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 ...
Tiny little Morning Floofs barely have their eyes open! Squeeful floofs. :o]
Good morning. Yesterday, CFIDS was sending me a message, and it seems everything I tried to pick up, I dropped, or no matter what I did, I lost my balance and tried to fall into things. It was so bad that just before I went to bed, I lost my balance when I turned away from closing the blinds and almost knocked the Galileo off the desk. The desk needs to be replaced with a bigger one.
So my plans for going to DMV have been scrapped for today. I will stay home and watch movies again. And crochet and get some notes written.
GAH!
Good morning. I’m sorry gravity was hard on you yesterday!
I have to go over to CP with Pat this morning to square away some paperwork so he can register for next semester. Then later, I have a dentist appointment.
CPCC has updated their website, and the link to the form we need to fill out is not a link at all, just a line of text. *sigh*
Well, darnit. I hate when that happens. I hope you’re able to get the necessary form without too much difficulty. Hopefully, they’ll be aware of the problem a little later.
I have to go get gas in the truck and also mail a bunch of stuff, and I really don’t want to go. At least its all within a few blocks of home.
I was hoping to get the BB SUV washed this payday so when I go make my appearance on the 14th it doesn’t look like I’m depressed. *sigh* The rain, snow and mud have taken their tolls.
Despite the many protestations to the contrary, I don't think the Good Lord is the author of any evil. I believe that is squarely on us.
Good morning. Happy Friday Eve!
I hope gravity and the Interweb demons are gentler on folk going into the weekend.
Our temperatures will rise steadily from the 50 or so we have now into the lower 70s. Then the rain will rise up to meet the temps and yank them back down again.
I wore my rain overcoat. If the rain doesn’t come I’ll be hot going home.
Happy Friday Eve to yourself!
It was 43° when I just went to the USPS and stopped at Sinclair to fill the tank on the BB SUV (for $20,) but I’m wondering when Spring will be here. Life is strange in my newly adopted Land.
Right now, the sun is shining in my living room window, so for the moment, I’m contented. Not going any farther afield than where I’ve already been today, for sure, lest the gravity and polar shifts render me into a staggering, falling down fool. I’d rather do it at home than have an audience, thank you very much! :o])
Back from the expotition. The forms were handled without complications. Now Pat just has to wait until his continuing status is confirmed so he can complete his registration. Hopefully the classes he wants won’t fill up!
I may go put gas in the van before I go to the dentist.
I also need to see if That Other Driver is going to school today. If not, I’ll need to make other arrangements ... oh, Tom ... to get Pat home.
With Walmart being in a “dip” my gas mileage has really dropped. It’s not getting there, its that long grade up to the crest (over a mile) that is sucking up the gas. The speed limit at that point is 55 mph and once I get to the driving lanes, even if I move over, I still can’t get up to speed until the grade levels out. So this time, the mileage went down to 21 mpg. :o[
Bummer.
The Other Driver made her way to school, so Pat has a ride home. I’ve been to the dentist. Now I’m going to lie down and recover.
I’ve realized (I think) that the reason I have “the dropsies” and “the wobblies” is because the arthritis in my neck is inflamed in weather like we’ve been having, and it pinches the nerves even more.
So maybe the physical therapy will be over sooner than the doctor suspects. And probably sooner than Medicare expects.
And now, I’m off to bed. I hope your nap helped you with the dental experience.
Ta.
I hope you have a good night!
Twenty five were built. As of today the statistics are changed to say 17 scrapped, 7 preserved for display, 1 Operational.
Yep that looks like the Cheyenne Area, all right.
And the train reminds me of my childhood in Central Utah. So much fun to watch and listen to as it rumbles past! I don’t know what their speed limit is in town, but it was slow enough for the engineer to toot the whistle for us!
Awesomeness!!
Look at those beautiful opal eyes on the Morning Floof!!
Good morning. It’s still cold out but the weather beeber says the temps will get up to 77°. Sure.
I need to cancel today for lack of interest.
Good morning. It’s warm and humid here. Jake chased a bird. #waytocat
About 9:00, I’ll be leaving with PatJamesVlad for Burlington. They will spend the night - the Envirothon is two days - but I will come home tonight.
Good luck to the Byos for the duration.
Did I ever tell you how much I hate what CFIDS/ME has done to my brain? OKthen. Nevermind.
It’s Friday. I’m not functioning very well.
It’s Friday here, too.
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