bizarre honey bee story apparently going viral....

[mike_c]

I just received this via an entomological list-serv. I deleted the correspondent's name for privacy's sake, but he/she is a well respected entomologist.

An environmentalist in India has generated a massive surge in public
panic by claiming that cell phone towers kill honey bee colonies
within 10 days, and that cell towers will wipe out all honey bees
within 10 years:

http://www.physorg.com/news170920128.html

This story is going viral, which is an oddly ironic term, since it
has been recently shown that viruses are likely to be the cause of
Colony Collapse Disorder (and yet, the study that showed this has
gotten almost no press coverage - go figger).

As far as can be determined, the researcher in question is president
of an organization (the Kerala Environmental Researchers'
Association) challenging the placement of cell phone towers by
claiming health risks to humans:

http://www.hindu.com/2005/08/09/stories/2005080905750300.htm

and has apparently concluded that the death of a honey bee colony
placed near the offending cell phone tower is empirical evidence that
cellular tower emissions make it impossible for honey bees to
navigate.

(see
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/phone-towers-are-honey-bees-next-big-threat-study-says.php
which points out "It seems like a highly dramatic conclusion - and
one to be skeptical about since the same issues came up a couple
years ago. We're still digging for details on the "experiment" - so
far it sounds like it's one isolated finding that when a cell phone
tower was put up next to a bee hive, the hive collapsed within 10
days.")

Why, exactly, does the media take stories like this and run with them
to the public without asking any qualified scientists (like, for
example, researchers who actually study honey bees) whether the claim
has any basis in reality?

At any rate, expect to hear a LOT more about this story, and possibly
never hear the end of it.

Argh,
xxxxxxx

[XemaSab]

1. I saw a freshwater jellyfish today!

:bounce:

[mike_c]

2. Clear Lake?

Polyp or medusa? I need to collect some!

[XemaSab]

3. Here:

http://www.redding.com/news/2009/aug/27/fresh-water-jellyfish-found-in-anderson-pond/

[Nihil]

5. Was it eating honey-bees?

This could be a vital clue to the next phase of beehive eradication!
:P

[phantom power]

6. I have fond memories collecting them with my dad.

Kinzua reservoir, I think.

[mdmc]

4. cell phones cause the viral infection that kills the bees

all the loose ends tied up..