Posted on 10/06/2018 2:02:35 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Pentagon research project called "Insect Allies." Funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the project involves using gene-editing techniques like CRISPR to infect insects with modified viruses that could help make America's crops more resilient. If a cornfield were hit by an unexpected drought or suddenly exposed to a pathogen, for example, Insect Allies might deploy an army of aphids carrying a genetically modified virus to slow the corn plant's growth rate.
According to the DARPA website, these "targeted therapies" could take effect in a single growing season, potentially protecting the American crop system from food security threats like disease, flooding, frost and even "threats introduced by state or non-state actors.
… Insect Allies, is less concerned. "Anytime you're developing a new and revolutionary technology, there is that potential for [both offensive and defensive] capability," Bextine told The Washington Post. "But that is not what we are doing. We are delivering positive traits to plants… We want to make sure we ensure food security, because food security is national security in our eyes."
Insect Allies is still in the early stages of development, and at least four U.S. colleges (Boyce Thompson Institute, Penn State University, The Ohio State University and the University of Texas at Austin)have received funding to carry out research. Bextine told The Washington Post that the project recently achieved its first milestone — testing whether an aphid could infect a stalk of corn with a designer virus that caused fluorescence. According to the Washington Post, "the corn glowed."
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Congratulations! A good-sized baby!
Good morning to you! I’m glad you’re having a good time! Those pics with Elen USMC were fantastic! She looks so smart in uniform. :o]
My friends from Soldotna arrived about the time your text messages did, so I had to belay the answers, and just never got back to it. They took me to Outback where I had a very delicious salad and a spectacular Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla. No one wanted dessert but me, and I took the cheesecake. Oh. My. Goodness. I never saw such a slice of cheesecake in my life. Twice the width of any other and twice the height! The waiter brought three spoons so we could all eat, saying he played it out in his mind and knew he would go home injured if he only brought one! DeRay and I ate, but Darla tried to remain uninterested.
I was so wired, I had a hard time sleeping, and then woke up at 2330 to stay. By noon yesterday, I was literally reeling with fatigue. I finally called it good at 1500 and shut the light out. Eleven hours later, here I am.
oh, jeeze, NtI, I can’t even recall if I congratulated you, and if I didn’t I’m sorry! If I did, then congratulations to all of you again!
I had to adopt my daughter, but I love her just the same. I missed buying little frilly pink things, and these days, she’s more inclined to want a hockey jersey, but its all good!
Take lots of photos!
I would like to see the video but I don’t know where to look.
I collapsed at 8:00 p.m. last night, as soon as I got Frank and Kathleen off to bed.
I know that feeling so well! LOL! At least you rested, and that’s good. When do you head back?
Mom left this morning, but the rest of us will go tomorrow morning.
I had a nice walk with Frank, up the beach, through the swamp, and back to the house. Now DP has taken Bill, Elen, and Sally out for a “soul food” lunch. The under-18 group and I will meet them at a lighthouse a little later. He’ll text me when they’re done.
It sounds like a relaxing weekend, for sure, even with all the excitement.
When does Bill leave on his business trip?
It was Monday to Wednesday this week. We went for a hike in the State Park. Now we’re waiting for Elen and Kathleen, who fell behind. I’m not concerned: Elen’s a Marine.
LOL! Things happen so fast in your life! I’m in Slo-Mo mode and can’t keep up!
:o])
Tomorrow! Safe journey.
They got lost. The state park is only about 1/4 mile wide!
Greetings fellow Middle-Earthlings,
The Season of Fog is upon us...
Hope you have all had a good Summer.
:)
Summer? Last I checked it’s under 8” of snow..
Good morning, neighbor.
Good morning from snow-free South Carolina, where it’s going to be an even nicer day than yesterday. We plan to be out of our rental house about 9 a.m., go to church at 10, and then hit the road back to Charlotte. It’s about 5 hours for me, but the faster drivers without small children could be there in 4.
Hey, Moosie!
You been as scarce as hen’s teeth here and frog hair on FB! Needless to say, you’ve been missed and I think of you each time I drink a cup of hibiscus tea. :o]
Good morning to you, from almost perpetually snow-free but very cold nonetheless Vegas Valley. I would like to go somewhere, but nebulizer.
I hope everyone makes it back safe and sound. Elen is in among the groups somewhere, isn’t she? She’s a different person now than the one who left, for sure! Maybe she’ll encourage Sally into considering a career in the air force. (One can only hope.)
Oh. Yes, Covenantor. I need that little gadget. Whatever it is from whichever TV show... My eyes tell me its a compass, but the like of which I’ve never seen. (I don’t get out much.)
Now with USB 3 for faster charging...
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