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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
Vanessa de Behr <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 14 Nov 2001 12:14:09 +0100
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     Well, I do not know what the seed companies know, but the museum, archivists and biology researchers do worry.
     A very detailed note dated Nov 5, 2001, on "the effects on research specimens and museum collection items from electron beam irradiation of mail by the US Postal Service" is available from the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education Museum at:
http://www.si.edu/scmre/mail_irradiation.html
     The technology involved and its destructive action are described. In summary, if they do irradiate in the proposed manner, living specimens will be killed by this irradiation: seeds, cuttings, etc. including bacteria (obviously), fungi, plants and all animals. The more complex the living being, the more destructive the irradiation. Plant fibers, skin products and paper will become more brittle; there will be a loss of fiber strength in wool and hair samples, and accelerated aging of many organic materials. Discoloration of many materials including minerals, glass and gems is also to be expected. Magnetic media (floppy disks, zip disks, audio and video tape) will probably loose significant information content. Undeveloped photographic film will be exposed.
Vanessa,
Sundays beekeeper, rainy Belgium

 James Fischer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>The USA's postal service says that they will start using irradiation, (snip)
>The process will certainly kill bacteria, but will also kill seeds,
>bulbs, live plants, and any other living things, including bees. (snip)
>but even the champagne yeast used to make mead will be
>killed (snip)
>I wonder if anyone at the seed companies knows the implications
>of the phrases "irradiation" and "electron-beam"...

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