FROM: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/228544-It-s-Official-Cell-Phones-are-K...
It's Official- Cell Phones are Killing Bees
Scientists may have found the cause of the world's sudden dwindling population of bees - and cell phones may be to blame. Research conducted in Lausanne, Switzerland has shown that the signal from cell phones not only confuses bees, but also may lead to their death. Over 83 experiments have yielded the same results. With virtually most of the population of the United States (and the rest of the world) owning cell phones, the impact has been greatly noticeable.
Led by researcher Daniel Favre, the alarming study found that bees reacted significantly to cell phones that were placed near or in hives in call-making mode. The bees sensed the signals transmitted when the phones rang, and emitted heavy buzzing noise during the calls. The calls act as an instinctive warning to leave the hive, but the frequency confuses the bees, causing them to fly erratically. The study found that the bees' buzzing noise increases ten times when a cell phone is ringing or making a call - aka when signals are being transmitted, but remained normal when not in use.
The signals cause the bees to become lost and disoriented. The impact has already been felt the world over, as the population of bees in the U.S. and the U.K. has decreased by almost half in the last thirty years - which coincides with the popularization and acceptance of cell phones as a personal device. Studies as far back as 2008 have found that bees are repelled by cell phone signals.
Bees are an integral and necessary part of our agricultural and ecological systems, producing honey, and more importantly pollinating our crops. As it is unlikely that the world will learn to forgo the convenience of cell phones, it is unclear how much they will contribute to the decline of bees, and their impact on the environment.
Really tragic about the bees; our very survival depends on them pollinating crops.
Are we ready to give up our cellphones now?
never will...
Einstein said we have 4 years in the event there is a complete die off of the bees...
I understand he was a pretty smart guy...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_radiation_and_health
The article points out many studies on cell phone use and human health. Used to a limited extent, not so bad. Used for an hour or more every day over many years, not so good.
Interestingly, the frequencies of cell phones (UHF--450 MHz, 900 MHz, 1.8 GHz) have been in use since the 1940s, including use for very high powered radar and television transmissions. It's puzzling that cells phones, which are very low power, would cause a problem where TV transmissions, which are very high power, apparently do not.
A quick check of Wikipedia indicates there are many other contributing factors, and cells are just one possibility. Fungus, mites, and diseases are part of the picture, as are GMO crops which are engineered to emit a form of pesticide that may affect the bees. I'd put my money on the GMO crop issue, since the bee problem apparently was first noticed in the US, where GMO crops were first introduced, and later in Europe. The authors on Wikipedia implied that it may have been the cumulative weight of all these issues combined that pushed the bee population over the edge.
Chuck