Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Pentagon Wants to Make an Army of Virus-Spreading Insects. Scientists Are Concerned.
.livescience.com ^ | October 5, 2018 12:57pm ET | Brandon Specktor

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 ...


TOPICS: Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: aphids; boycethompson; cornelluniversity; crispr; darpa; hurricaneutah; insectallies; ithaca; molassesmiasma; monkeyfacerules; newyork; nithaca; ohio; ohiostate; pennstate; pennsylvania; texas; undead; undeadthread; undeadthreadhere; uoftexasataustin; workingdogs
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 2,681-2,7002,701-2,7202,721-2,740 ... 6,541-6,560 next last
To: Tax-chick

Not only squee but w00t!

Good morning. I’m going to go take a shower. I have more stiffness and achy places than I know what to do with this morning, and no TV to attract my focus.

Maybe by the time I get out of the shower it will be back on. Beaker and Gonzo don’t quite know how to act.


2,701 posted on 01/09/2019 3:03:43 AM PST by Monkey Face (I'm not much for seizing the day. Instead, I just kinda poke it with a stick.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2700 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

Awww...Thank you!


2,702 posted on 01/09/2019 4:02:13 AM PST by Silentgypsy ( “If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.”__Scorpion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2700 | View Replies]

To: ArGee; NoCmpromiz; moose07; NicknamedBob; Tax-chick; Darksheare; Covenantor; Silentgypsy; ...

I thought this might be of interest to all y’all. I need to get out my star chart and my binoculars because there’s not much sky glow here, and I should be able to spot it easily. Although it can be spotted with the naked eye, how much more fun would it be to see it bigger? ;o]

https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/home.cfm


2,703 posted on 01/09/2019 4:24:18 AM PST by Monkey Face (I'm not much for seizing the day. Instead, I just kinda poke it with a stick.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2688 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

Maybe you need a radio to provide backup for Gonzo and Beaker.

I had a shower last night.


2,704 posted on 01/09/2019 4:38:22 AM PST by Tax-chick (What can I do to fight entropy today?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2701 | View Replies]

To: Darksheare

Good news.

Idiots - can’t live WITH ‘em. Can’t shoot ‘em.


2,705 posted on 01/09/2019 5:42:20 AM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2698 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick; Monkey Face; Darksheare; Silentgypsy; NoCmpromiz; no-to-illegals; NicknamedBob; ...

Good morning.

In my final week at Ed.


2,706 posted on 01/09/2019 5:43:15 AM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2700 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

The stereo was in the kitchen and I used it the first week I was here, but when I began to work in the kitchen, I moved it into the bedroom because it took up space I needed, but didn’t hook up the speakers when I moved it.

The TV came back on about 20 minutes after my shower. Its only for background noise, so I pick documentaries so I hear voices but don’t have to glue myself to it to wait for the plot line to develop.

I’ll be taking the BB SUV in to Casey Auto, which is the repair place recommended by two people, but I have no idea how much the repair will cost. Since there is no public transportation of any kind, I will walk back home, since its just a mile. I’ll get to see a part of town I’ve never seen. Slowly.


2,707 posted on 01/09/2019 6:04:42 AM PST by Monkey Face (I'm not much for seizing the day. Instead, I just kinda poke it with a stick.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2704 | View Replies]

To: ArGee

Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Es ist der Mittwoch-Version von Montag!


2,708 posted on 01/09/2019 6:37:23 AM PST by Monkey Face (I'm not much for seizing the day. Instead, I just kinda poke it with a stick.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2706 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face
Although it can be spotted with the naked eye, how much more fun would it be to see it bigger?

That all depends. If 'it' is an oncoming train, not much more fun at all.

2,709 posted on 01/09/2019 7:12:07 AM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2703 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

Thank you for doing that in German. If I’d been hit with that too early it might have ruined my day.

Fortunately, this is a good Monday the third since it’s the first day of my last week here.


2,710 posted on 01/09/2019 7:14:07 AM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2708 | View Replies]

To: ArGee

Congratulations!


2,711 posted on 01/09/2019 7:15:50 AM PST by Tax-chick (What can I do to fight entropy today?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2706 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

Thanks. You know what they say. “Today is the first day of the rest of what’s shaping up to be a miserable life.”

Or something.

;)


2,712 posted on 01/09/2019 7:49:49 AM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2711 | View Replies]

To: ArGee

I just like to do stuff like that and then translate that back to English. Some things are very funny!


2,713 posted on 01/09/2019 7:57:13 AM PST by Monkey Face (I'm not much for seizing the day. Instead, I just kinda poke it with a stick.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2710 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

Like that Monty Python Hungarian Phrasebook sketch?


2,714 posted on 01/09/2019 12:26:50 PM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2713 | View Replies]

To: ArGee

I don’t recall seeing that, but that’s probably exactly like it!


2,715 posted on 01/09/2019 12:40:29 PM PST by Monkey Face (I'm not much for seizing the day. Instead, I just kinda poke it with a stick.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2714 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

We do get to see the ISS fairly regularly.
A very bright light in the sky.
I’m always thankful that it is an international build....If it was entirely designed here we would still be arguing about where to put the Kettle.


2,716 posted on 01/09/2019 12:45:31 PM PST by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2703 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

Try the auto translation on YouTube on a Russian video....it can be hilarious.


2,717 posted on 01/09/2019 12:49:19 PM PST by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2713 | View Replies]

To: moose07

Not to mention Lucas Electric...


2,718 posted on 01/09/2019 3:06:10 PM PST by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2716 | View Replies]

To: NoCmpromiz

Um, no, let’s not mention Lucus Electric.
We do at the very least need the Kettle to work even if all else fails.


2,719 posted on 01/09/2019 3:31:31 PM PST by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2718 | View Replies]

To: moose07; NoCmpromiz
"We do at the very least need the Kettle to work even if all else fails."

Indeed. You could at least make up some stone soup.

2,720 posted on 01/09/2019 5:17:57 PM PST by NicknamedBob (If you can't do something well, you won't do anything good.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2719 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 2,681-2,7002,701-2,7202,721-2,740 ... 6,541-6,560 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson