New Scientist Blogs

Monday, April 16, 2007

Are cellphones wiping out bees?

The bizarre and sudden vanishing of bees that started in the US, and has now spread to Europe, has left apiarists stumped as to the cause. Now, researchers in Germany have come up with an explanation that, in the absence of a better theory, will probably be seriously considered : cellphones.

Radiation from mobile phones is interfering with bees' navigation systems, preventing the insects from finding their way back to the hive, according to a preliminary study by Jochen Khun's team at Landau University in Germany.

If it is true, it's difficult to know what can be done about it, since cellphones are now so ubiquitous. But colony collapse disorder (CCD), as the mystery bee demise is known, is a serious problem, with as many as 80% of bees affected in some parts of the US. It occurs when all the hive's occupants suddenly disappear (nobody knows where) leaving just the queen, her eggs and a few immature workers. And it has huge implications for agriculture because bee-performed pollination is vital for most of the world's crops.

Previous studies have shown that bees' behaviour changes near power lines, although the areas around power lines also provide an untouched haven for the creatures.

What's to be done ??? any suggestions?

Gaia Vince, Environment editor

http://www.newscientist.com/blog/environment/. Acesso em 10/05/08.

(leitor 5)

Coming from a beekeeper family, being an electronics engineer and a nature lover, one's immediate reaction is: bees are a lot more useful than cellphones. Without bees plant polination is drastically reduced. Furthermore honey is a far healthier sweetener than sugar or artificial sweeteners. Hence for the sake teenager's blogging, we are destroying one of our essential health and agricultural partners. Having studied bees' navigation system, which is more sophisticated than we realise, it is unlikely that bees "refuse" to get back to their hives, with a cellphone nearby, they simply loose their way owing to carrier wave emanating from transmission towers, take too long to find it and they either caught by birds or die from exhaustion, having consumed the nectar they collected. The problem is simple, commercial forces do not care what they destroy as long as they can sell their ware and the average ignorant youngster and non technical person simply does not care. There are numerous articles in technical magazines about the effect of electro-magnetic fields on human and animal tissue. The plain fact is that we still do not even know the damage that maybe caused by high voltage 50/60Hz sinewaves. This can be further complicated by LV equipment that generates square waves which contains numerous harmonics. Though there is strong evidence that certain frequencies can kill viruses, in vivo, by bringing them into resonance which causes them to explode (a method which has been suppresseed by the AMA and FDA on behalf of the pharmafia for a half a century)we do not know what frequencies in what strength are in fact carcinogens, neither do we know what interaction there is between various chemicals and frequencies on cells. Sciences per se are too isolated and findings are often suppressed in the name of profits or political gains. A typical example is cheap flights for football hooligans when we are heading towards an energy crises and global warming. The plain fact is that a globe which is made for 2 billion sensible people is heading for a herd of 10 billion, which wants many times more in everything today than they need, without caring or understanding how it will affect tomorrow. Bees are only one of the victims. By the look of it, the only contribution humans made to this planet is an ever accelerated destruction of it. No matter how movements like the Greenpeace try to warn people, the lemmings are just heading towards the cliff edge.

COMMENTS:

( Leitor 1)

Even if this is true, some bees will survive, and thrive in the abscence of their brethren.

By Anonymous on April 16, 2007 3:16 PM

( leitor 2 )

I would think it more likely that bees have finally evolved to the point of being able to unionize and fight unfair labor practices dictated by their queens. They're on strike!

By Anonymous on April 16, 2007 3:25 PM

( leitor 3 )

i have an idea, give the bees cell phones then they can contact the queen and find their hives! i am totally serious.

By Anonymous on April 17, 2007 4:02 AM

( leitor 4 )

If a link to mobile phones and bees is proven, then yes i think we should be worried, bees play an extreamly important role in the pollination process and the eco system as a whole. Albert Einstein once calculated that if bees suddenly ceased to exist, mankind could not survive for more than 4 years!! a worrying thought?

By Anonymous on April 16, 2007 10:17 PM

Birkozo

By birkozo on April 22, 2007 9:06 PM

Texto 4

De todos los países y pueblos hay una imagen más o menos tópica, más o menos real. Se dice, por ejemplo, que los españoles, en general, son apasionados y bastante desorganizados. Se dice también que son simpáticos, amables, demasiado habladores y un poquito dramáticos.

El irlandés Ian Gibson (hispanista que vive en España y tiene nacionalidad española), en su libro “Fuego en la sangre: la nueva España”, dice además, que los españoles son ruidosos, sensuales, vitalistas e incapaces de escuchar durante mucho tiempo al interlocutor.

Por otra parte, el esteriotipo es muy importante en el extranjero todavía. España significa solamente, para muchos, playas y sol, flamenco y toros. Para alumnos, España sigue asociada a la tragedia de la Guerra Civil (1936- 1939), y a una imagen arcaica y rural. La verdad es que muy pocos conocen la España de hoy: un país contradictorio y variado, un país tradicional y moderno, un país turístico pero también un país europeo industrial y dinámico.

