"Thankfully," Martha interjected, "the live bee portion of the test is conducted elsewhere."

"I thought bees were attracted to flowers by sight and smell," I said.

"That's true but the electrostatic attraction is something we're just beginning to understand. We do know as a result of earlier tests EA, as we call it, is also part of the lure. We're working to determine how large a part it represents."

"You're doing this so the bees will be more interested in certain flowers?" Betsy asked.

"Or, perhaps they will be less interested. Think of the possibilities if we could reduce pollination of weeds and intrusive vegetation."

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"What's this negative-positive business and electrostatic field?" I asked.

"It's sort of like an electromagnetic field. When two objects have different charges a field exists between them. Objects attract if their charges are different or repel if they are the same. Electrostatic fields come from a voltage gradient and can exist when charge carriers are stationary. Magnetic fields arise from the motion of charged carriers, the flow of current."

"How does this relate to how our brains work?"

"Our internal electrical system works by using cells that have built up electrical gradient or energy that can be given off to other cells by direct transfer. Transmitters activate the synapses, electrical junctions in the body that stimulate the brain, nerves, and muscle cells to become active and communicate."

I put my hands over my ears. "You're losing me," I said.

Betsy broke in. "Could the fact that Howie's brain waves are somehow different after his lengthy coma and all the operations he endured be effected by what you were doing?"

"The answer is apples and oranges to me," Quinn said. "I don't see any possible connection, much less this so-called time travel." I could hear a glass clink and there was a pause. He apologized. "I can't think straight without a bottle on the table and a drink in my hand."

"Does any section of science consider time travel a possibility?" Betsy asked.

We could hear Quinn's sigh. "That's not my field but I'm not sure if anyone is producing serious study. I do remember some theories concerning relativity suggesting some sort of motion in space might allow time travel if space-time geometrics are possible."

"What's 'space-time?'" Betsy asked.

"Space-time in simple terms is a mathematical model that combines space and time into a single continuum. It's all theoretical. I do recall hearing about the grandfather paradox. That theorizes if you travel in time and kill your grandfather before your father is conceived, would you simply not be?"

"That couldn't happen in Howie's case. He's not there; he's only an observer," I offered.




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