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 ...
The Morning Floof is sleepy again. Must have had a busy day, yesterday!
My brain wants to quit this morning. I’ll go have a breathing treatment and hopefully, my brain will have restored itself.
Good morning. Jake thinks it’s a good day to stay in bed, too.
I wanted to stay in bed, but birds. And no TV in there, yet. Tuesday.
I should get up off my duff and go put my face on. I was trying to write to my Real Brother, but got distracted by one thing and another. Now I’m trying to decide what to wear to church. Something typically St Patrick’s Day? Or something typically me? I think the answer is yes.
The choir are wearing blouses in a sort of seafoam color that we all bought at Walmart to wear for a wedding performance. The only green garment I have is the staff t-shirt from a campout a few years ago. Maybe I’ll wear it if I do yardwork later!
I’ll wear green. And the beautiful jewelry set I got...I need to do that, I think.
Sounds like a good idea. Pearls and crystals go with everything. I’m going to wear my silver-ball earrings and necklace and my silver sandals.
Not quite warm enough for sandals, here! The only pair I have are probably going to be retired after this summer. I don’t think they will last through a fourth one.
And now, I’m sort of on m way.
I hope it’s all good!
Thank you for first guffaw of day!
So peaceful and beautiful.... Thank you.
You’re welcome. Cats and sleep are good.
..although some flavors of camo do have a green component...
Kitten is going after it with zeal.
The Morning Floof looks alert and waiting for a skritch.
Good morning. I’m out the door in a few minutes to wash clothes. I want to get it done since I have that appointment at the pain clinic this morning.
So I’ll be off in a bit. But I’ll be back in an hour...maybe a little longer.
Good luck! I might have slept in today, but Jake.
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