Sure to bore to death, many on the list,,,
I am seeking the origin OR early
sources for the quote:
"If the bee disappeared off the surface of
the globe, then man would only have four
years of life left."
My bet is that it originates from
the groups which were protesting
genetically modified crops between
2000 and 2005. If so, the first use
may have been out of Germany
and in the German language, which
may be why I find no version in
English, prior to 2005. France may
even be a candidate here. So I
am especially seeking any early
sources in Europe.
So far as I have determined,
the quote was first used in
a book, -ironically having the
title:
From Science Fiction to Science Facts,
Companion Study Guide to the Science
By C. B. Don
2005
Page 65
Source:
http://books.google.com/books?id=2WRZFwoGe6sC&pg=PA65&dq=%22disappeared+off+the+surface+of+the+globe%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qJBkT9SUL-nb0QHnmqyQCA&sqi=2&ved=0CD8Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22disappeared%20off%20the%20surface%20of%20the%20globe%22&f=false
,,,,to add strength
to the concerns related to
pollinator declines that
were receiving much press
in the first half of the first
decade of this century.
This was at the time of the
GM/pollinator scare, which
is why I suspect a European
country for the origin, -as far
as I am aware, the GM protests
have originated in Europe during
that time.
The quote appears no other
place in 2006, and may have
quietly subsided and gone
lost into obscurity if it hadn't
been for the press related to
the CCD epidemic of 2006
The quote goes viral in
early 2007 when writers
began to use it to add
strength to the concerns
related to the latest
plague affecting bees;
-CCD in the year 2006.
The earliest date I can
find for the quote being
used in conjunction with
CCD are in Newspapers in
the USA in mid February
of 2007.
I am seeking to find the
ground zero for the cause
of the quote going viral,,,
So I am currently seeking
if the quote had been published
in the Bee Journal or Bee Culture
in relation to the CCD epidemic,
sometime in late 2006 till Feb
of 2007.
There is also evidence
showing the quote appearing
in 2007, in some of the more
reputable scientific journals and
entomology journals. This
strengthens my belief that
ground zero for the viral
explosion may be found
in a reputable bee magazine,
or perhaps on a discussion list,
which was then picked up on
by the Journals. It seems to go
viral simultaneously, all over the
USA within the first few months
of 2007, appearing in articles
related to the CCD epidemic.
Perhaps the most mis-diagnosed
bee malady in history, and the most
mis-quoted quote in history are
together forever.
I am also looking into a possibility,
That Einstein was miss-heard when
he supposedly made the statement.
One can argue a good case, that what
Einstein really meant to say was:
"If beer disappeared off the surface of
the globe, then man would only have four
years of life left."
Best Wishes
Joe Waggle
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles/
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