Responda a questão, com base no Texto II

Texto II

Qualificação profissional, como ela faz falta!

Existe uma unanimidade no mercado de trabalho: qualificação faz muita falta. Essa é uma verdade sentida na pele tanto por profissionais quanto por empregadores. Os profissionais podem nem notar, talvez imaginando que “apenas um diploma basta” – pode até mesmo ser um diploma de nível superior. No entanto, muitos não se dão conta de que chegariam mais longe em suas carreiras e conseguiriam salários mais atrativos se investissem, direta (pagando do próprio bolso, na medida do possível) ou indiretamente (buscando apoio das empresas em que trabalham), na própria especialização.

As empresas também sentem, talvez mais diretamente, os efeitos da falta de qualificação. No final do ano passado, o IPEA – Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada – divulgou um estudo que revela que apenas 18% dos desempregados brasileiros têm requisitos necessários para serem absorvidos pelo mercado de mão-de-obra especializada. A realidade aponta que há oportunidades, mas falta gente preparada para aproveitá-las.

Há, porém, casos notáveis de programas mantidos por empresas, especialmente de grande porte, visando à qualificação da mão-de-obra. Essas empresas utilizam-se de institutos que formam profissionais capacitados para seu negócio ou formam parcerias com instituições de ensino.

A educação, que é a mãe da qualificação, é a chave de um ciclo virtuoso que inevitavelmente resulta no crescimento do país e na redução das abismais desigualdades sociais. O caminho é esse, inevitavelmente.

(Jornal da Paraíba – Caderno Concursos e Empregos, domingo, 4 de maio de 2008, p. 1). Com adaptação.

Texto 5

Por medio de la presente, cumplo en informarle con respecto al reclamo correspondiente a la reserva nº 7817 a nombre del participante Juan Carlos García que se la ha otorgado una BECA, por una semana de CURSO INTENSIVO DE ESPAÑOL con validez de un año, para ser ejecutada, en la localidad de Santiago – Chile.

Deberá contactarse con la siguiente dirección a los fines de confirmar las fechas de realización.

Considering the context, the above text is

I. a “TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN” document.

II. addressed to a College Dean to certify the student's academic record.

III. a certificate from a British High School addressed to the University Principal.

The correct alternative(s) is/are:

Texto 4

De todos los países y pueblos hay una imagen más o menos tópica, más o menos real. Se dice, por ejemplo, que los españoles, en general, son apasionados y bastante desorganizados. Se dice también que son simpáticos, amables, demasiado habladores y un poquito dramáticos.

El irlandés Ian Gibson (hispanista que vive en España y tiene nacionalidad española), en su libro “Fuego en la sangre: la nueva España”, dice además, que los españoles son ruidosos, sensuales, vitalistas e incapaces de escuchar durante mucho tiempo al interlocutor.

Por otra parte, el esteriotipo es muy importante en el extranjero todavía. España significa solamente, para muchos, playas y sol, flamenco y toros. Para alumnos, España sigue asociada a la tragedia de la Guerra Civil (1936- 1939), y a una imagen arcaica y rural. La verdad es que muy pocos conocen la España de hoy: un país contradictorio y variado, un país tradicional y moderno, un país turístico pero también un país europeo industrial y dinámico.

February 1, 2008

Kimberly Sharpe, Recruiting Manager

Hexagonal Consulting

666 Avenue of the Americas

13th Floor

New York, NY

Dear Ms. Sharpe,

I am a first year MBA student at State Business School. I was extremely impressed with Hexagonal Consulting's approach to management consulting after attending the presentation given by your firm earlier this quarter. I also learned more about your firm by talking with William Field and several other summer interns. My discussions with them confirmed my interest in Hexagonal Consulting, and I am now writing to request an invitation to interview for a summer associate consulting position.

After graduating from Northern College with a degree in accounting, I worked as an associate in the Finance department of AutoCo, a well-known automotive manufacturer. I gained solid analytical and problem solving skills there. I was responsible for identifying and resolving financial reporting issues, as well as generating innovative methods to improve our processes. I also fine-tuned my communication and consensus building skills, as I often needed to present and market my work to middle and upper management. Finally, during my last year of employment, I took on a team leadership role, managing the daily work of five junior members of our team and taking an active role in our training for new hires.

have enclosed my resume for your review. I welcome the opportunity to meet with you when you recruit at SBS for summer internships later this month, and I would greatly appreciate being included on your invitational list.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Laura Haley

314 Broadway, Apt. 15

New York, NY 10007

lbethhaley@hotmail.com

http://www.vault.com/nr/main_article_detail.jsp?article_id=21123937&cat_id=0&ht_type=9. Acesso: 05/05/08.