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Beneficial Honey. Bee Pollen helps avoid allergies, increase… Bees Solve Hard Computing Problems Faster Than Supercomputers. We already know bees are pretty good at facial recognition, and researchers have shown they can also be effective air-quality monitors. Here's one more reason to keep them around: They're smarter than computers. Bumblebees can solve the classic "traveling salesman" problem, which keeps supercomputers busy for days. They learn to fly the shortest possible route between flowers even if they find the flowers in a different order, according to a new British study.

The traveling salesman problem is an (read: very hard) problem in computer science; it involves finding the shortest possible route between cities, visiting each city only once. Bees are the first animals to figure this out, according to Queen Mary University of London researchers. Bees need lots of energy to fly, so they seek the most efficient route among networks of hundreds of flowers. This is no small feat, especially considering bee brains are about as big as a microdot. Bee Venom Can Kill HIV, Study Says. Scientists from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered bee venom can kill the HIV virus without harming the body. Bees could hold the key to preventing HIV transmission.

Researchers have discovered that bee venom kills the virus while leaving body cells unharmed, which could lead to an anti-HIV vaginal gel and other treatments. Scientists at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that melittin, a toxin found in bee venom, physically destroys the HIV virus, a breakthrough that could potentially lead to drugs that are immune to HIV resistance. The study was published Thursday in the journal Antiviral Therapy. "Our hope is that in places where HIV is running rampant, people could use this as a preventative measure to stop the initial infection," Joshua Hood, one of the authors of the study, said in a statement. The researchers attached melittin to nanoparticles that are physically smaller than HIV, which is smaller than body cells. Bee propolis contains all the vitamins and… Without honeybees, we may cease to be.

If you like almonds, then 2013 brought some bad news. Each year, honeybees from across the country make the trek to California, which grows 80 percent of the world’s almonds, to pollinate the almond crop. But bees have been dying in unusually large numbers for several years now, and this year appears worse than most. The problems we face if we don’t have healthy populations of pollinators, particularly honeybees, extend beyond almonds. Three fourths of the top crops grown in the world require animals – mostly insects – for pollination. Odds are that most of your favorite fruits, nuts and melons are pollinated by honeybees. Across the pond, the European Union has made major strides in shedding light on the role of certain pesticides in honeybee deaths. The pesticides in question are called neonicotinoids. New York beekeeper Jim Doan ended last year with about 700 hives.

From mid-June onward, Doan watched his bees die. Doan, for his part, is certain he knows what killed his bees. Yup. Genetic-weapon-against-insects-raises-hope-and-fear-in-farming. Scientists and biotechnology companies are developing what could become the next powerful weapon in the war on pests — one that harnesses a Nobel Prize-winning discovery to kill insects and pathogens by disabling their genes. By zeroing in on a genetic sequence unique to one species, the technique has the potential to kill a pest without harming beneficial insects. That would be a big advance over chemical pesticides. To see the full article, subscribe here. The scientists who first unraveled this mechanism won the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and it was initially assumed that most of the use would be in medicine. Imagine drugs that could turn off essential genes in pathogens or tumors, or one that contributes to high cholesterol.

The initial euphoria has cooled somewhat, in part because it has been difficult to deliver the RNA through the bloodstream into the cells in the body where it is needed. Using RNAi in insects, at least for beetles, should be easier than in people. Mortalité des abeilles par les pesticides : l'Europe s'en fout ! La proposition de la Commission Européenne de suspendre pendant une période de deux ans trois familles de pesticides pourtant reconnues comme étant responsables de la mortalité des abeilles n'a pas été retenue... info + 13 Etats ont voté pour l'interdiction de ces pesticides, dont la France, l'Italie, l'Espagne et la Pologne, 9 ont voté contre (République Tchèque, Slovaquie, Roumanie, Irlande, Grèce, Lituanie, Autriche, Portugal et Hongrie) et 5 se sont abstenus, dont l'Allemagne et le Royaume-Uni.

