England in 1852: The biologist and seed merchant William has been unable to leave his bed for weeks. As a researcher, he feels like a failure; his mentor Rahm has turned away from him, and the business is at a standstill. But then he comes up with an idea that could change everything - the idea for a completely new type of beehive. Ohio, USA in 2007: The beekeeper George works hard for his dream. He wants to expand the farm, hoping that one day his son Tom will take over. However, Tom dreams of journalism. Until one day, the unbelievable happens: the bees disappear. China, in 2098: The worker Tao hand-pollinates trees, as there are no bees left. More than anything, she wishes for a better life for her son Wei-Wen. But when he has a mysterious accident, everything suddenly hangs in the balance: the life of her child and the future of humanity.