Pollution, such as car exhaust, could be causing flowers to lose their scent and in turn causing bees to not pollinate them, which could set off a destructive ripple effect in our world's ecology.
According to new research by the University of Virginia, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, in highly polluted areas, which are commonly found next to freeways, highways, coal plants, e.t.c. produce conditions for flowers that have scent molecules that travel less farther than flowers in areas with less pollution.
Since the scent is lessened this makes it harder for the bees to find the flowers.
Scientists with the study also say this new found dilemma could affect bees' ability to attract mates and ward off enemies.
This new research could help explain why a bout 25 percent of bee colonies in the United States' 2.5 million abundance has nearly been wiped out, due to what is called colony collapse disorder, where the bees desert their colonies. Bee decline has continued across the globe and has now entered Europe, according to a report from the The Independent.
Recently, I was reminded by a friend that it was Albert Einstein who said if the bees were to disappear, humans would only have a few years left to live and civilization would end.
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