Science news June 2018

Power lines and bees

Why are bee numbers falling so much? One answer is the use of insecticides but there are other reasons as well. A really interesting, and potentially explosive, report has recently been published in Scientific Reports. This implicates the low frequency electromagnetic field as an important stressor for the Honey bee, leading to altered learning, flight and less successful foraging for food. This will ultimately lead to reduced pollination and less food production.

The original reports that the overhead power lines cause an increase in childhood leukemia have been thoroughly discredited, and the World Health Organisation have clearly stated that it is safe to live near power lines.  Maybe this will happen with this report. What is inevitable is that more research is now needed.


Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields impair the Cognitive and Motor Abilities of Honey Bees  S. Shepherd et al, Scientific Reports volume 8, Article number: 7932 (2018) |

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