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 ...
Well, you’ve certainly done your good deed for the day (or three)!
Thanks! I promised him when he talked of ordering it that I would help him, and when I leave, he won’t have anyone else.
He’s 81 and he quit his daily walks about a year ago and his knees have gotten worse as the months pass. He hates charity, but I try to make it like one friend to another.
Sometimes they just don't like to admit they need help. My F-I-L is 86. He insists he can still climb the ladder to pain the side of the (2 story) house, no matter how many times I till him I would be glad to help. Helping family isn't charity, but he still says he won't take any unnecessary risks and he's fine.
I tried to make this all about Charlie and my concern for his knees, not to put unnecessary strain on them, and so on, and he seemed OK with that. Not to mention the fact that he was surprised that I was able to rassle his now discarded bed out of the apartment and onto the patio.
In my secret other life before retirement, I ran a furniture repair company and was used to schlepping sofas and other items around and jostling them into the back of a cargo van. He was impressed. *meh*
He was complaining about his phone’s battery and I told him to let me know in the morning so I could order him a new battery before I leave. THAT is charity!
Just what I need on this dismal day. Floofys galore.
Good morning. I cannot find anyone to help me on Friday morning. Thursday or Saturday but not Friday, unless its Friday afternoon. So I don’t know what to do. I had another bad night last night and at this rate, nothing is going to get done. Not only that, but if I have to drive, I won’t be able to.
And it looks as though there is no one to unload when I get to Hurricane, either. Not definitely, anyway.
I don’t know what to do at this point except to continue to pack and pretend the plans are going well.
Yes, continue to pack. Are you sure you can’t change to Thursday or Saturday? If you move Saturday, you could overnight your rent check to Hurricane and have them leave the key under the mat - or the door unlocked, since the unit will be vacant?
I could call Chuck this morning to see what he advises. But my brain is on “Stall” and I need to shower before I make my keyboard all soggy from tears.
I also have to call or go online to cancel accounts here. Charlie and Sylvia will be at the laundromat this morning and that will give me a little more time to work as they won’t be back until around 1015.
Now I really need to shower. The frustration is getting real.
Can’t reach the site to see the kitteh (well, bummer).
Mood Gorning. Wappy Hendsay.
I’m with T-C. Continuing as if all is well, while continuing to check for alternatives, sounds like the best approach.
G’orning, y’all!
Thank you for the Preciouses!
These plans change more than I change my sox, so right now, if I can get the truck and get it loaded, I can be out of here by noon or shortly after. Still within the schedule.
Still iffy on loaders and unloaders, but the former may be solved before noon today. The unloaders? Meh.
Just don’t change to Red Sox. ;)
A reason why London had the nick name, the Smoke.
What an interesting photo Thanks!
OK. I don’t know what I did but somehow, I popped a circuit breaker. The day is a little on the gloom and doom side, anyway, so that was a real jolt.
The bathroom is pretty much done, including taking down the shelf and the over-the-tank cupboards, the kitchen is mostly done, and I still have the crock pot and the ice cream maker to pack.
There is a flat tub in the bedroom and the bedding will go into it and will be padding for the Galileo and the storm glass. I had cleaned and refilled the barometer about six weeks ago, being resigned to being #5 for another six months or more, so now I have either empty it, or tape over the spout in order to pack it.
The birds are very silent today, sensing something is up.
Progress! Then I began to get clumsy and realized it was time to quit for sure. So the rest of the day is mine.
You can take the rest of the day when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
Seriously, you're welcome to it. I've just got more meetings.
I have more meetings, too. However, I don’t think I have any meetings tomorrow. That will be nice, if it’s true.
Too much time on my hands and I end up in Panic Mode, even though it would appear that the worst of this is over. I hope.
Now, the exhaustion from two pretty sleepless nights is beginning to catch up with me, so I think I’m going to go in and get parallel to the deck.
And GLK is going in the last of the containers which go into the BB SUV. That way s/he will be among the first to lay eyes on the new digs. :o])
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