What do cucumbers, avocados and coffee all have in common? Aside from being absolute necessities (yes, avocados too), they’re all crops pollinated by bees. And if things keep heading in the direction they’re at, we’re screwed.
Considered by many to be annoying little pests buzzing precariously near our ears, bees are extremely important. About one third of all plants and plant products consumed by humans are dependent on bee pollination.
Unfortunately, the combination of modern demand and natural stresses such as climate change, pests and illness mean that the global bee population is dying at a dizzying rate, endangering our diets and well-being.
To combat this, efforts are being made to rehabilitate the bee population. In Israel these endeavors are given a very Start-Up Nation twist, complete with computer vision, artificial intelligence and precision robotics.