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 ...
*tagline*
Good morning! I will be back in a minute with a kitten.
Good morning to you!
It’s cold in these here parts. 44° for now and will drop several more degrees by dawn. The day will be in the low 60’s and the wind has promised to blow. The only good thing about that is that is keeps the riff-raff from joining us at the ramada.
Zeke wants me to be his “advocate” and I’m not sure what that entails. I think he means between he and Eddie the Attorney but I’m still in the dark about what the position does. I guess I should look it up.
It would seem Beaker has grown since I first got the birds. I don’t know if its because of the better quality of the food they’re being given or the fact that Gonzo feeds her or both, but they are thriving. She’s bigger than he is, now! And I see that they are using the gravel and cuttlebone, and that’s very good. :o]
Pretty floof, lying in the Sunbean.
I need to go shower to see if I can warm up!
I thought Zeke moved out of state? From my mother’s experience, I understood an “advocate” to be a person who helps a patient work his way through the medical system, making sure that he gets the care he’s supposed to be getting, helping to explain his situation to all the medical and admin people, demanding water when he hasn’t had any for hours, that sort of thing. It requires someone right there, every day, like Mom was with Dad.
On the other hand, he could mean something totally different, maybe “intermediary”?
Someone is astir upstairs, but the dog still hasn’t turned up.
I thought it was much the same as well, but what do I know. Yes, Zeke is in Oregon, with his sister, who has set up all the medicos and appointments, insurance and so forth, but when he tossed Eddie into the mix, I was thinking it was for legal purposes. I’ll check with Eddie, as Zeke has probably called him, as opposed to the text messages I get from him.
The Birds are singing me the Songs of Their People. They do that to make me uncover them. Today is cage-cleaning day, but now that I’ve “fixed” the cage so I can pull out the floor/drawer it’s not such a job.
I went upstairs with the leash and made Dog come down and go outside. She’s bonding with James; he can take her for a real walk later.
Good for James and James and their other brother Dog. (That wasn’t nice, so who said it?)
And I haven’t started one letter today. :o|
It’s only 5 a.m. your time! I don’t need to write to Elen any more. Maybe I’ll write to my mother-in-law.
I usually start the letters within an hour after I get up because there are so many. Four on a “regular” week, and six on an “irregular” one. Some folks get more news than others, but because of the different interests, I can’t send three copies and an original. Not everyone is interested in birds, climate, the move or religion. And the recipients range in age from early 20’s to early 80’s. Maybe I should send more cards... ;o]
I’ve used up almost all my cards, what with almost 100 letters to Elen.
I need to find more cards, but I still need stamps! I’m printing my own address labels now that I have ink!
But it keeps me out of bars and off the streets!
Walmart trip completed. Retrieval of Vlad from camp completed. I’d better go move some laundry along before all his stuff gets in the basket!
Sat outside with Charlie and Sylvia in 52° degree weather with wind @ 16 from the NNE, gusting to 25, making the wind chill something like 44°. I really do want summer back...
I just cleaned the bird cage, which seems to be a twice weekly job, now, and next time I go to Walmart, I’ll get some more seed and treat sticks. I need to find something to place on the brace between that lower legs so I can store other stuff for them. Right now, the only shelf is crowded. Maybe I can find a serving tray at Dollar Tree.
Yes, that could work. You might be able to find a Hallowe’en clearance item. I got a deal on paper plates (with spiders) and gloves (black and orange) the other day.
Dog just returned from a trip to the back yard. I’ll have James give her another walk later, while it’s sunny and pleasant (50s).
Thank you for the lovely, pensive kitteh.
You’re welcome. Sunbeams all around!
Dog is lying on the doormat by the garage entrance. In the summer, she likes lying on the tile here, but not this time of year.
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