The Pentagon Wants to Make an Army of Virus-Spreading Insects. Scientists Are Concerned.

.livescience.com ^ | October 5, 2018 12:57pm ET | Brandon Specktor

[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."

[ArGee]

I learned something about archeology.

[Darksheare]

Wish things would settle down my way.

[Silentgypsy]

Great to see you! Just one question: doesn’t the earth’s crust rearrange itself in CA somewhat frequently, and how do they compensate for that to keep the platform for the arm level?

[Silentgypsy]

Thank you for gorgeous kitteh!

[Silentgypsy]

G’daft ernoon, y’all!

[Tax-chick]

D’aft to you! We’ll be going, in about half an hour, to let Eddie the Rottweiler out again.

[ArGee]

Sorry to see things are unsettled. Hopefully things will settle down soon, without liberal application of force, of course.

[Darksheare]

I am of the mind currently that only God Himself can impart any change in this.

[Tax-chick]

[no-to-illegals]

Good Morning !!! Like the kittah pic. Has a particular looking ahead quality

[no-to-illegals]

Prayers sent for all to normalize and settle down

[Covenantor]

King Fisher diving for a happy meal...

click "view image" to see larger image for detail

[Monkey Face]

The Morning Floof looks very intent on deciding if “that” is something he needs to check out a little closer!

Good morning. The shower has been had and next up is making the bed and having the steroid. Then later, the visit to the pain clinic. Unngh…

From there who knows? More movies I think.

Yesterday, I had a 10 minute visit with my friend and she gave me a lap robe, one I had actually picked out on Facebook. And a book on quilt squares!! I found so many I want to try, if for no other reason than to make placemats and a table runner. :o])

[Monkey Face]

I’ve seen them from above, when they hit the water, but this is the first time I’ve seen one IN the water getting the Happy Meal! Thanks! Really cool!

[Tax-chick]

Looking ahead to Thursday!

[Tax-chick]

Hope you have a good day! I’ve fed Eddie the Rottweiler and let him out for a while. We’ll go back at 11 for his walk.

[ArGee]

Thought, how’d we ever get so far down
How’s it ever gonna turn around
So I turned my eyes to Heaven
I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
...
He said, “I did, I created you”

From "Do Something" by Matthew West

[ArGee]

Happy Vhet-nesh-day everyone.

What did you say?
I said Vhet-nesh-day.
No! It's Wednesday. Wednesday! Named after the god Woden.
No, no, no, no, no! Vhet-nesh-day vass named after Tuess-ess-ess-day.

From some old radio comedy routine.

[Monkey Face]

Good morning! Monday III has a wonderful sound today! Ima like it!! ;o])

[Tax-chick]

I’m prepared to agree that this is funny, and it’s only me who doesn’t understand why.