Les abstentions de ces deux pays qui comptent chacun 29 voix ont empêché que la majorité penche dans un sens ou l'autre. La Commission a ainsi indiqué qu'elle maintenait sa proposition, car elle n'a pas été rejetée. Ce vendredi 15 mars, aurait du être un jour béni pour les abeilles. La Coordination Apicole Européenne vient d'annoncer dans un communiqué qu'elle est extrêmement déçue par le résultat du vote. Alors on ne comprend plus. Stella Giani. Pesticides. What's Happening to Honey Bees? 37 Million Bees Found Dead In Ontario. It was just a few weeks ago that 50,000 bees were found dead in an Oregon parking lot, and now the ongoing problem has hit north of the border in Ontario, Canada where more than 37 million bees have been found dead. In the past, many scientists have struggled to find the exact cause of the massive die-offs, a phenomenon they refer to as "colony collapse disorder" (CCD).

In the United States, for seven consecutive years, honeybees are in terminal decline.The problem has brought beekeepers to crisis in an industry responsible for producing apples, broccoli, watermelon, onions, cherries and a hundred other fruits and vegetables. Commercial honeybee operations pollinate crops that make up one out of every three bites of food on our tables. It is estimated that a third of everything we eat depends upon honeybee pollination, which means that bees contribute over 30 billion to the global economy. 37 Million Bees Dead in Ontario Bayer Pesticides Long Implicated in Colony Collapse Disorder Related:

Leaked document shows EPA allowed bee-toxic pesticide despite own scientists’ red flags. Follow the honey: Smoking bees makes them less mad when you move them, but leaked EPA documents might have the opposite effect. It’s not just the State and Defense departments that are reeling this month from leaked documents. The Environmental Protection Agency now has some explaining to do, too. In place of dodgy dealings with foreign leaders, this case involves the German agrichemical giant Bayer; a pesticide with an unpronounceable name, clothianidin; and an insect species crucial to food production (as well as a food producer itself), the honeybee. And in lieu of a memo leaked to a globetrotting Australian, this one features a document delivered to a long-time Colorado beekeeper.

All of that, plus my favorite crop to fixate on: industrial corn, which blankets 88 million acres of farmland nationwide and produces a bounty of protein-rich pollen on which honeybees love to feast. It’s The Agency Who Kicked the Beehive, as written by Jonathan Franzen! Hive talking Wimpy watchdogging. Wik-Bee Leaks: EPA Document Shows It Knowingly Allowed Pesticide That Kills Honey Bees. The world honey bee population has plunged in recent years, worrying beekeepers and farmers who know how critical bee pollination is for many crops. A number of theories have popped up as to why the North American honey bee population has declined--electromagnetic radiation, malnutrition, and climate change have all been pinpointed.

Now a leaked EPA document reveals that the agency allowed the widespread use of a bee-toxic pesticide, despite warnings from EPA scientists. The document, which was leaked to a Colorado beekeeper, shows that the EPA has ignored warnings about the use of clothianidin, a pesticide produced by Bayer that mainly is used to pre-treat corn seeds. The pesticide scooped up $262 million in sales in 2009 by farmers, who also use the substance on canola, soy, sugar beets, sunflowers, and wheat, according to Grist. The leaked document (PDF) was put out in response to Bayer's request to approve use of the pesticide on cotton and mustard. Related: Honey Bee Die-Off Caused By Multiple Factors Including Pesticides | News & Notes. A federal study attributes the massive die-off in American honey bee colonies to a combination of factors, including pesticides, poor diet, parasites and a lack of genetic diversity. Nearly a third of honey bee colonies in the United States have been wiped out since 2006.

The estimated value of crops lost if bees were no longer able to pollinate fruits and vegetables is around $15 billion. The report comes on the heels of an announcement Monday by the European Union that they are banning the use of pesticides that may be harmful to bees for two years. The measure is being closely watched here because the insecticides, known as neonicotinoids, have been in wide use for the past decade.

