Scientists have developed a breakthrough “superfood” for honeybees by engineering yeast to produce the essential nutrients normally found in pollen. In controlled trials, colonies fed this specially designed diet produced up to 15 times more young, showing a dramatic boost in reproduction and overall health. As climate change and modern agriculture reduce the availability of natural pollen, this innovation could offer a practical way to support struggling bee populations.

Using CRISPR-Cas9, scientists engineered a yeast to produce the nutrient feed. Farmers could have it in two years.

  • nomad@infosec.pubEnglish
    731·
    2 days ago

    Here in Germany farmers are payed for a strip of each field to be planted with wild flowers instead. They don’t lose money at all and nature keeps a bit of land. Simple and cheap.

    • bstix@feddit.dkEnglish
      12·
      17 hours ago

      That’s a nice idea, but it would be better if the farmers hadn’t bought that strip of field to begin with.

      Farming is ridiculous like that.

      Now the farmers are getting paid your tax euros because they once bought it, destroyed it and took no responsibility for it.

      • nomad@infosec.pubEnglish
        3·
        16 hours ago

        I like paying for a strip of land that it maintained for nature. That’s a great use of taxes IMHO.

        • bstix@feddit.dkEnglish
          1·
          15 hours ago

          No doubt. But why does the farmer get the money? It would make more sense for the government to buy the land back for good.