the pollen and nectar brought to them by worker bees, but do not simply destroy them. Instead, after they are partly broken down,
Bits of the pathogens are then transferred to the queen's "fat body," an organ similar to a liver, where they are packaged onto a protein called vitellogenin and delivered to eggs through the queen's blood stream. The result: newly hatched bee larvae that are already immune to the nasty germs that could have plagued the colony.
The article notes that "the discovery could extend to other species throughout the animal kingdom," because all egg-laying animals have the same protein.
Oh wait.
autistic bees
You are all bees. Bees say bzzz. BZZZZZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Bzzz bees BZZZZZZZ! Bzzz say the bees. YOU BEES!!
Vaccinations? Clearly we have an epidemic of autistic bees! Call in Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey to protect the larvae!
This seems like something for discovery. Why is this something slashdot worthy? No WAPO bumps please.
In California the Queen Bees don't vaccinate their young based on personal and religious beliefs.
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
are smarter than they look.
Bits of the pathogens are then transferred to the queen's "fat body," ...
"the discovery could extend to other species throughout the animal kingdom," because all egg-laying animals have the same protein.
And humans, because humans have so many fat bodies!
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
This is a really important finding... it saddens me that bees are having so much trouble.
"I'm a bee, I'm a bee, I'm a I'm a I'm a bee"
-- The Black Eyed Peas
Wasn't something like this mentioned in one of the Ender Game's books? If I remember correctly, the queen of the buggers/formics kept altering the "antivirus" against the semi-intelligent virus found on the planet.
Not close at all idiots..
Jeez.. where is the mercury and thimersosol and perservatives and fetal cels and and...
Enjoy living alone cut off from society unless you're a sociopath too
This seems more like what humans (and other mammals?) do during the first few days of breastfeeding via colostrum.
If you've ever been around babies that are breastfed you know that they almost never get sick. That is contrasted with formula fed babies who easily become sick. This will of course be modded down but for any that read it and didn't know about it have a look at the advantages of breastfeeding. It's not just something that gross hippie girls do.
Suppose you want to reduce the competition your children will face. You would "fake" not getting your children vaccinated, in order to induce self destruction of the competition.
Luckily this is slowly changing along with healthy dietary fads like the paleo diet.
I'd guess that the peak of formula fed babies coincides with the childhood of most Slashdotters, though. I'm happy I got to be breastfed.
The main problem right now is the child abuse hysteria where you can not kiss your own children without being reported.
You are only allowed to have physical contact with your little girl in order to kick her if she happens to like fluffy pink bunnies rather than greasy trucks.
You can call me queen bee! I'm in love with being queen.