The Pentagon Wants to Make an Army of Virus-Spreading Insects. Scientists Are Concerned.

.livescience.com ^ | October 5, 2018 12:57pm ET | Brandon Specktor

[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."

[NoCmpromiz]

Have a friend who collects (or at least used to) Jaguars. He has a thing or two to say about Lucas Electric. ;-)

[Darksheare]

All Lucas products require periodic refills of patented darkfluid to maintain company quality status.

[NicknamedBob]

Interesting. I require periodic refills myself.

[Darksheare]

Lucas products also must emit the scheduled smoke and aromatics now and then.
The thermal events are also in the maintenance procedures.
People, not so much.

[Tax-chick]

[Silentgypsy]

They’re so cute when they don’t have all their teeth yet!

[Monkey Face]

...If it was entirely designed here we would still be arguing about where to put the Kettle.

LOL!

[Covenantor]

Good morning all...

[Monkey Face]

Try the auto translation on YouTube on a Russian video...

Some languages defy logic. I never understood why they would say, "the building blue," or "the house red." What?

[Monkey Face]

Beautiful Maine Coon painting! Thank you so much!

[Monkey Face]

What a tiny little floof! “Where da snack bar? I’s hongry!”

Good morning.

I feel better about the BB SUV and I’m looking forward to going to Walmart! (I hope I remember to ask him about the defroster...)

[Tax-chick]

Superior cat.

[Tax-chick]

Good morning. I’m glad you’re feeling more upbeat today.

[Silentgypsy]

Good morning!

[Tax-chick]

Good morning. It’s not as cold here as the forecast predicted. Vlad has his geography test this morning, so we’ll be heading off to the library in half an hour or so.

[Monkey Face]

Good morning! I hope your Friday Eve is a good one!

[Monkey Face]

We’re supposed to get up to 60° today, but probably not soon enough for my walk.

However, I’ll take what I can get.

The Muppet Birds have knocked both long perches to the floor of the cage this morning, and now it sounds like they’re laughing about what great fun it was!

[ArGee]

OK, OK. I looked up Lucas Electric on Google.

It says something when more returns are about Lucas Electric jokes then what it actually is.

Really? Joe Lucas, Prince of Darkness?

[Tax-chick]

Yeah, I have kids like that.

[ArGee]

Good morning.

Er - a - Heghlu’meH QaQ jajvam?

I think that’s ‘good morning.’ At least, it seems to be some form of Klingon greeting.