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 ... 3,781-3,8003,801-3,8203,821-3,840 ... 6,541-6,560 next last
To: Monkey Face

Nadine at my Weight Watchers meeting said she wanted to be a forest ranger, too. I think she’s younger than you are, but at least 15 years older than I am.

We’ll do forestry right here in the neighborhood. There are some woods left by the developer as Atmosphere.


3,801 posted on 02/14/2019 6:38:34 AM PST by Tax-chick (They should have listened to Julian Simon.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3800 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick; Monkey Face; Darksheare; null and void; ArGee; Silentgypsy
Herr Doktor Rorschach's cat, Inkblot...


3,802 posted on 02/14/2019 7:05:55 AM PST by Covenantor (Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3787 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

That was in the days of discrimination against women and especially divorced women. I wouldn’t want to go through that again for anything. Period.

Atmospheric Woods are always good. Mini-habitats for wild things. I hope the day is enjoyable.

I have to go get my prescriptions in a bit, and I think on the way home, I’ll stop by Casey’s and see if he can give me an estimate of sorts. Then I’ll come back and flip a coin to see if I polish the silver or work in the bedroom. I suspect the former will win, because my back is killing me from doing the dishes. And there’s 100% chance of rain!

I need that referral to the pain clinic and maybe the back pain thing can be addressed. And another steroid injection in my neck...

I DID take the WD-40 after the hinges on the screen/storm door and the front door. I was so tired of the screeching!


3,803 posted on 02/14/2019 7:59:42 AM PST by Monkey Face (My pet rock isn't doing very well today. I think it's stoned. ~~ FB ~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3801 | View Replies]

To: Covenantor

Wow. What gorgeous markings! I’m partial to marmalades, anyway. Thanks! ;o])


3,804 posted on 02/14/2019 8:00:48 AM PST by Monkey Face (My pet rock isn't doing very well today. I think it's stoned. ~~ FB ~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3802 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

Adorable to the nth degree—thank you!


3,805 posted on 02/14/2019 8:43:29 AM PST by Silentgypsy ( “If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.”__Scorpion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3787 | View Replies]

To: ArGee; Tax-chick; Monkey Face; no-to-illegals; NoCmpromiz; NicknamedBob; Darksheare; moose07; ...

What he said.


3,806 posted on 02/14/2019 8:47:22 AM PST by Silentgypsy ( “If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.”__Scorpion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3795 | View Replies]

To: Covenantor

Below the wingbones, it looks like a mushroom. For wingbones and cephalad, I got nuthin.


3,807 posted on 02/14/2019 8:53:21 AM PST by Silentgypsy ( “If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.”__Scorpion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3802 | View Replies]

To: Silentgypsy

I see the mushroom.


3,808 posted on 02/14/2019 9:11:51 AM PST by Tax-chick (They should have listened to Julian Simon.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3807 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

Uh-oh.


3,809 posted on 02/14/2019 9:18:51 AM PST by Silentgypsy ( “If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.”__Scorpion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3808 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face
I need that referral to the pain clinic and maybe the back pain thing can be addressed. And another steroid injection in my neck...

I DID take the WD-40 after the hinges on the screen/storm door and the front door. I was so tired of the screeching!

Er - ah - um - I had no idea that WD-40 would work on sore joints. Thanks for the tip.

I think.

3,810 posted on 02/14/2019 11:28:25 AM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3803 | View Replies]

To: Covenantor

I see my non-bloodied hand as I DON’T try to get it between the bowl and the kitteh.

That’s what I see.


3,811 posted on 02/14/2019 11:29:44 AM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3802 | View Replies]

To: ArGee

According to WD-40’s List of 2000 Things WD-40 is good for, arthritis is one of them.


3,812 posted on 02/14/2019 11:56:20 AM PST by Monkey Face (My pet rock isn't doing very well today. I think it's stoned. ~~ FB ~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3810 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick
Forty-nine years of ... Mrs. NoC hanging around..

At the 30 year mark we had a 'renewal of vows' ceremony thing which was pretty neat. We haven't discussed if we're doing anything for Golden..

Might take her to Wendy's. Or Taco Bell - they offer a senior discount. ;-)

3,813 posted on 02/14/2019 12:27:51 PM PST by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3786 | View Replies]

To: NoCmpromiz

Congratulations to both of you!


3,814 posted on 02/14/2019 12:29:26 PM PST by Tax-chick (They should have listened to Julian Simon.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3813 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick; Monkey Face
askew - wasn't he a Vice President or something?
3,815 posted on 02/14/2019 12:29:49 PM PST by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3789 | View Replies]

To: NoCmpromiz

Heh, good one.


3,816 posted on 02/14/2019 12:30:55 PM PST by Tax-chick (They should have listened to Julian Simon.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3815 | View Replies]

To: NoCmpromiz

With sensible thinking like that, I would never make 50.


3,817 posted on 02/14/2019 12:34:38 PM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3813 | View Replies]

To: ArGee
49 years of not yet getting to 50 years?

I got to 50 years a couple of decades ago - unless I use my Sister's calendar - then it's 34.

See #3813 for a clearer explanation. ;-)

3,818 posted on 02/14/2019 12:36:05 PM PST by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3794 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

Life in the United rural States.

https://www.wral.com/hungry-bear-goes-for-ride-after-getting-stuck-on-trash-truck/18192328/


3,819 posted on 02/14/2019 1:46:29 PM PST by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3818 | View Replies]

To: NoCmpromiz

Congratulations ol’ boy.
A worthy achievement. :)


3,820 posted on 02/14/2019 9:40:57 PM PST by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3813 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 3,781-3,8003,801-3,8203,821-3,840 ... 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