According to a recent by researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Mobile Phones could be playing some part in the decline of the worldwide bee population observed over the course of the past few decades. The study, which aimed at looking at the effects of mobile phone radiation on bees have come up with startling results. While the report doesn’t categorically prove that bees are actually dying because of mobile phones, it is confirmed that phones do have an effect on these creatures.
As part of the research, Daniel Favre, the lead researcher placed cellphones near established colonies and studied the effects of the device on bees in various modes. All went well when the phone was kept off, and in the standby mode. However, the moment the phones receive a call, he observed that bees displayed an activity known as “piping” wherein these bees leave the colony and do not return.
Favre adds that the results of the study do prove that mobile phones do have an effect on bees when placed in close proximity to them. However, in real life scenarios, the chances of bees being near to an active cellphone are very rare. Hence, more research would be needed to confirm if the rapid propagation of mobile phones across the globe was actually had a part to play in the rapid decline of the bee population across the globe. More on the study and the research paper here
Next time you answer a phone call, do check if you are near a bee hive and let us know if you observe anything interesting!
Via [Inhabitat] / Hat Tip @makash
Bees are important to all life. Without them life on this planet will cease within 4 years – Einstein! hope they can find a way to either make it safe or replace it with a safe and effective energy source.