It was barely nine months ago, but the days of bees swarming Cipriani Residences downtown seem like a distant memory: according to a new report by the UN, bees are dying out globally, which could mean serious problems for people all over.

The report blamed "more than a dozen" factors for the disappearances of the bee colonies, including air pollution, pesticides, tiny parasites, and the decline of wild flowers in developed areas. And even if you're no lover of bees, let alone one of the city's many beekeepers, their disappearance will have a huge impact on the global food supply. "Of the 100 crop species that provide 90% of the world's food, over 70 are pollinated by bees. Human beings have fabricated the illusion that in the 21st century they have the technological prowess to be independent of nature. Bees underline the reality that we are more, not less, dependent on nature's services in a world of close to 7 billion people," said Achim Steiner, head of the UN Environmental Program that commissioned the report.

Slow Food USA has more information about the importance of bees and how you can get involved, including a petition for the head of the EPA. Or you can watch Nicholas Cage freak out: