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 ...
Wasn’t there a movie.. ??
You’d think that would have given them pause (paws) right?
So just to make sure my memory of things lurking over there (again pointing in the general direction of a set of plastic storage bins into which things disappear never to be seen again) I took a few seconds to verify certain contents that I had previously mentioned. A box of Sony 3.5” floppies in generic beige trim most certainly resides in the top drawer, but my memory was off by 50%. It’s a box of 50, not 100, and it looks like maybe 48 of them are still resident. But I didn’t count.
Hiding in that drawer also were some ‘new’ unopened Iomega Ditto drive tapes - it’s probably been 15 years since I had a Ditto drive - but should they ever resurface, I have some storage media.
Also in the same ‘drawer’ was one of the many Centronics cables mentioned. AND.. I was wrong about the RS232 cable. I have one.. At that point (after checking one ‘drawer’) I discontinued the investigation.
Who knows what else could be hiding in the other ‘drawers’..
Just as long as they don’t give cats opposable thumbs we can survive.. ;-)
The virus-spreading insects might come into their own.
Morning Floof looks all dignified, like he has the lock on the board!!
Good morning. The worst of it is over, and I really want to go home. I just have to hang on for today and tomorrow. The nieces are going to Tucson, but I don’t know which day(s.)
I need to go get something to eat. My entire system has been thrown off and I’m anxious to get back to my normal.
Flesh-eating storage media?
And it’s Friday!
As long as we don’t stumble across any flesh-eating storage media we should have a great day.
Although it’s cloudy here and rain is in the forecast. But at least you don’t have to shovel rain.
Hey!!! That's my line! But its true so you can keep using it. :o]
I just have to hang on for another 40-45 hours and I can be headed home.
Are flesh-eating storage media a breed of cats?
Good morning, everyone. I’ve been on a tiresome quest for water bottles for the “primitive” campout for which we will depart about 4:00 p.m. I think I found enough. It’s not like we’ll wash, unnngh. Did I mention unnngh?
I’m super not looking forward to this, but I’ll make the best of it once it gets underway. After all, other people’s pioneer ancestors, etc., etc.
There will be no Morning Kitteh tomorrow, unless a FRiend provides one (list on my profile page). We won’t be home until tomorrow evening.
I’m not worried about stumbling across any flesh-eating storage media, I’m worried about flesh-eating storage media stumbling across me!
Will double up on the prayers, dear FRiend!
Oh, that’s a beauty! Thank you!
We have a large group of church volunteers here from Texas who are shoveling the results of the recent rains in our county and the one next to us. They call it "mudding out the houses."
Best wishes to all the volunteers! Do you have mud?
The men decided we’re not camping after all because of a dubious weather forecast which is currently dumping a downpour on my house. I can’t say I’m sorry I’ll be sleeping in a dry bed with Jake tonight, instead of in the rain on a mountain in a tent a mile from a bathroom.
We were just ready to load our gear in the van when they were all O Noes!
If you're in a tent on a mountain you're not a mile from a bathroom. It's just outside the tent.
Of course accessing it is way more convenient if you are male.. ;-)
So true.
There’s a thought...for rent: One bedroom with path.
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