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	<title>Comments on: Bees Can Sense the Electric Fields of Flowers</title>
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	<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/</link>
	<description>A science salon hosted by National Geographic Magazine</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 21 May 2013 16:11:30 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>By: Janice</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41440</link>
		<dc:creator>Janice</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:28:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41440</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hi Daniel, I would like to suggest studying the difference in electrical charges of insects and spider webs. I know spiders have deposits on certain strands of their web so that through a fly&#039;s eye, their web looks like the shape of a flower, with the spider sitting in the centre, but it would interesting to know if there is also electrical fields involved.
Janice McGuigan]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Daniel, I would like to suggest studying the difference in electrical charges of insects and spider webs. I know spiders have deposits on certain strands of their web so that through a fly&#8217;s eye, their web looks like the shape of a flower, with the spider sitting in the centre, but it would interesting to know if there is also electrical fields involved.<br />
Janice McGuigan</p>
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	<item>
		<title>By: kevin_hingwanyu</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41160</link>
		<dc:creator>kevin_hingwanyu</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:50:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41160</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[[
In response to Kevin; bumblebees cannot fly if you treat them like tiny airplanes with fixed wings, which they are not. The ‘impossibility’ tells us we are using the wrong equations and when you treat them like the little buzzers they are with flapping wings you see that yes, they can indeed fly.
]

I think the television had considered the shape/geometry of the wings of bees which are different from airplanes&#039; fixed wings, when the television program claimed that bees are aerodynamically not workable. From layperson&#039;s view, I think, intuitively, bees and mosquitoes are flapping their wings at very high frequency where we can hear the high frequency sound when they are flying nearby or hummingbirds flying in television. Flapping wings with relatively high frequency this could solve most query about their flight, and, their relatively heavier body, non-streamlined shape not are main problems. This suggests that their ability of flight is not too odd at all. In reality, bees, mosquitoes and hummingbirds can do hovering or suspending in air in addition of flying. I recall that an article in phyx_org says that wings or tails of other shape/geometry when flapping in fluids it would generate turbulence at behind or below. Those turbulence would provide lifting or propelling.

To equate wings of bees or mosquitoes to aeroplanes&#039; fixed wings is off the focus. I think, intuitively, to equate/relate/associate wings of bees to a propeller or the rotating part of turbine of airplane is much closer to the solution of the speculation, although it is still perhaps not the solution exactly. In addition of flapping wings at high frequency, I think it is also important that their wings can twist or change angle when they are flying, or the conformation or shape (of their wings) are changing when they are flying.

So you think there are already some equations can succeed to describe their flying mathematically, they can fly which is no longer a mystery ? I think they can fly, is a reality, just the programmes on television do not find those equations yet.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>[<br />
In response to Kevin; bumblebees cannot fly if you treat them like tiny airplanes with fixed wings, which they are not. The ‘impossibility’ tells us we are using the wrong equations and when you treat them like the little buzzers they are with flapping wings you see that yes, they can indeed fly.<br />
]</p>
<p>I think the television had considered the shape/geometry of the wings of bees which are different from airplanes&#8217; fixed wings, when the television program claimed that bees are aerodynamically not workable. From layperson&#8217;s view, I think, intuitively, bees and mosquitoes are flapping their wings at very high frequency where we can hear the high frequency sound when they are flying nearby or hummingbirds flying in television. Flapping wings with relatively high frequency this could solve most query about their flight, and, their relatively heavier body, non-streamlined shape not are main problems. This suggests that their ability of flight is not too odd at all. In reality, bees, mosquitoes and hummingbirds can do hovering or suspending in air in addition of flying. I recall that an article in phyx_org says that wings or tails of other shape/geometry when flapping in fluids it would generate turbulence at behind or below. Those turbulence would provide lifting or propelling.</p>
<p>To equate wings of bees or mosquitoes to aeroplanes&#8217; fixed wings is off the focus. I think, intuitively, to equate/relate/associate wings of bees to a propeller or the rotating part of turbine of airplane is much closer to the solution of the speculation, although it is still perhaps not the solution exactly. In addition of flapping wings at high frequency, I think it is also important that their wings can twist or change angle when they are flying, or the conformation or shape (of their wings) are changing when they are flying.</p>
<p>So you think there are already some equations can succeed to describe their flying mathematically, they can fly which is no longer a mystery ? I think they can fly, is a reality, just the programmes on television do not find those equations yet.</p>
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	<item>
		<title>By: Kudzu</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41147</link>
		<dc:creator>Kudzu</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 24 Feb 2013 05:43:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41147</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In response to Kevin; bumblebees cannot fly if you treat them like tiny airplanes with fixed wings, which they are not. The &#039;impossibility&#039; tells us we are using the wrong equations and when you treat them like the little buzzers they are with flapping wings you see that yes, they can indeed fly.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In response to Kevin; bumblebees cannot fly if you treat them like tiny airplanes with fixed wings, which they are not. The &#8216;impossibility&#8217; tells us we are using the wrong equations and when you treat them like the little buzzers they are with flapping wings you see that yes, they can indeed fly.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>By: kevin_hingwanyu</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41119</link>
		<dc:creator>kevin_hingwanyu</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Feb 2013 02:58:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41119</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Flying bumblebees carry positive electrical charge. I guess, when two bees fly too closely their electrostatic fields would repel each other. Television says that the structure of bee is not engineered for aerodynamic (don&#039;t ask me to explain what&#039;s aerodynamically impossible). Heresay bees can fly which is not possible and a mystery. Besides this, flying bumblebees carrying electrical charge may be another reason why their flying are hard to manage. Flowers attract bees literally. Is the electric attraction also helpful for bees to search remote flowers? 

