Are Mobile Phones Wiping Out Bees?

[PlecMama]

" Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees"

Link to article in the Independent.

Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?
Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees
By Geoffrey Lean and Harriet Shawcross
Published: 15 April 2007

It seems like the plot of a particularly far-fetched horror film. But some scientists suggest that our love of the mobile phone could cause massive food shortages, as the world's harvests fail.

They are putting forward the theory that radiation given off by mobile phones and other hi-tech gadgets is a possible answer to one of the more bizarre mysteries ever to happen in the natural world - the abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops. Late last week, some bee-keepers claimed that the phenomenon - which started in the US, then spread to continental Europe - was beginning to hit Britain as well.

The theory is that radiation from mobile phones interferes with bees' navigation systems, preventing the famously homeloving species from finding their way back to their hives. Improbable as it may seem, there is now evidence to back this up.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) occurs when a hive's inhabitants suddenly disappear, leaving only queens, eggs and a few immature workers, like so many apian Mary Celestes. The vanished bees are never found, but thought to die singly far from home. The parasites, wildlife and other bees that normally raid the honey and pollen left behind when a colony dies, refuse to go anywhere near the abandoned hives.

The alarm was first sounded last autumn, but has now hit half of all American states. The West Coast is thought to have lost 60 per cent of its commercial bee population, with 70 per cent missing on the East Coast.

CCD has since spread to Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece. And last week John Chapple, one of London's biggest bee-keepers, announced that 23 of his 40 hives have been abruptly abandoned.

Other apiarists have recorded losses in Scotland, Wales and north-west England, but the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insisted: "There is absolutely no evidence of CCD in the UK."

The implications of the spread are alarming. Most of the world's crops depend on pollination by bees. Albert Einstein once said that if the bees disappeared, "man would have only four years of life left".

No one knows why it is happening. Theories involving mites, pesticides, global warming and GM crops have been proposed, but all have drawbacks.

German research has long shown that bees' behaviour changes near power lines.

Now a limited study at Landau University has found that bees refuse to return to their hives when mobile phones are placed nearby. Dr Jochen Kuhn, who carried it out, said this could provide a "hint" to a possible cause.

Dr George Carlo, who headed a massive study by the US government and mobile phone industry of hazards from mobiles in the Nineties, said: "I am convinced the possibility is real."

The case against handsets

Evidence of dangers to people from mobile phones is increasing. But proof is still lacking, largely because many of the biggest perils, such as cancer, take decades to show up.

Most research on cancer has so far proved inconclusive. But an official Finnish study found that people who used the phones for more than 10 years were 40 per cent more likely to get a brain tumour on the same side as they held the handset.

Equally alarming, blue-chip Swedish research revealed that radiation from mobile phones killed off brain cells, suggesting that today's teenagers could go senile in the prime of their lives.

Studies in India and the US have raised the possibility that men who use mobile phones heavily have reduced sperm counts. And, more prosaically, doctors have identified the condition of "text thumb", a form of RSI from constant texting.

Professor Sir William Stewart, who has headed two official inquiries, warned that children under eight should not use mobiles and made a series of safety recommendations, largely ignored by ministers.

Horrible and unreal.

 

[Danno]

Well its is just a theory that it is mobile phones. There isnt anything linking to them but more or less using them as a scapegoat. It could be airpressure, wind, the currents, anything really.

 

[PlecMama]

What do you work for Nokia or something? It's an interesting article that doesn't really deserve to be dismissed out of hand, and it is phrased as a question - "ARE mobile phones wiping out bees?" - not a statement of fact.

They have noticed this:

Now a limited study at Landau University has found that bees refuse to return to their hives when mobile phones are placed nearby. Dr Jochen Kuhn, who carried it out, said this could provide a "hint" to a possible cause.

Possible cause - to be investigated.


I wouldn't actually be sorry if they did find it was true and banned mobile phones. From what I hear in public, most of the conversations go like: "'Ello? yeah. I'm on the bus. Yeah? (laughs), yeah? yeah well he said he did..." and on and on and no substance or great emergency there, just kinda-sorta annoying to every one else that has to listen to it.

