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 ...
Be careful around any equinox, large stones magically appear.
Stonehenge used to contain a four bed detached property with swimming pool, then one Equinox ,the stones came.
The Morning Floof says he’s worked very hard at being a cute floof!
Good morning.
It will be sunny for the next few days and then, more rain. The Storm Glass says wind is in the offing. *sigh* I thought I left the wind behind in Vegas. No such luck.
What is on your agenda for this day? Another hike? History tour? Day trip? Nothing to do here but go to the post orifice and mail stuff. The mailman is often late on Saturdays so I want to make sure all the stuff goes out today.
When I went over to check the mail a while ago (junk mail) I saw a couple of wooden tray tables set against the leg of the “Sharing Table.” Since I leave a lot of stuff there, I took these. :o])
After my steroid this morning, I took the apparatus and soaked it for a while in dish detergent and bleach and when I went to get it out and rinse it so it would be ready for my next breathing treatment, the cup was gone. Everything else was there, but no cup. *shrug* I looked in the container that holds miscellaneous things and found a whole new set, including filters, so now, I need to find out who has the contract for home medical equipment so I can get another set. I don’t want to be caught with nothing.
I take it that shirt is in protest against AOC and her “Green New Deal” that sounds suspiciously like communism.
Very funny! Now I’ll try to find one, just because. :o]
I saw that. I also saw there is a older one that is much larger than the Stony Stuff, and in the center of the ring is a pub. Whatever the traffic will allow!
Good MorningTC,
That sounds like a cool shirt. , I need one. :)
Everything is delightfully windy and rainy, as it has been for the last fortnight. Hope you’re area is not like I’ve seen on the news.
Things are pretty good here. It rained a little yesterday afternoon, but nothing major. DP is going to the gym this morning, and I’m going to mop the kitchen. Then I have choir at 10:30, and he’s going to pick Frank and Kathleen up from where they were spending the night with friends from Cub Scouts.
In the afternoon, we’re going to the Botanical Garden to see the spring orchid blooms.
Howdy ‘Face.
You be thinking of Avebury Stone circle.
The Pub is the Red Lion. Frequented by yours truly fairly regularly during the summer months. Great food ,good Ale (Avebury Well water), and occasional live music.
Yes Spring flowers, forgot to post on those.
The Daffodils started to come up a couple of weeks ago.
The Snow drops have been out for a month or so, along with Crocuses.
None of the trees have ventured a leaf bud yet.
Yes, exactly. Avebury Stone Circle. I watched the segment on that and I thought of you, and how much fun it would be to see the place and have a brew at the Red Lion!
All those old stony places intrigue me.
I enjoyed the trip to the Botanical Gardens, but I think that was before I was put on morphine, so I probably didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have otherwise. That was when Pat wanted to go through the maze which he could see over the top of the plants.
I went through the one at Lake Havasu Village, when the maze was first planted, and the water from the Colorado River hadn’t been diverted, yet, to flow under the London Bridge. The numbers were still visible on the stones at that time. I wish I had taken photos. Its such a tourist trap, now.
Lots of daffodils are blooming here. It’s been a warm winter.
No flowers, here. Maybe next week... :o|
Greeting ArGee,
The crux of the problem is vested interests amongst the MPs and the majority of MPs as well as the PM don’t wish to brexit .
A rapid pull out isn’t possible with out the MPs voting for it....they don’t want it.
The People who voted for it clearly don’t understand what is best for them....apparently
I’m sure the mess will all settle out in the end, they usually do.
Greeting ArGee,
The crux of the problem is vested interests amongst the MPs and the majority of MPs as well as the PM don’t wish to brexit .
A rapid pull out isn’t possible with out the MPs voting for it....they don’t want it.
The People who voted for it clearly don’t understand what is best for them....apparently
I’m sure the mess will all settle out in the end, they usually do.
“Slap me five!” Great little face!
Uh huh....that’s nothing...we have Section 8 housing, although without the Druids. Those residents gave new meaning to stoned 24/7/365...equinox, solstice, doesn’t matter.
I plan to shut my eyes so as to avoid seeing them.
I have only four black cats.
Sometimes it seems there are more..
I want the one on the right. Or maybe its the one on the left. Wait. The middle thing. Or...umm...*sigh* The mom cat. Er...
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