U.S. beekeepers have been reporting annual hive deaths of about 30 percent or higher for much of the past 10 years, but this past winter marked the worst loss ever — nearly 40 to 50 percent or more. In Europe, the decision to institute the moratorium was not without controversy. La disparition des abeilles. Abeilles et apiculture (Questions, Réseaux & applications) What is Really Killing the Bees? With the winter chill on the horizon, it’s easy to forget about the pesticides vs. bees debate that made headlines in the spring.

The issue, though, is far from resolved. Now that the dedicated pollinators are hidden away in their hives, cleverly avoiding the incoming cold weather, it may be time to take stock of what the real problem is and how it might be solved. Click HERE for a detailed infographic that describes many the causes bee deaths, which have risen by almost 80% in some parts of Europe. In April this year, a two-year ban on neonicotinoids was passed by the European Union. The farmers certainly aren’t giving up without a fight, especially in countries where the ban is yet to be imposed.

Barry Senft, chief executive of the group, stated that “a knee-jerk reaction shouldn’t happen until we find out more about what is actually happening from a bee-health perspective because there are other issues that affect the bee populations.” Further resources Keeping bees in towns and cities. The silence of the bees: government refuses to act on pesticide evidence | Environment. Here's an illustrative tale of how science is used and abused in government policy making.

In some circumstances, as with the imminent badger cull, you can take scientific evidence and extrapolate it to breaking point in order to justify the decision you have already taken. Today, on the issue of bees and pesticides, we see the opposite. Despite serious evidence of great harm being caused to bees by sub-lethal doses of neonicitinoid pesticides - published in the world's most prestigious journals - the government has decided that no changes to regulation whatsoever are required, because the case has not been proven beyond all doubt.

So extrapolation is fine if you like where it takes you, but abhorrent if you don't. Evidence-based policy making remains as dreamy a concept as ever, it seems, even with something as critical as keeping the nation's pollinators in good health and our food supply secure. The bee fiasco began in March with the publication of two studies in Science. More evidence links pesticides to honeybee losses. Photo by Rebecca Reardon. It’s been three weeks since beekeepers filed a petition with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to remove clothianidin — the pesticide widely suspected to be wreaking havoc on honeybee populations — from the market. In that time three studies have been released that strengthen the link between bee die-offs and neonicotinoids (neonics), the chemical family of which clothianidin is a member.

Here’s what they found: Study No. 1: Bees exposed to pesticides are getting lost. French researchers found that honeybees exposed to the neonic pesticide thiamethoxam had trouble finding their way back to their hives — no small problem for a foraging species. The researchers used computer models to conclude that the disorienting effect of chemical exposure could, under some conditions, cause a hive’s population to decline by at least two-thirds.

Study No. 2: Bee colonies exposed to pesticides are smaller and the ratio of males to females is way off. Scientists discover what’s killing the bees and it’s worse than you thought - Quartz. Universal Basic Income (UBI) proposals are gaining in popularity across the political spectrum. The measures would see governments hand a set monthly income to every single citizen within a country, either in addition to existing benefits or in place of them (depending on the details of the particular UBI proposal). Left-wing fans favor UBI’s ability to eradicate absolute poverty, while right-wing libertarians are drawn to its simplicity and reduction in bureaucracy. In Silicon Valley, startup investment firm Y Combinator has plans to fund a basic income experiment in the US, while Finland announced last year it would conduct its own extensive experiment.

But how feasible is UBI to implement in reality? We spoke to five UBI experts to get their take on the practicalities of the scheme. (Transcripts have been edited for clarity and length.) Matthew Zwolinski, associate professor of philosophy at the University of San Diego: Some of these proposals, e.g. To me, 10% GDP would be do-able. SEDP-2013-10-Kleczkowski-Ellis-Goulson-deVries-Hanley.pdf. US approves new pesticides linked to mass bee deaths as EU enacts ban. The continuing mass death of honeybees, known scientifically as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and a “pollinator crisis,” could well strain production of over 100 crops in the US including apples, zucchinis, avocados and plums.