 

[Danno]

What do you work for Nokia or something? It's an interesting article that doesn't really deserve to be dismissed out of hand, and it is phrased as a question - "ARE mobile phones wiping out bees?" - not a statement of fact.

They have noticed this:

Now a limited study at Landau University has found that bees refuse to return to their hives when mobile phones are placed nearby. Dr Jochen Kuhn, who carried it out, said this could provide a "hint" to a possible cause.

Possible cause - to be investigated.


I wouldn't actually be sorry if they did find it was true and banned mobile phones. From what I hear in public, most of the conversations go like: "'Ello? yeah. I'm on the bus. Yeah? (laughs), yeah? yeah well he said he did..." and on and on and no substance or great emergency there, just kinda-sorta annoying to every one else that has to listen to it.

Haha nah, I don't work for Nokia
I just have a tendency of not believing anything I read or see until it is absolutely confirmed.

 

[andywg]

That finnish study about cancer risks has now been superceded. There appears to be very little (if any) risk from using a mobile phone with regards to cancer. The wiki site has has some good info on research:

In 2006 a large Danish study about the connection between mobile phone use and cancer incidence was published. It followed over 420,000 Danish citizens over 20 years and showed no increased risk of cancer.[8] Some scientists claim that the design of the study was flawed in favor of finding no links.[9]

In order to investigate the risk of cancer for the Mobile Phone user, a cooperative project between 13 countries has been launched called INTERPHONE. The idea is that cancers need time to develop so only studies over 10 years are of interest.[10]

Following studies of long time exposure have been published:

A Danish study (2004) had too few longtime users to be conclusive at 10 years.[11]

A Swedish study (2005) that draws the conclusion that "the data do not support the hypothesis that mobile phone use is related to an increased risk of glioma or meningioma."[12]

A British study (2005) that draws the conclusion that "The study suggests that there is no substantial risk of acoustic neuroma in the first decade after starting mobile phone use. However, an increase in risk after longer term use or after a longer lag period could not be ruled out."[13]

A German study (2006) that draws the conclusion that " In conclusion, no overall increased risk of glioma or meningioma was observed among these cellular phone users; however, for long-term cellular phone users, results need to be confirmed before firm conclusions can be drawn."[14].

A joint study that draws the conclusion that "Although our results overall do not indicate an increased risk of glioma in relation to mobile phone use, the possible risk in the most heavily exposed part of the brain with long-term use needs to be explored further before firm conclusions can be drawn."[15]

Other studies on cancer are:

Tumour risk associated with use of cellular telephones or cordless desktop telephones,that says: "We found for all studied phone types an increased risk for brain tumours, mainly acoustic neuroma and malignant brain tumours".[16]

A Swedish study (2004) concludes: "Our findings do not indicate an increased risk of acoustic neuroma related to short-term mobile phone use after a short latency period. However, our data suggest an increased risk of acoustic neuroma associated with mobile phone use of at least 10 years' duration.".[17]

That article is based on old papers, and is sensationally reporting a new paper that hasn't gone through perr review yet. Pretty bad reporting, though I expect nothing less from the Indy...

 

[William]

A little sensational isn't it! Given that most of the places with CCD are deep in the country, I'm somewhat surprised with the conclusion they have reached here!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

just seems a bit of a long reach to the conclusion

yes CCD may be happening and it's obviously cause for concern if it is, however they've as much evidence of it being because of mobile phones as they have of it being a giant spagetti monster who lives underground and comes out only at night and eats the bees.

 

[Darkstar]

And last week John Chapple, one of London's biggest bee-keepers, announced that 23 of his 40 hives have been abruptly abandoned.

of course, it might be more to do with london bees not being able to afford to ever-rising london hive prices...add the congestion charge on top of that and I'm surprised there any bees left in london. It's just as valid a theory at this present time as any other imo lol.

 

[AquariumFish]

I would be more concerned about TV's weather radar (the one here is called Doplar) that does a COMPLETE 360 every twenty seconds.