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 ...
Wow! Would you mind sending the title and author?
PBS had that (owners of the estate) film in between showings of “Downton Abbey.” The Earl and Countess evidently still lived in part of the house while the filming was being done! I wished that had been included in the DVDs but all they provided besides the saga was “Manners Of Downton Abbey.”
Interesting, yes, but I realized I’m not only woefully ignorant of societal protocols, but I may as well be part of the Hired Help.
Today’s Morning Floof looks like a floof I had many years ago when I was a short person.
Good morning. I don’t know why I’m so tired this morning. Oh. Wait. Relapse. Yes, that’s it. Now I’ll find something to do this morning while I’m waiting for FedEx. I think I’ll go into the bedroom and try to gather up all the bags of clothes and squeeze the air out of them so I can stack them better.
And study the Driver’s Handbook...
“Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey,” by the Countess of Carnarvon, published in 2011. It’s available as an e-book at Union Library, and maybe in your library! Excellent pictures.
The Carnarvons were fortunate in that the 6th Earl, who inherited in the inter-war period, lived a very long time, so that the estate wasn’t hit with a second set of heavy inheritance taxes. By the time he died, the law had changed so that it was easier to maintain a Stately Home in private hands.
You could try YouTube for “Tour of Highclere Castle,” or something like that. Sometimes there are bits like that.
Good idea!
I’ll check the local library, because I want to watch the shows I used to watch. I’m so disappointed in the PBS station here.
Oops. I just realized I haven’t finished and mailed the letters for this week. Charlie is the only one who lucked out because I sent his on Friday. For some reason, Henderson doesn’t get the mail for four or five days after its been sent and often, it take a week or more.
Thanks to an 8:30 meeting I don’t even get to say Good Morning.
Well, Good Afternoon.
Someone gave me a slight attitude adjustment this morning. She said that every day that wasn’t a first work-day of the week wasn’t a Monday.
So, Happy Belated Tuesday.
It’s Tuesday here, as well. Welcome.
What does she know? She probably gets up happy and smiling BEFORE having a cup of coffee, so how can she be trusted? ;o] Happy Monday II afternoon!
The Morning Floof is a Basement Floof!! :waving: Hi, Wednesday!
Good morning. I’ve been so distracted this morning. Now I have to take my pills and make my bed. I’ll be back...
Kitteh has only one eye. This is his less-scary side.
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Kitteh is still a floof!
Even my blind Tokyo Rose was able to function well. She had been so abused. She would wait on the carpet in front of the door until I came home from work. She’s the only cat I ever allowed in bed with me. Allergies, you know...
You can see from the sleek coat that he’s getting excellent care in his rescue-home.
I need a shower this morning. I hope there’s hot water!
Well, I get to say Good Morning instead of Good Afternoon today, so that’s something. But it’s still shaping up to be busy.
Happy Wednesday / Return of the Living Monday!
Yes the Wednesday looks very healthy. But he looks as if he may have been sired by one of Crazy Frank’s intact toms. This particular tom had cat hair the color of a “blood sorrel” horse. Very beautiful, with a long plume of a tail. And somewhat tame by some of Crazy Frank’s other males, though he still claims they aren’t his.
I had a shower this morning, and as usual, I’m always thankful for hot water, as the water heater in Henderson liked to quit working in the winter. But don’t get me started!
The wind is still blowing, and that always makes the plastic bags over the cooler vent suck and blow. If it weren’t taped down, it would blow like sheets on the line!
Hang in there, ArGee! Tomorrow is Friday Eve, the Fourth Monday in the awful, recurring sequence!!
I found the library (on the map) and it is within walking distance, but doesn’t open until 1000. I don’t know if there are any fees to join but I’ll find out.
They listed some of the DVDs they have and at the top was Season 20 of Midsomer Murders! There is purpose to my life again!! :o])
Thank you for gorgeous kitteh!
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