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 ...
Thank you. You’re right—they are indeed magical.
But there’s so much more. How about a 6 rpm semi-automatic? Phone jammer? GPS? Don’t settle for just a joint replacement.
I’ll admit, unless you’re also replacing your lower leg there’s no place to put the clip for the weapon. But still, go big or go home.
Good morning, everyone.
Today has long written all over it.
The cleaners are here trying to remove the writing, but it’s not budging.
Writing from what?
It’s the only explanation.
G’orning, y’all!
Well, the vets seem to know what they’re doing if their instructions over the phone are any indication, but when I was studying to be a vet tech, I hadn’t gotten as far as avian stuff. Just the house pets and horses. I’d like to watch (if I could stand it!) but I don’t think they would let me.
Besides, Gonzo will need comforting. Beaker’s been out of the cage before but probably within eyesight or earshot, I don’t know how he’ll react. I also have to figure out how to cover the travel cage for the five-minute ride. I don’t want her freezing before I get her there.
I needa stop worrying myself! (Maybe my old textbook will have something in it...)
In other news, I bought some Triple Chocolate coffee and using canned milk as a creamer, its not too bad. No sweetener! Although someone I know uses coconut milk in her coffee. Maybe when I run out of canned milk, I’ll try it.
Good morning!
Hang in there, ArGee! Tomorrow is Friday Eve, and from there, the week is all downhill!
UHMWPE is actively used material for fabrication of sliding element in biomedical application. It is the material of choice for the loading bearing surfaces in the tibial plateau component in the total knee and acetabular cup one in the total hip prostheses due to wear resistant and low coefficient of friction over extended periods of time. The high molecular weight, between 2 and 6 million g/mol, results in a high resistance to mechanical stresses
One of the ladies in my Weight Watchers meeting had the doctor weigh her replacement knee before he put it in, so she would know how it affected her next weigh-in.
Did he also weigh the old joint he took out?
From the day. You don't notice it down there? Long, long, long, long, long.
Uhm wipe ... what???
She didn’t say.
Ultra High Molecular Weight Poly Ethylene, silly!
:o])
Oh, of course! Why didn’t I think of that.
Was that the same Ethyl who was Lucy’s landlady in I Love Lucy? She was some what Ultra High Weight.
So, how are you and Ethyl doing?
When someone says "long-chain carbon molecule", they're basically talking about some form or other of polyethylene. For instance, ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene), is a strong, clear, acid resistant and dirt repellent film that I have my eye on for structures on planet Venus. But it's a form of polyethylene.
Just replace two hydrogen atoms with two fluorine atoms every other opportunity, and it's amazing how different the material becomes.
I am doubtful that human replacement parts come with a Picatinny Rail..
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