Over the past several years, scientists have noticed a steep drop in the bee population of North America. In many areas, the honeybees are dying off a double the normal rate, known as colony collapse disorder. What is behind this disturbing phenomenon? According to a New York Times article released this week, the culprit may be a plant virus spread to bees through the pollen of tobacco and soy plants. Referred to as the tobacco ringspot virus, the deadly disease is the first known case of a virus jumping from pollen to bees. To learn more about this new discovery and how bees are vital to human flourishing, read the NY Times article here.
