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 ...
W00t! You too!
And good luck on your trip.
“Dis a Chrissmus fing? I like dis fing!”
Good morning.
Tell me please that your Adult House Guest is upstairs in her previous room instead of on the couch...?
The Evil Sleeps would have been very welcome last night, but they were interrupted several times, for long periods. So I’m not sure I’m a real person this morning.
I think the wreath is eucalyptus, so he won’t chew it up.
Yes, the Adult Houseguest is in the spare bed in the girls’ room. Drama Queen is supposed to get home sometime today. The last load of yesterday’s wash is in the dryer now. There were four loads of the family’s laundry and three of Elen’s.
I finally just finished updating my journal. It took a while!
Today, I’ll take that second cartridge of ink back to Wally’s and just ask for a refund. I’m pretty sure the entire lot is the same way, so I won’t bother. I’ll just try to nurse this cartridge along until I can get some more.
But today, I’ll sort through the clothes and put the older ones up for adoption.
Wow. That’s a lot of laundry! But then, I’m always amazed by people who do more than three loads in a week! My so-called life! When does Elen have to report back for duty, and does she know where that will be?
Yes to both of your posts! Truthisms. ;o]
Oh, LOL! That is way too funny! Thanks!
:o])
She leaves on Jan. 3 for Twentynine Palms, CA, in the Mojave Desert. She thinks her training course is eight weeks. After that, the future is murky.
For me, the equivalent timing was in 1967. So, only fifty years ago.
When I was young and unmarried, I met a guy who was stationed at 29 Palms. He was a classmate of some friends of mine. The closest I got was to be stationed at Yuma Proving Grounds.
Good luck to her and her future.
Lol! I still have babushkas! Of course, now you have to strangle yourself tying a series of weird knots in them and posting the whole process on Youtube.
Beautiful! Thank you!
And this is why you shouldn't try to wash screwdrivers.
So true. I might still have my original washer, if not for the screwdriver.
The choir practiced, various shopping trips went several places, I wrapped gifts. Next I’m meeting Anoreth at the hairdresser.
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