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 ...
Good day, Moose07. The Cub Scouts are going “trekking” this morning.
I can understand your reluctance to follow it. I found it rather boring, once they began to waffle, and all I can say is, I’m sorry you have to live in a place where you’re surrounded by ignoramuses. (Ignorami?) ;o]
The closet swap is completed! Since the linens were sharing one closet with dry goods, and some staples, they fit into the former “pantry” quite well. And both are hidden. The linen closet is now behind an accordion door and the linens behind a curtain panel, the twin of which is still in the bedroom. Letting in all the light from the setting sun. :o[
The business end of the nebulizer has been cleaned and is drying, the bed is made and with this much energy, I ask me why I’m not shredding papers. LETTERS, is the answer. I need to get at least one done.
Hole sliding and wire stretching are tedious and thankless tasks.
Is kitteh teetering on the cusp of an existential crisis? I say, what the hay, enjoy the red dot! (Irregardless)
Thank you for the gorgeomous kitteh with the bottle-brush tail!
kill this effing thread already!!!!!!!!!!
Nice sign-up date.
This is the pressure-relief valve thread of Free Republic. Sorry about the whistling noise.
However, you're most welcome to join us. We love fresh meat ideas!
;o]
'Face
Ah, yes the joys of Mud.
Everything caked in Mud!
The last time I did that was...let me see...October. Yeap, October last year. :)
Better the Ignorami are here, where they can be contained. Imagine if they escaped!
Thank goodness (or JR) for FR.
Too many have been loosed into the general populace in the last 50 years.
I’m watching one of my favorite B&W movies, “THEM!” It was the highest grossing movie in 1954, and I’m thinking it must have been released overseas, so that’s probably worldwide sales.
They say ants are tasty. Especially flame-thrower roasted...
Er, wait a minute. They didn’t roast them, they shot their antennae off. Or maybe they did both..
Or is this a different ‘Them!’?
(You’ll recognize Them by the formic acid smell.)
Have any more items of pith and moment you wish to discuss? We are qualified to opine on any subject you desire.
As always, parental discretion is advised.
Please fasten your seat belt and return your tray table to the upright position. No running in the halls. And don't forget your towel.
Don't venture into dark places without a light, you could be eaten by a Grue. And make sure you check the status of Flood Control Dam #3.
They did both, shot the antennae and toasted ‘em alive. No commercials! I don’t know who that little girl was but she was the best actor in the film!
Pull up a cat, have a beer and some pretzels. How’s the weather up your way?
We had mud. Then we climbed out of the mud and had a minor but genuine mountain. Then we went down the other side and back into the mud.
Lot of rain here recently!
Afternoon. I hope things are nice there. I need to go pick up Frank from his friend’s house. The sun came out for a while.
It's cloudy here and a half hour or so before sunset so no more sun for today.
Maybe the sun will come out tomorrow..
But then we're having one of those 'you're all gonna die' winter storm watches for tomorrow into Monday morning. So I'm not putting any money on it. The sun coming out tomorrow that is.
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