The Pentagon Wants to Make an Army of Virus-Spreading Insects. Scientists Are Concerned.

.livescience.com ^ | October 5, 2018 12:57pm ET | Brandon Specktor

[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."

[ArGee]

Er - ah - Klaatu barrato nikto?

[Silentgypsy]

Do you ever get that one mixed up with the one where they finally figure out that “To Serve Man” is a cookbook?

[ArGee]

Actually, no. I’m aware of that episode. I think it’s even on youtube. But I haven’t seen as many trivia questions about “To Serve Man.”

[Covenantor]

Some afternooon Caracal kittens...

[NicknamedBob]

But I haven’t seen as many trivia questions about “To Serve Man.”

Keep in mind that “To Serve Man” also featured Richard "Jaws" Kiel. That alone should have been sufficient warning.

[Tax-chick]

Awwww. Super darling!

[Silentgypsy]

Scary-looking little tykes, aren’t they?

[Silentgypsy]

He made me want stainless steel bridges. My then-dentist refused to do it. I even promised him not to tell anyone who did the work; he still wouldn’t do it. It’s kind of like the steel-reinforced cement pinatas. We wanted a pinata to last. Sissies, every last one of them.

[Tax-chick]

[Covenantor]

[Covenantor]

The season is upon us...

[Tax-chick]

Even cats can graduate from college these days.

[Tax-chick]

That’s a good one.

[Monkey Face]

Gorgeous redheads!

[Monkey Face]

Looks like a twin of an earlier floof. :o]

Good morning. I’m feeling the crunch.

[Tax-chick]

I’ll bet you are, but it’s just a phase that will soon be over. One hour at a time!

[Monkey Face]

The AmEx account is evidently down for maintenance, so I can’t write any checks. I hate when that happens. I have to go to Walmart soon, and gas up the truck. I want to make sure I have enough to do everything I need to do.

[null and void]

DO EET!!!!

[ArGee]

Well, we made it to Friday Eve!

But somehow they found me and brought me back here to work.

Good morning, all.

[ArGee]

Takes me all the way back to Beezus and Ramona and the Dawnzer Lee Light.