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 ...
Back from South Carolina wildlife. It was very nice.
Done right, you can do this kind of math on your fingers.
Like a kid counting on his fingers, and getting up to ten, but let's scale it up a bit, or down to two bits, and have each finger represent a doubling of the one before it.
In this way, you can count up to thirty-one on the fingers of one hand, and up to one thousand and twenty-three if you use both hands.
Just keep in mind there are 10 kinds of people; those who know what I'm talking about, and those who don't.
Former President George H. W. Bush died last night, apparently shortly before midnight.
I have this to say about that, Bob: you do the math!
(I was never very good at that until hand-held calculators came on the scene)
That looks like me this morning. I wanted to do that...
But...packing.
Smug kitty!
You have to get out of bed, and she doesn’t.
So, belatedly, good morning. I have been busy, and must get back to it but I had to take a few minutes off.
I got all the clothes in the closet into plastic bags, and surprised myself by scanning and emailing a document to the utility company in Hurricane. One try! I rock! ;o]
Next I’ll go into the kitchen and pack up the small appliances and the large containers of liquids like oil and vinegar.
When I gave Christina back the books she loaned me, she said she would talk to her husband and try to get a driver for me, as well as a loading crew. I have enough inquiries in enough places that with luck (and a LOT of prayers) it will all come together.
Grandson James said he would try to be there for the unloading, and of course, his dad said he wished he could be here. Both offers were appreciated. Nothing from my nephew and BiL, though.
Things are moving along. One step at a time.
I have come down with the Parris Island Upper-Respiratory Crud, and I feel like dreck. However, I will get many things done this weekend. There is no sick leave in my line of work.
Nor mine. I had to go buy a box at Wally's and when I got back, I sorted out some food and other kitchen stuff to be placed in other containers.
Some things that I will need almost as soon as we land will ride in the BB SUV. Printer, 3T, USB Hub, etc., etc. I also got a large crate for the extra paper and the things in the file sorter. What is in the desk drawers will stay there.
U.S. Marines don’t get to take a day off for the Crud, either.
Sounds like you’re making good progress. I need to go to Walmart, but I don’t have time before choir practice.
“That was some party!”
Yes, it is progressing, and when I sit down to actually analyze what’s left, it really isn’t much, thanks to the last three years. But since I weeded through my working files last week, I have a stack of shredder fodder that’s about 7” high. That’s at least a 90 minute job.
The small appliances will be easy, thanks to the boxes I got last year from He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, which originally contained chrome wheels. Perfect size, and they even have hand holes on opposite sides at the corners.
I’m still working on a driver, though...
I didn’t see you there!
Parris Island Upper-Respiratory Crud - Is that something like kennel cough?
I was incognito (or non cognosco).
Yes.
After a week of glaringly impossible odds to overcome (loading and driving) it would appear as though both of those odds will be rendered uselessly nonexistent with just one phone call.
That call happened this morning, and it would appear as if loaders and a driver will be forthcoming asap. Yippee!
In other news, the barometer is dropping lower than I’ve seen in several years, so I’m thinking tomorrow will be ugly and wet. But it will be a good day in my estimation.
:o])
It’s almost as if God loves you!
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