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 ...
I still haven’t seen any of the St George bunch, but I’ll keep nagging them until they pay attention and meet up. Maybe we can plan a get-together for Memorial Day or something. That would be fun, I think! But I need to convince the rest of them that its a good idea!
Now, I’m going to rub some Aspercreme on my neck, then put my Church Face on and start my day. I hope the swelling in my left foot goes down a little. I hate when my feet swell at church.
I hope you have a very nice time at church!
Thanks! I do, as well. Its been a long time since I looked forward to going, and I’m getting used to it all over again.
Moving was a very good idea! :o])
Yes, it was. If you give me some detail on the colors of clothing you’re wearing for church, I can have Asuncion make you a nice set of jewelry to celebrate.
Wow. Thanks. That will take some thought, as I usually get the outfits ready the day before, sometimes two days before, because I don’t want to be rushed in trying to get out the door.
So how about, when I get back from church, I’ll check the outfits and colors and make a list and she can choose. Today, I’m wearing cream colored silk, with (really old) gold and pearl earrings and necklace and the initial bracelet you sent me a couple of years ago.
I lean toward dangly earrings, and if I wear the button style, I like them fairly large, but then, I’m tall so I can get away with it. My hair is usually pulled up and back with most of it hanging loose.
Stay tuned. ;o]
Asuncion makes me a lot of dangly earrings. I remember the initial bracelet. I got it along with Tom’s desk. The seller had bought it for his wife, but she didn’t like the color.
How can they keep getting cuter? Thank you!
It’s nature! If cuteness is a survival advantage, kittens will keep getting cuter!
And good morning to you.
I only remembered that you got the bracelet at a yard sale, but I couldn’t remember if you had bought anything else. But now, I recall the desk!
It’s good that the church sessions have been shortened by an hour, because now I can attend the classes afterwards.
And I met someone at church who has a sewing project for me. She has a skirt she wants shortened, so I got out the Singer and will get my books out and review how to shorten an A-line skirt. She wants it tomorrow morning! EEP!
Checked the website.
Looks hysterical.
There were about 25 people playing it at the demo yesterday. It seemed pretty involving. I played “Ticket to Ride” with DP and some of the boys last night. I lost.
I’m glad your Sunday is going well. We had a guest priest from Honduras who went on and on, and then I helped the musicians set up for the charismatic prayer meeting, and then I stopped in the kitchen to put some plastic bottles in the recycle bin, and someone asked me to make coffee! All very nice, though. The priest was cheerful and interesting.
This is how I like Sundays, and it actually reminds me of when I was a really short person, and Sundays were the best days of the week because my dad dressed in his suit and put on Bay Rum after shave. ;o]
I just cut the bottom of that skirt, and now I need to pin it. My neck is really hurting, and seems to be getting worse as the day goes on. Once the hem is pinned, I’ll call this a day and have a bite to eat, then go to bed. S-L-E-E-P … your eyes are getting heavy... S-L-E-E-P!
Oh. Yah. Tomorrow is laundry day! Clean clothes again!
You’ll have plenty of time to stitch it up tomorrow, since you get up so early. And Laundry Day is less of a hassle than in your last place.
Everything is less of a hassle since I moved. Even this little “service project” that I accepted is a good thing and I don’t mind it at all. So many things now look so much better, and it’s been so long since I felt this good emotionally that I don’t really know how to process it.
It’s all good!
Sing a happy song!
And do a happy dance!
Thank you!
Now, I’m off to bed. See you in the morning!
Fight off an eldritch horror with kangaroos!
Those ‘roo are freaking terrorists!
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