The agriculture value of these products is estimated at over $200 billion globally per year. As RT recently reported, a new USDA report has taken a broad look at the decline of bee colonies in the country, highlighting a dire situation as the number of colonies has plummeted from 3 million in 1990 to 2.5 million this year. Demonstrating that the decline is a long-term issue, that same report points to the existence of 6 million honey bee colonies in 1947. Though dire, the report does not offer any immediate solutions, as scientists continue to examine the potential causes for the mass colony collapses, during which adult bees abandon their hives, along with the queen, brood and food supplies.

Original: Insanity: US Approves Bee Death Pesticide as EU Bans It. Corporate politics is business as usual inside the United States, as I am once again shocked to report the EPA has sided with industry lobbyists over public health in approving a highly dangerous pesticide that the European Union recently decided to ban over fears of environmental devastation. Not only have neonicotinoid pesticides been linked repeatedly to mass bee deaths, also known as Colony Collapse Disorder ( CCD ), but the continued use of such pesticides threatens other aspects of nature (and humans) as well. What’s even more amazing is that the decision not only comes after the EU publicly discussed the major dangers surrounding the use of the pesticides, but after the USDA released a report surrounding the continued honeybee deaths and the related effects — a report in which they detailed pesticides to be a contributing factor.

And there’s countless scientists and a large number of environmental science groups speaking out on this. Source: Natural Society Related: Link between neonicotinoids and honey bee colony collapse strengthened. » Blamed for Bee Collapse, Monsanto Buys Leading Bee Research Firm Alex Jones. Russia Warns Obama: Global War Over “Bee Apocalypse” Coming Soon. Russia Warns Obama: Global War Over “Bee Apocalypse” Coming Very Soon. Russia Warns Obama: Global War Over “Bee Apocalypse” Coming Soon. UPDATED: 25,000 Bumble bees found dead in a Target parking lot. Honeybee Disappearance Threatens Food Crops: 5 Ways to Help. Our Native Bees - McLean, VA - Education - Wall. Honeybee: Bayer - Wageningen University - BBKA. Pearl crashed hence to be reorderd container.

Bees - Colony Collapse Disorder. Illinois illegally seizes Bees Resistant to Monsanto’s Roundup; Kills remaining Queens. Anti GMO Foods and Fluoridated Water: Monsanto deceiving the public, funding Saint Louis Zoo insectarium and education center. The importance of honeybees. Why bees are disappearing: Marla Spivak at TEDGlobal 2013. Education Wednesday: Bees - Naturally Kristi | Naturally Kristi. 5 ways to help our disappearing bees. Apiculture. Bees & Beekeeping. Free Beekeeping Downloads. How to Plant a Honey Bee Friendly Garden | The Adventures of Thrive Farm. Grow Your Own Bee Garden: 7 Tips for a Bee-Friendly Habitat. Save The Bees with Orgonite. Orgonite Resources *Build your own! Heal energy patterns.* Keep Bees, Naturally! How to Make your Own Beehive. Introduction – Warre Hive Construction Guide | The Bee Space. How to Extract Delicious Fresh Honey from Bee Hive Honey Frames. Urban Beehive by Philips.

Design Probes - Urban beehive. Top 30 Flowers For Bees. Gardening for bumblebees. What Will The Grocery Store Look Like If The Bees Disappear? Importance of BEES Colony collapse - Educate YourselfEducate Yourself. Monsanto Invests in Pollinator Research, Ignores Effects of Pesticides. Decline of bees forces China's apple farmers to pollinate by hand. Effects of Colony Collapse Disorder Now Manifesting in California. Bee decline: Government announces 'urgent' review. Robobee Officially Takes Flight: Robotic Pollinators to Replace Dying Bees. Monsanto Invests in Pollinator Research, Ignores Effects of Pesticides. Robotic Bees to Pollinate Monsanto Crops. Home. Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory. Profit motive has no conscience. Monsanto buys leading bee research firm after being implicated in bee colony collapse. Monsanto.