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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

LOL! but the cat wins hands down in gravitas?


5,121 posted on 04/02/2019 10:06:24 AM PDT by Covenantor (Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: Tax-chick; ArGee; Silentgypsy; Covenantor

LOL! I was going by what the phone said your weather was, and at that moment, it was “85% chance of freezing rain.”

The Awesome Grandson James is working in town today, so we are going to Arby’s for lunch since it’s about all I can afford!

What a pleasant surprise!

(Dang. My CFIDS-inspired dyslexia is rampant today!)


5,122 posted on 04/02/2019 10:29:21 AM PDT by Monkey Face (Some people are like clouds. When they disappear, its a beautiful day.)
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To: Covenantor

That’s it. Eggsacty like that. :)


5,123 posted on 04/02/2019 11:24:24 AM PDT by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
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To: All

If I had an account for Twitter or Facebook or Instagram or whatever the thing of the month is I’d try to make the following rumor go viral.

The Democrats actually want to remove the border between the U.S. and Mexico because they ultimately have a plan to control all of North, Central, and South America. After the significant Hispaniation (is that a word?) of the United States it will make sense for an arrangement similar to the EU for what is now NAFTA. It would then expand from there. Control would remain in Washington D.C.

If you want to spread the rumor you can use me as an Anonymous Source. Then it will be believed.


5,124 posted on 04/02/2019 12:07:50 PM PDT by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
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To: moose07; Tax-chick; Monkey Face; Silentgypsy; ArGee
FIELD GUIDE - KNOW YOUR MOOSE

Chocolate mousse:

Not chocolate mousse:


5,125 posted on 04/02/2019 12:23:49 PM PDT by Covenantor (Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: Covenantor

White chocolate moose!!!


5,126 posted on 04/02/2019 12:25:49 PM PDT by Trump Girl Kit Cat (Yosemite Sam raising hell)
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To: Trump Girl Kit Cat

;>)


5,127 posted on 04/02/2019 12:36:38 PM PDT by Covenantor (Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: Trump Girl Kit Cat; moose07; Tax-chick; Monkey Face; Silentgypsy; ArGee

5,128 posted on 04/02/2019 12:38:35 PM PDT by Covenantor (Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: Covenantor

Great, now I’m hungry.


5,129 posted on 04/02/2019 2:09:05 PM PDT by Tax-chick ("President Trump likes Chairman Kim." ~ Sarah Huckabee Sanders)
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To: Covenantor; ArGee; Silentgypsy; Monkey Face

Vlad’s team was 2nd in the regional Envirothon. Our other team was 6th. Both teams go to state.

James and Pat compete tomorrow. I hope James is on the ball. Pat is an “alternate,” so he won’t count unless one of the other participants can’t make it.


5,130 posted on 04/02/2019 2:10:25 PM PDT by Tax-chick ("President Trump likes Chairman Kim." ~ Sarah Huckabee Sanders)
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To: Monkey Face

I hope you had an excellent time with your grandson!


5,131 posted on 04/02/2019 2:29:40 PM PDT by Tax-chick ("President Trump likes Chairman Kim." ~ Sarah Huckabee Sanders)
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To: Covenantor

A superb specimen.
Here displaying the latest in winter camo paint.

Next year we are deploying “Real Tree” Camo....
“If you go down to the woods today you’re in for a BIG surprise!”


5,132 posted on 04/02/2019 4:00:14 PM PDT by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
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To: ArGee

It will be described as “A crazy piece of Intel”. Game on.


5,133 posted on 04/02/2019 4:03:46 PM PDT by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
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To: moose07

That explains why I never see moose around here. Camo.


5,134 posted on 04/02/2019 4:13:29 PM PDT by Tax-chick ("President Trump likes Chairman Kim." ~ Sarah Huckabee Sanders)
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To: Tax-chick

Could be special Stealth Paint. Who knows. And moose that do arn’t saying.


5,135 posted on 04/02/2019 4:18:40 PM PDT by moose07 (DMCS (Dit Me Cong San ) Forward to the glorious world of next Tuesday !)
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To: moose07

Mmmmm. Stealth.


5,136 posted on 04/02/2019 4:27:55 PM PDT by Tax-chick ("President Trump likes Chairman Kim." ~ Sarah Huckabee Sanders)
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To: moose07

indeed!
;>)


5,137 posted on 04/02/2019 6:31:15 PM PDT by Covenantor (Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: Tax-chick

Well done, mom.

Oxford comma almost missed.


5,138 posted on 04/02/2019 6:32:13 PM PDT by Covenantor (Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: moose07; Covenantor; Tax-chick
“If you go down to the woods today you’re in for a BIG surprise!”

Teddy Bears having a picnic?

"Teddy Bear's Picnic"

If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise!

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain,
Because today's the day the
Teddy Bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for Teddy Bears
The little Teddy Bears are having A lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them picnic on their holiday.

See them gaily gad about.
They love to play and shout,
They never have any care;
At six o'clock their Mommies and Daddies
Will take them home to bed,
Because they're tired little Teddy Bears

Every Teddy Bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today.
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play.

Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
'Cause that's the way the
Teddy Bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for Teddy Bears
The little Teddy Bears are having
A lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them frolic on their holiday

See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout,
They never have any care;
At six o'clock their Mommies and Daddies
Will take them home to bed,
Because they're tired little Teddy Bears.

If you go down to the woods today,
You'd better not go alone!
It's lovely down in the woods today,
But safer to stay at home!

For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the
Teddy Bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for Teddy Bears
The little Teddy Bears are having
A lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them frolic on their holiday.

See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout,
They never have any care;
At six o'clock their Mommies and Daddies
Will take them home to bed,
Because they're tired little Teddy Bears.

(Writer(s): JIMMY KENNEDY, JOHN W. BRATTON)

5,139 posted on 04/02/2019 10:15:48 PM PDT by NicknamedBob (If you can't do something well, you won't do anything good.)
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To: Tax-chick

Yay, offspring!!!!


5,140 posted on 04/03/2019 12:00:49 AM PDT by Silentgypsy (Call an addiction hotline and say you're hooked on phonics.)
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