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 ...
How’s Beaker doing?
Overkill.
Welcome.
It is a point to note that Huawei made some items that ended up in our national defense supply line.
Cat: overly engineered ignoring machine.
Defective Chinese steel has also cost us dearly.
They also don’t taste sugar or anything else that is sweet. No taste buds for sweet stuff. Which is probably why they don’t like chocolate. Which is good.
Beaker is fine, thanks. She will need another nose job about the first of May, and at that time, I’ll take Gonzo in for a pedicure. Right now, they are both molting, and that’s really fun! </sarc
They are so much fun to watch. When I tell them its time for night, they touch beaks, like they were kissing goodnight. :o] I’ve never seen birds do that so it’s cute.
Another tiny Morning Floof!
Good morning. I dreamed of killing someone and according to the book, that means I will hear some “sensational news.” Sure. Like I win the Power Ball without playing!
I think today is the day I’ll get the x-rays because at the moment, I feel fairly good. I’ll drop off the DVDs and pick up some more, “Midsomer” and a “Grantchester.” Maybe another “New Tricks.” I need the “Midsomer” for Mondays! ;o]
I’ll do that and donate the first two seasons of NCIS (They belonged to the late Chuck, from Henderson) and three seasons of the original SNL. That was back in the day when SNL was actually funny. I doubt I will ever watch them, so they need to go someplace where they will be. What better place than the library?
Just a Head’s Up Ping, Ganag.
I just read an email from Credit Karma, in which they told me that there had been a data breach of my name and password to eight different entities, as follows:
Share This
Exactis
My Heritage
River City Spam List
LinkedIn
Dropbox
Two were “not disclosed” but I would suggest you check your own credit reporting company.
I will begin the tedious process of changing the password on all of my accounts.
Good luck to all of you in foiling the Bad Guys!
I think dreaming of killing something means you’ve been watching murder mysteries. I was dreaming about reptiles.
Dreaming of reptiles of any kind is usually a warning, anything from false friends to financial reverses.
Killing someone seems to be an “opposite” dream.
Meh. Some dreams I dream are right on the money, but others seem like a flash in the pan kind of thing. I’m not going to worry about it because life is too short. ;o]
When you have a house full of reptiles, the dream probably just means you’re around reptiles a lot.
It’s cold here. I’m taking Frank over to his friend’s house later, and then going to the mall to look for new sandals. But first, I should, right now, be sending some emails for my church committees.
Good luck on your sandal-shopping trip!
I don’t seem to wear out my sandals, but maybe that’s because I don’t wear them every day in the summer. Since I have neuropathy in my feet and hands, I never know when I’m walking out of my shoes, so I try to make sure there is a strap across my heel, just in case.
Now that I’m going back to church, I need to take inventory of my “church clothes” and make adjustments. I need more skirts and dress shoes, but things will come a little at a time. I hope!
I was going to change the password on every site I visit, but some of them have recently been changed, so I’ll wait a while and just do the ones that are the most important. Otherwise, I’d be here all day trying to make the changes!
If I changed my passwords, I’d forget them and never log on anywhere again.
Happy Friday Eve, all.
Yesterday was Revenge of the Monday for sure. But today is a new day.
And I think I’m already on its list.
Thanks Face
*tagline*
?
Was I fast enough?
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