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bees
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bees
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opus
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bees
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on:
23/07/2008 23:57:19 »
is it true that if bees died out, everything else would follow within a few years?
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LeeE
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bees
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Reply #1 on:
24/07/2008 23:45:50 »
Bees play a very important role in plant pollination, including a lot of the plants that form part of our food-chain. It's very worrying but at the same time it's extremely unlikely that all bees would die - random mutation and the resulting evolution would probably keep some alive. As to whether it would keep enough alive to suit us is a different issue though.
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...And its claws are as big as cups, and for some reason it's got a tremendous fear of stamps! And Mrs Doyle was telling me it's got magnets on its tail, so if you're made out of metal it can attach itself to you! And instead of a mouth it's got four arses!
lyner
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bees
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Reply #2 on:
24/07/2008 23:52:22 »
Millions of species have become extinct since life first appeared. We're still here.
It would be a 'first' if, when some new factor destroyed all bees, it took us all with it - even including the dreaded asteroid scenario. But, if it does happen - so be it.
There are many other insects which could emerge to fulfill the bees' major function, after a suitable delay which could involve serious problems for many flowering plants.
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DoctorBeaver
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A stitch in time would have confused Einstein.
bees
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Reply #3 on:
25/07/2008 08:31:59 »
It wouldn't be a threat if everything was GM
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lyner
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bees
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Reply #4 on:
26/07/2008 00:04:44 »
Why would GM solve it all?
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DoctorBeaver
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A stitch in time would have confused Einstein.
bees
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Reply #5 on:
26/07/2008 14:06:08 »
We could GM the bees so they don't die out, of course! [
]
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lyner
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bees
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Reply #6 on:
27/07/2008 00:10:01 »
I don't think we could rely on GM to sort out the problem.
I get the feeling that the Varroa problem is not being solved by GM methods or any others.
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DoctorBeaver
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A stitch in time would have confused Einstein.
bees
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Reply #7 on:
27/07/2008 10:47:29 »
Varroa is indeed a problem, but I don't think it's unsolvable. GM the bees to produce Apistan! [
]
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lyner
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bees
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Reply #8 on:
27/07/2008 18:20:48 »
Yebbut, have 'they' done it yet?
Can 'they' do it in time to solve the problem?
The two letters G and M don't, per se, solve the problem, do they?
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DoctorBeaver
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A stitch in time would have confused Einstein.
bees
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Reply #9 on:
27/07/2008 18:37:31 »
Have faith, dear chap; have faith! [
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einsteinium252
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bees
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Reply #10 on:
27/07/2008 20:41:14 »
Colony Collapse Disorder is causing a problem already and will probably get worse. If global food supply weakens it could be disastrous.
Unless someone designs flower seeking robotic bees, with ultraviolet vision (the way bees can see flowers). Considering how there is a trumpet playing robot and even a robot that can carry on a conversation, hopefully robotic bees might not be far off. [
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Make it Lady
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Hands-on fun for everyone!
bees
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Reply #11 on:
27/07/2008 21:49:36 »
I think the British Bee keeping society have just produced a book on this topic and are presently fund raising in order to research the problem. I'll try and find out the name of the book and the author but if someone else knows of it feel free to post first.
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Give a man a fire and he is warm for a day, set a man on fire and he is warm for the rest of his life.
Make it Lady
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bees
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Reply #12 on:
27/07/2008 22:01:40 »
Can't find the book but the head of the campaign to save the British Bee is Tim Lovett. If any of you would like to join the campaign and raise funds you can contact him on tjl@dermapharm.co.uk
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Give a man a fire and he is warm for a day, set a man on fire and he is warm for the rest of his life.
lyner
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bees
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Reply #13 on:
28/07/2008 10:16:26 »
Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 27/07/2008 18:37:31
Have faith, dear chap; have faith! [
]
We had faith in antibiotics but, one by one, they are losing their effectiveness and producing unwanted effects.
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