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 ...
Nice kitties. I’m not a chicken.
Ha! Another taste tester!
Oh, I didn’t put it clearly: Tigger likes cat cookies (his fave used to be something that sounded like “Maui Wowee”). The dogs’ cookies are jerky that hubby makes in the dehydrator. Only one cat really likes the jerky.
Uh oh.
According to the poster, kitteh liked the strawberry shortcake.
Squeak is fond of watermelon, canteloupe, chicken, birthday cake, and a lot of things you wouldn’t expect a kitteh to like. It also looks like she hallucinates.
We had a Siamese who ate corn on the cob, but not fresh fruit.
I came in 3rd in a game of “Ticket to Ride” after church. At least I beat Frank!
Ticket to Ride? That a trivia game based on a Beatles song?
Presented as a public service.. ;-)
Interestingly, I have always empathized with Frank. He is enormous?
Frank is too young to be enormous - he’ll be 10 in May - but he’s quite squudgy and of a stout build. He likes food.
https://www.daysofwonder.com/tickettoride/en/usa/
It’s a board game about trains. The basic game is just CONUS, but expansions take it world-wide.
Floofy little piebald Overlord!
Good morning!
To the Undeaders, I apologize for my sudden unexplained absence, but it was caused by an unexpected (what else?) relapse of CFIDS/ME. As is normal for this disease, I have no idea how long it will last or how severe it will be, nor do I know how many symptoms I’ll be dealing with.
It is as a result of the move and the things associated with it, as I’ve been going non-stop since Thanksgiving and that’s a recipe for disaster for a person with CFIDS/ME. But I’m good, now. I think!
In an effort to help the relapse become a remission, I’m going to concentrate on those things that have to be done, and then select the most important to deal with. I will still be on FR and I will continue to post, but there may be days when the posts make no sense, including such things as repeating myself.
At any rate, I’m asking that you post to me as you normally would and I will reply when I feel up to it.
All y’all are a great bunch of FRiends and friends, and I cherish each of you for who you are to me!
‘Face
Wow, glad you're back. All I've got to offer ['Civ rustles around in that big handbag he's always schlepping] is this chicken soup.
Those of us who know you, we know you here.
And those of us who know you, we know you're here.
It will disappoint the kittens if you don’t, at least, say Hi in the morning.
What a cutie! Let’s call him/her Fuzz.
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