With the bees dying, does this mean the end of our civilization?

Question

This is a very frightening epidemic for the world.
The "Unknown" disease killing all the bee's, will put our nation and every other country into starvation.
Considering bees supply $15 billion dollars worth in fruit,vegetables, and etc.

What is there to do?
Is this the end of the world?
Is the Revelations in Act?
Is this god's return? (For the Religious)

A similar epidemic like this happened back in 1915, where millions of bee's died off.
Does this have to do with Global Warming?
Weather Related at all?

Post your opinions, thoughts, and ideas.

This isnt a religious post, just those are some ideas people could come up with.

Just state your opinions!

http://www.celsias.com/blog/2007/02/27/bees-dying-by-the-millions/

Bird flu didnt effect the economy as bad as the bee's will.

Bee's play a MAJOR role in the economic system.

. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man," said Albert Einstein.

Answer 1

I'm not worried. There are hundreds of them in my tree outside right now. If worst comes to worst I will just have to pollinate my own food.

Answer 2

I expect that the food supply will be significantly affected for a while, but we won't starve.
I don't think honeybees will become extinct, because some will develop resistance to the pathogens that are killing them, and then the numbers will increase again.
I am not sure, but I suspect that this problem has been spread by the honeybees that are trucked from state to state and rented out to farmers to pollinate their crops in season.
There were no honeybees in the Americas until they were imported by Europeans. The Native Americans got along fine without them.
They are important for pollinating fruits, and we may have a shortage of fruits if the honeybees disappear. This doesn't mean we'll go without food, however.
Honeybees are not the only pollinators, but they are the most catholic; they will pollinate most any kind of flower.
Now, if a strain of flu develops that has the mortality rate of the 1918 flu, whether it's a bird flu or not, the economic consequences and loss of life could be severe. However, I doubt that even this would be as bad as the worst case scenarios, because there are bound to be vaccines available to create at least partial immunity. Something like this already exists for the bird flu.

Answer 3

Civilization means a society in which many co-exist (in some way or another) that eventually has its downfall. Since every civilization has grown and become more advanced with every fall of an empire or dynasty or kingdom or republic, the end of our civilization would probably be better for the next generation. Now hold on, don't think I am emo or anything. But considering how this generation has done a pretty good job of running a muck and screwing up the economy, the fall of our society could mean the start of a greater civilization that would actually help the world, not tear it to peices.

Answer 4

The national Honey Board released another $58,000 for research into the problem. The gesture is commendable, but the resources needed are at least 100X more. Prepare to pay a lot more for fruit and vegetables.

The most likely direct causes are pesticides or pathogens. I don't think that global warming is a cause, but it may be an aggravating factor. Part of the problem could be mechanized farming practises which have reduced the environmental diversity making bees more susceptible to other stresses. My laboratory has deep experience with fungal infections on crops. Two of my research assistants are currently tasked with examining whether or not submitting a grant proposal to do research into fungal pathogens of bees is worthwhile.

In the worst case scenario, loss of bees will not kill our civilization, but the loss would be crippling, perhaps akin to the ecological crash that happened on Easter Island.

Answer 5

Not to worry.

The media makes news instead of reporting news.

Because news papers are becoming obsolete, the papers have reduced the number of reporters in half. Only the liars are left and they want to keep their jobs.

The few reporters that are left have to invent news or amplify the available news. Therefore, we are spoon fed fear, bird flu, bee reduction, global warming, new hurricanes, and terror.

They even make ordinary weather a big thing. They cried wolf so many times on hurricanes that when Katrina hit we were caught off guard. No one took their warnings seriously.

Last year they predicted the worst hurricane season would hit in 2006 season ---- wrong, it was a calm season.

As long as I have my honey next to me, I don't worry about the news hype.

Answer 6

This isn't the first time bees have died off like this. It happened before and we're still here. Bees will eventually rebound. So just hold your Armageddon speech for now.

Answer 7

could be bad, but it dosent have to do with god or revalation, those stories have been proven to be about the romans in early christianity, its the evangelical end of the world seekers that put that idea out. WE better genetically alter some bees to be able to survive in a warmer climate, cause they do alot of polinating, without them we would be screwed

Answer 8

You know I have seen plenty of bees running around of late so I would not be concerned. My friend just had to kill off a few because they made a hive in his shed.

Answer 9

bees are in their hundreds in my garden in fact the radio station said in cumbria we have more than normal maybe they all come up here for a holiday,

Answer 10

And don't forget the oceans are dying also