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The Pentagon Wants to Make an Army of Virus-Spreading Insects. Scientists Are Concerned.
.livescience.com ^ | October 5, 2018 12:57pm ET | Brandon Specktor

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 ...


TOPICS: Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: aphids; boycethompson; cornelluniversity; crispr; darpa; hurricaneutah; insectallies; ithaca; molassesmiasma; monkeyfacerules; newyork; nithaca; ohio; ohiostate; pennstate; pennsylvania; texas; undead; undeadthread; undeadthreadhere; uoftexasataustin; workingdogs
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To: Silentgypsy

Super daft here. I’m making posters to advertise a Cub Scouts event next weekend. When they’re done, I’ll go to church and put them up, as well as a few other construction projects.

Maybe I’ll put shorts on, so I don’t get my skirt dirty.


6,361 posted on 05/23/2019 11:11:29 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Be like Kendrick, Brendan, and Riley.)
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To: Tax-chick

I’d be paralyzed from the neck down after 12 miles of mountain hiking. How do you do it?


6,362 posted on 05/23/2019 12:37:17 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (Call an addiction hotline and say you're hooked on phonics.)
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To: Tax-chick; Chickensoup; ArGee
We often post to everyone who has been commenting recently.

And sometimes we post to random strangers. You know, to keep then guessing what we're up to.. ;-)

6,363 posted on 05/23/2019 1:18:31 PM PDT by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: Silentgypsy

Left, right, left, right ...


6,364 posted on 05/23/2019 2:49:59 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Be like Kendrick, Brendan, and Riley.)
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To: Tax-chick
You might need to explain this kitty.. ;-)


6,365 posted on 05/23/2019 10:59:59 PM PDT by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: Monkey Face; ArGee

We await the results of the Euro election, now.
Will it be Nigel Farage in the Drawing room with the lead pipe?
This saga will all end with the Buggs Bunny tune playing in the background, you just know it...


6,366 posted on 05/23/2019 11:12:07 PM PDT by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
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To: NoCmpromiz
RIP Grumpy Cat.


6,367 posted on 05/24/2019 1:17:57 AM PDT by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: moose07

I can hear it all now: Th..Th..That’s all folks!


6,368 posted on 05/24/2019 2:05:53 AM PDT by Monkey Face (Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.)
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To: Chickensoup; Silentgypsy; Tax-chick; moose07

I just read an email from the library. Four more of my requests are in, including Horatio Hornblower, season 1! Hold my calls and cancel all appointments but Gonzo’s for the next week!

What a thing to wake up to. Yipee!

Here it is, a week away from June and I not only had to put the quilt back on the bed but had to add two throws. (I only have one lightweight blanket.) And I also had to drag the space heater back out so I could be somewhat warm while I sit here. The locals tell me the weather will get up 110° in the summer, but I think they’re lying. I don’t think they have summer.


6,369 posted on 05/24/2019 2:16:56 AM PDT by Monkey Face (Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.)
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To: Tax-chick

Did you get all the posters made and distributed?

Nothing like keeping busy.


6,370 posted on 05/24/2019 2:19:20 AM PDT by Monkey Face (Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.)
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To: NoCmpromiz; fanfan; ColdOne; Cyber Liberty; null and void; Tax-chick; Anoreth; Monkey Face; ...

6,371 posted on 05/24/2019 2:23:42 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Be like Kendrick, Brendan, and Riley.)
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To: Monkey Face

Good morning. Yes, we got the posters done and put up. I made two, and PatJamesVlad made one each.

I went out to dinner with DP and Tom. Then we hiked about four miles, because Tom felt like a constitutional. He’s very tall.

I think today’s first hurdle is the Envirothon picnic at 11:00. Have to get the cake and the fruit salad out to thaw about 9:30.


6,372 posted on 05/24/2019 2:26:08 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Be like Kendrick, Brendan, and Riley.)
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To: Tax-chick

Tiny little Morning Floof. Looks like it has milk on its chin. Such a squee!

My hands are so cold. I cut the tips off a pair of Dollar Tree gloves this winter and I need them now. :o|

I just realized, even though the weather is telling me that Fall is here, that you’re actually heading into summer and will have lots of Hilly Constitutionals to fill the days.

I just want to get out on a SUNNY day with a box of KFC and a fizzy cold drink and just enjoy the scenery. Maybe even take a camera with me so I can remember the trip.

But now, its time for a shower so I can warm up.


6,373 posted on 05/24/2019 2:40:47 AM PDT by Monkey Face (Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.)
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To: Monkey Face

Last night’s trek was mostly flat, at least.


6,374 posted on 05/24/2019 2:55:20 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Be like Kendrick, Brendan, and Riley.)
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To: Tax-chick

Done. Next is making the bed. And then I’ll finish the last episode of New Tricks and Foyle’s War, and I’ll make it a point to drop them off today and pick up the stack of new ones that are waiting for me.


6,375 posted on 05/24/2019 3:25:32 AM PDT by Monkey Face (Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.)
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To: Monkey Face

I need to do more laundry, give Kathleen a bath, and figure out what’s after that.


6,376 posted on 05/24/2019 4:28:13 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Be like Kendrick, Brendan, and Riley.)
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To: Monkey Face

Fantastic!


6,377 posted on 05/24/2019 5:01:29 AM PDT by Silentgypsy (Call an addiction hotline and say you're hooked on phonics.)
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To: Tax-chick

Thank you for smoky kitteh!


6,378 posted on 05/24/2019 5:02:06 AM PDT by Silentgypsy (Call an addiction hotline and say you're hooked on phonics.)
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To: Silentgypsy

You’re welcome. I hope you have a great day!


6,379 posted on 05/24/2019 5:14:21 AM PDT by Tax-chick (Be like Kendrick, Brendan, and Riley.)
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To: Silentgypsy

Yes, isn’t it? I’m going to try and get the movies watched this morning, so that when I go to pick up what’s left of the morphine prescription I can stop by the library on the way home, drop of the DVDs that I have and pick up the new ones.

It will be like having a candy store in my living room!


6,380 posted on 05/24/2019 6:06:45 AM PDT by Monkey Face (Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.)
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