We can do that, too!
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 ...
Good thoughts. And good morning. Today is Tuesday. It is not Monday again.
The Cub Scouts made an airplane out of recyclable trash last night. They were very creative!
Good for the Cub Scouts! I can do this. Though I’ll have to call Hurricane City and see why my emails haven’t been answered. Time is tight.
I may be able to get the bulk of the packing done today, I hope. A little in the kitchen and the bathroom which may be the easiest packing of the entire history of packing and preparation to move north!
The bedroom will require someone to take the mirror (HUGH!) off the dresser and to disassemble the bed, but otherwise, things are good. I have enough containers, I think.
I haven’t heard from the utility company, so you might want to check with them again.
Happy Monday Part Deux, all.
Onward unto the breach.
Oops - I didn’t get the memo.
The space-time continuum is a twisty thing.
Either that, or I tend to follow along a twisty path.
You cover more territory that way.
I’m not sure you make as much progress, though.
I hear ya.
I’ve packed three boxes today and will pack a crate with papers and file folders from the desk. Slow but sure!
Go Fa-ace.
Go Fa-ace.
Go Fa-ace.
Go Fa-ace.
(Hope this helps.)
Thank you! I love my peanut gallery! ;o]
We can do that, too!
Thank you for Magical Morning Kitteh!
Post G’orning, y’all!
All cats are magical. Some are just better at it.
How’s your Marine doing?
Fine as far as I know. She called and texted on Saturday about arranging her transportation home after completing this course. Nothing since, but I understand they were headed off into the swamps for a long period.
Weather’s not bad for swamp camping, but they say we may have wintry precipitation over the weekend.
Swamp survival—what a great skill to have under your belt!
I just helped Charlie put together his new bed. He had saved for almost a year to get it, and when I was talking about getting a new bed, he thought he wanted one as well. It took him about six weeks to decide for sure that he wanted one, so I printed out some stuff from Overstock and let him look at the different styles.
He decided on a twin bed with a 14” platform, so it’s not so hard for him to get out of it in the mornings. Him and his bum knees. The platform and mattress finally came yesterday, after being “Out For Delivery” on Friday. and then “Rescheduled.”
I know he was thinking I kept the money, because he’s old and needs something to worry about. But I put the money in the AmEx account and ordered the bed for him as I promised I would.
By the time I got there this morning, he had put the platform together, but his knees were hurting a lot. I told him the old bed had to come out before the platform could be put down, and he was going to “help.” No. I rassled the old mattress and box spring out and onto his patio and then, being the OCD old man that he is, he had to make sure that frame was exactly lined up in exactly the place he want it, exactly “2” this way.”
I then took the mattress out of the box...rolled up in thick plastic. He was so worried when I took the scissors to it, but after removing the two layers (one with the rolled up mattress and one on the mattress itself) and we watched as it expanded.
I’m sure Charlie loves me for that! On my way home, I put the two boxes in the Dumpster.
To say I’m done for the day is an understatement.
Oh, yes...I need three more boxes or two boxes and another tub. Probably three boxes because they’re cheaper together than one tub.
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