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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
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To: Tax-chick

I just signed up for the local PBS channel so I can now stream Doctor Blake and Father Brown. I’ll have to check and see what else they have in videos that I used to watch! Happy dance!

Now I’m going to fix something for lunch.


3,361 posted on 01/30/2019 10:38:15 AM PST by Monkey Face (If you're on the right path it will always be uphill. ~~ Henry B Eyring ~~)
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To: Monkey Face

Congrats on the TV. You can watch all the hundreds of “Midsomer Murders” with thousands of deaths!

I’m back from my appointment with Paige, Hair Designer. My hair looks outstanding. Next thing will be working on the casserole for Vlad’s birthday dinner. Pat and James are playing a game, but as soon as it’s over, Pat needs to drill for his math test tomorrow. He’s all frowny, but tough turkey!


3,362 posted on 01/30/2019 11:38:44 AM PST by Tax-chick ("Past is prologue, context, and balm. Without it, all is panic." Charlie Cooke)
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To: Tax-chick
...You can watch all the hundreds of “Midsomer Murders” with thousands of deaths!...

I think the Vegas PBS only had 12 movies which they rotated once a year. I should be able to find something I haven't seen, dontchathink? I mean, there were the Midsomer Murders and all the spin-offs, so there's got to be something I haven't seen!

Pat has no idea what "frowny" really is. My mother always used the "dynamite comes in small packages" analogy for who was going to win the argument on what she wanted done and who was going to do it. Very effective, that, especially when accompanied by "The Whammy!"

3,363 posted on 01/30/2019 12:39:14 PM PST by Monkey Face (If you're on the right path it will always be uphill. ~~ Henry B Eyring ~~)
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To: Monkey Face
Now I’m going to fix something for lunch.

Beats my plan of breaking things for lunch.

3,364 posted on 01/30/2019 12:43:02 PM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
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To: Tax-chick; All

And now, for my next trick, I’m going to take my tired self to bed.

I’ll see you all tomorrow.


3,365 posted on 01/30/2019 12:43:58 PM PST by Monkey Face (If you're on the right path it will always be uphill. ~~ Henry B Eyring ~~)
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To: Monkey Face; NicknamedBob; NoCmpromiz; Tax-chick
So, I saw this headline over on Drudge.

Over 36,000 Pounds of Chicken Nuggets Recalled; Might Contain Rubber...

I've eaten Chicken Nuggets. I think I'd be more surprised if they contained chicken. I thought rubber was the main ingredient.

3,366 posted on 01/30/2019 12:53:07 PM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
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To: ArGee

I thought the same thing.


3,367 posted on 01/30/2019 1:12:10 PM PST by Tax-chick ("Past is prologue, context, and balm. Without it, all is panic." Charlie Cooke)
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To: Monkey Face

Hope you have a good night!


3,368 posted on 01/30/2019 1:12:47 PM PST by Tax-chick ("Past is prologue, context, and balm. Without it, all is panic." Charlie Cooke)
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To: Silentgypsy
We supply our own receptacles.

The waste management company supplies the receptacles so they all are uniform and can be picked up with the grabbie-thing on the truck that is operated by the driver. It's now a one employee operation - driver - instead of two - driver and dump person. Cuts labor costs (but not our bill) in half.. ;-)

3,369 posted on 01/30/2019 2:47:22 PM PST by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: NoCmpromiz

We have drivers and “hoppers” here. There are humans who don’t respect our sanitation people.


3,370 posted on 01/30/2019 3:37:33 PM PST by Silentgypsy ( “If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.”__Scorpion)
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To: Silentgypsy; NoCmpromiz
"There are humans who don’t respect our sanitation people."

It's not prudent to irritate the sanitation people. They can make it so that nobody ever finds a body; know what I mean?

3,371 posted on 01/30/2019 5:12:38 PM PST by NicknamedBob (If you can't do something well, you won't do anything good.)
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To: NicknamedBob; Silentgypsy
hey can make it so that nobody ever finds a body

Just ask Jimmy Hoffa..

3,372 posted on 01/30/2019 9:25:12 PM PST by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: NoCmpromiz; fanfan; ColdOne; Cyber Liberty; null and void; Tax-chick; Anoreth; Monkey Face; ...
Mai bruvver fell down.
3,373 posted on 01/31/2019 2:31:21 AM PST by Tax-chick ("Past is prologue, context, and balm. Without it, all is panic." Charlie Cooke)
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To: Tax-chick

A floof esplody fing in da middle of da floor!!

Good morning. What a strange payday this has been. I’m wondering if I’ll survive it. I got my utility bill online yesterday and went to their website to fill out the appropriate forms so I can pay the bill from the comfort of my home, and woke up this morning realizing that they can’t take an electronic check because AmEx requires an “authorization” number for each check I write. So now I have to either get a money order, pay cash, or write a check, because I can’t transfer money into the other account. (Why am I complaining? I got away.)

I’ll write a check. Less hassle.


3,374 posted on 01/31/2019 2:44:34 AM PST by Monkey Face (If you're on the right path it will always be uphill. ~~ Henry B Eyring ~~)
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To: Monkey Face

Good morning. Sorry about the utility nuisance. Why does everything in life have to be such a pain, huh?

Vlad and I have dentist appointments at noon today. Before that, we’ll go walk Eddie the Rottweiler.


3,375 posted on 01/31/2019 3:17:36 AM PST by Tax-chick ("Past is prologue, context, and balm. Without it, all is panic." Charlie Cooke)
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To: Tax-chick

I’d rather walk Eddie the Rottweiler than put Snarly Harley the mutt on a lead.

Years ago, when I was relatively untouched by life and its hardships, if I wasn’t “given” challenges to overcome, I used to think that God didn’t love me.

These days, when I have a streak if “easy” living, I tend to forget my tagline. So the thing with the utilities is just a temporary thing. :o]


3,376 posted on 01/31/2019 3:45:19 AM PST by Monkey Face (If you're on the right path it will always be uphill. ~~ Henry B Eyring ~~)
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To: Monkey Face

Eddie is enormous and rambunctious, but he’s very good-natured.


3,377 posted on 01/31/2019 4:06:10 AM PST by Tax-chick ("Past is prologue, context, and balm. Without it, all is panic." Charlie Cooke)
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To: Tax-chick; All

Morning, not at home in town. I did see is it again below zero. I left out food for kitty, I only worry about my pipes freezing. Hope all is well!


3,378 posted on 01/31/2019 4:47:03 AM PST by ColdOne ((I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11~ Best Election Ever!)
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To: Tax-chick

I like good natured dogs, and in fact, have seldom come across one with the temperament of a starving Tasmanian devil when it sees food on the hoof, but that would be SH.

Now, speaking of starving, I need something. Maybe some cocoa in honor of National Hot Cocoa Day! After I clean the cage. I was going to do it yesterday but stuff happens.


3,379 posted on 01/31/2019 5:05:49 AM PST by Monkey Face (If you're on the right path it will always be uphill. ~~ Henry B Eyring ~~)
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To: ColdOne

All fine here. I’d say, “Stay warm!” but that would be crazy!


3,380 posted on 01/31/2019 5:31:00 AM PST by Tax-chick ("Past is prologue, context, and balm. Without it, all is panic." Charlie Cooke)
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