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| So you're into sci fi? But what about sci fact? Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction... Each month our very own Voyager Science Queen* will bring you interesting, quirky and downright bizarre tasty morsels from the world of science. And its all completely, totally, 100% true! June Sci-Facts |
Busy Little Bees "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe The Honey Bee is the most useful of all our domesticated animals. Not only does it supply us with honey and wax, two amazing substances in their own right, the Honey Bee is the main pollinators of many of our major crops. These economically-important crops include nuts, some types of cereals, melons, pumpkins, apples, and almost all of the stone fruit, as well as many herbs and flowers. To be truthful, I like bees just for their sweet, furry selves...I can never see a bee without thinking of Winnie the Pooh. I like to hear the hum of bees. And, at the moment, the bee is under threat. In America, bees are disappearing fast, to the point that Australia has been shipping millions of bees to them. Alas, who will return the favour if our own bee stocks start to drop? The cause of all this heartache is the varroa mite. The Varroa mite, Varroa jacobsoni, is an external parasite of honey bees that feeds on the blood of adult bees, larvae and pupae. The actions of the mites shorten the lifespan of the individuals in the hive, and act as a vector for diseases. Once a hive is infected with the mites, it will only last four or five more years before perishing. Australia has been free of the varroa mite, but the possibility of invasion has occurred with increasing frequency. There have been several scares, with colonies of Asian bees discovered and quarantined. Those commercials about the importance of declaring goods and suspect items aren’t just to keep Custom officials in a job. And Neil Gaiman keeps bees; how is that for a recommendation! Biography of the Month Timothy Fridtjof Flannery is Australian of the Year 2007. He is a mammalogist – a zoologist who studies mammals, a paleontologist, and an environmental activist involved with warning the world about global warming and climate change (among other concerns). He is also a straight-talking man with integrity, not afraid to voice unpopular theories. I first hear of Tim Flannery in my palaeontology lectures at the University of Queensland, back in the Eighties. He was my lecturer’s golden boy, for discovering a treasury of varied fossils in Victoria. As well, he had described many new species of Australian and New Guinean mammals. He was the ‘Indiana Jones’ of Australian Zoology, and my class all wanted to be like him. Now, he is better known for writing biting observations books that make on environmental and ecological issues. He is an excellent writer, on top of all his other accomplishments, as he started his academic career with a Bachelor of Arts. He is a successful radio and television presenter. Yes...I am a big fan, a huge fan. “I remain optimistic that we can turn things around, but I think we've got much less time than I thought to ensure our survival.”
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| *The Voyager Science Queen is also known as Lynne Green So, who is this woman who attempts to entertain us with Science? Well, I really am a scientist. I have a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Queensland, in Zoology. And, at the moment, I am working in a Pathology laboratory. I have always been intensely curious about every aspect of our universe, from the teeny tiny workings of the gene right up to the mind-bending forces that are twisting and knotting inside a blackhole. So, now I am sharing a brain stuffed full of trivia...and hopefully entertaining people at the same time. As well, I write Fantasy stories and novels. One day, I hope to have a book published, but don't hold your breath. Reading is my other major love, and my favourite authors are Terry Pratchett and Isaac Asimov, though I could list hundreds of others. If I had one wish, I ask for more time to write! Read previous Sci-Facts: Water-Saving Tips Looking for more scientific oddities? Have you checked out Dr Steven Juan's website? He is, quite literally, the wizard of odds! |
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