In what's essentially a rehash of a story from late February, the New York Times is reporting that honeybees are vanishing. What's new is that about 60 scientists met yesterday to figure out why. "So far, known enemies of the bee world, like the varroa mite, on their own at least, do not appear to be responsible for the unusually high losses."

Researchers have turned to bee autopsies and genetic testing to unlock the mystery and have found the "unusual" presence of fungi also found in humans suffering from AIDS or cancer.

The insects' disappearance has much to do with our food supply: "They are the principal pollinators of hundreds of fruits, vegetables, flowers and nuts."

Photograph from ndrwfgg on Flickr