Controversial discussions on the waggle dance from a scientifc-historical perspective

Abstract

Karl von Frisch achieved worldwide fame because of his research on bees – particularly for decoding the waggle dance, for which he was awarded the 1973 Nobel Prize. The article emphasizes the signifcance of Frisch‘s discovery for behavioural biology and points out the complexity of bee communication. The article also takes a look at his experiments with other animals, like fsh, for instance, and his role during Nazi Germany. The debate on the informational content of bee dances has not been completed to this day. Technological advances continuously provide new scientifc insights, but Karl von Frisch‘s bee research demonstrates that groundbreaking fndings can also be gained through low-tech methods. From the perspective of historicity, the author refects upon the change in scientifc observation.