At this moment I don&#039;t know how to properly say this - I think I have found a very important answer in nature, bees carry positively electrical charge while flowers are slightly negative so the pollen are electrostatically negative too. Bees and pollen carrying opposite electrical charges this will enhance the effect for bees to collect and attract pollen. And it also tells why much smaller pollen are favored for better pollenation.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Flying bumblebees carry positive electrical charge. I guess, when two bees fly too closely their electrostatic fields would repel each other. Television says that the structure of bee is not engineered for aerodynamic (don&#8217;t ask me to explain what&#8217;s aerodynamically impossible). Heresay bees can fly which is not possible and a mystery. Besides this, flying bumblebees carrying electrical charge may be another reason why their flying are hard to manage. Flowers attract bees literally. Is the electric attraction also helpful for bees to search remote flowers? </p>
<p>At this moment I don&#8217;t know how to properly say this &#8211; I think I have found a very important answer in nature, bees carry positively electrical charge while flowers are slightly negative so the pollen are electrostatically negative too. Bees and pollen carrying opposite electrical charges this will enhance the effect for bees to collect and attract pollen. And it also tells why much smaller pollen are favored for better pollenation.</p>
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		<title>By: Hilary Cox</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41116</link>
		<dc:creator>Hilary Cox</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Feb 2013 01:16:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41116</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Bumblebees are anything but &#039;humble&#039;! They are doing a job we as a race need to recognise for its importance. Without their services, and the many other pollinators&#039;, the human race is a gonner!]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Bumblebees are anything but &#8216;humble&#8217;! They are doing a job we as a race need to recognise for its importance. Without their services, and the many other pollinators&#8217;, the human race is a gonner!</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>By: Gracie</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41105</link>
		<dc:creator>Gracie</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:23:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41105</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Perhaps they can look further into this and see if this has anything to do with the decline of bees.  Perhaps engineered cell phones are trashing bees abilities to sense the natural charges and can&#039;t find the pollination needed to survive.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Perhaps they can look further into this and see if this has anything to do with the decline of bees.  Perhaps engineered cell phones are trashing bees abilities to sense the natural charges and can&#8217;t find the pollination needed to survive.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>By: Fiona</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41091</link>
		<dc:creator>Fiona</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:24:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41091</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[sure makes you wonder about EMF radiation, cell towers, routers, smart meters]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>sure makes you wonder about EMF radiation, cell towers, routers, smart meters</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>By: Kristen</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41090</link>
		<dc:creator>Kristen</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:58:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41090</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In response to Patrick - It is a good study design for what it is, which is determining the sensory ability of the bees, not whether they use it in the wild (which is the next step). It is similar to training a mouse to press a green button for a cheese reward, not the red. If the mouse is color-blind, he&#039;ll only get it right half the time (assuming all other factors are controlled for), bur if he can tell the difference, he&#039;ll quickly learn which one to push. Here, the bees were able to sense which of the identical flowers to visit because they could sense its charge and had learned to associate the charge with the reward.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In response to Patrick &#8211; It is a good study design for what it is, which is determining the sensory ability of the bees, not whether they use it in the wild (which is the next step). It is similar to training a mouse to press a green button for a cheese reward, not the red. If the mouse is color-blind, he&#8217;ll only get it right half the time (assuming all other factors are controlled for), bur if he can tell the difference, he&#8217;ll quickly learn which one to push. Here, the bees were able to sense which of the identical flowers to visit because they could sense its charge and had learned to associate the charge with the reward.</p>
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		<title>By: Bob Hastings</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41084</link>
		<dc:creator>Bob Hastings</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:29:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41084</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Might this be a base for designing a device to help the blind to see?]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Might this be a base for designing a device to help the blind to see?</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>By: Patrick Clarkin</title>
		<link>http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/21/bees-can-sense-the-electric-fields-of-flowers/#comment-41083</link>
		<dc:creator>Patrick Clarkin</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:23:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/?p=152463#comment-41083</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#039;m not an entomologist, so almost everything coming from that field is new to me. But it is still pretty humbling to realize how many mysteries are still out there in nature. Thanks for bringing these studies to our attention, Ed.]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;m not an entomologist, so almost everything coming from that field is new to me. But it is still pretty humbling to realize how many mysteries are still out there in nature. Thanks for bringing these studies to our attention, Ed.</p>
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