Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

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
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 6,541-6,560 next last
To: Darksheare

Here!


61 posted on 10/15/2018 7:19:07 AM PDT by null and void (The big problem is that the republicans don't keep their campaign promises and the democrats do!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: null and void; Monkey Face; Darksheare

There are no insects in Antarctica.

62 posted on 10/15/2018 7:21:02 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Kindness and truth shall meet." Ps. 85:10)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

I bet there are.


63 posted on 10/15/2018 7:21:50 AM PDT by null and void (The big problem is that the republicans don't keep their campaign promises and the democrats do!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: null and void
You're right: the Chironomid Midge, Belgica antarctica
64 posted on 10/15/2018 7:23:29 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Kindness and truth shall meet." Ps. 85:10)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: sionnsar; BenLurkin; abigailsmybaby; A CA Guy; afnamvet; airborne; Allegra; Altariel; Anoreth; ...

LOOK! It’s moving day! Welcome to the new digs!

Thank you, Ben Lurkin! <3

Ok, everyone, you’re welcome to unpack and find your way to the bar in the Mezzanine or the Snack Bar and Grille. Hot chocolate (with or without a bit o’ grog) and chocolate chip cookies are in both places!

Welcome and settle in for a while!

‘Face


65 posted on 10/15/2018 7:23:59 AM PDT by Monkey Face (The person who invented autocorrect should burn in hello. ~~ FB ~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

Please check your luggage for stray crocodiles.


66 posted on 10/15/2018 7:24:53 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Kindness and truth shall meet." Ps. 85:10)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

EEEP! I forgot about that! Thanks! I’ll commence a laser sweep and see if there are any hitch-hikers!


67 posted on 10/15/2018 8:20:35 AM PDT by Monkey Face (The person who invented autocorrect should burn in hello. ~~ FB ~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: null and void

YAY! (What were you doing, sending some ESP waves to Darks?)


68 posted on 10/15/2018 8:21:23 AM PDT by Monkey Face (The person who invented autocorrect should burn in hello. ~~ FB ~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

"Welcome!"
69 posted on 10/15/2018 8:25:37 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

I was expecting something like the token monkey from you, in response, but a baby sloth with do!

<3

‘Face


70 posted on 10/15/2018 8:30:05 AM PDT by Monkey Face (The person who invented autocorrect should burn in hello. ~~ FB ~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
Thanks Ben!


71 posted on 10/15/2018 8:37:08 AM PDT by PROCON ('Progressive' is a Euphemism for Totalitarian)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face; Tax-chick; BenLurkin
"... the project involves using gene-editing techniques like CRISPR to infect insects with modified viruses that could help make America's crops more resilient."

The proper way to use insects is in espionage. Just take over their control programming and install microscopic cameras and microphones, then pack them into a regular drone equipped with a transceiver package, and send them off to enemy headquarters.

Then a whole crew of agents could fly them into the building and bug it.

72 posted on 10/15/2018 8:39:48 AM PDT by NicknamedBob (If you can't do something well, you won't do anything good.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Monkey Face

Wait... didn’t 731 do this already (question already answered :p)

I love undead threads :D ... wait, when did this one start?


73 posted on 10/15/2018 8:52:27 AM PDT by Bikkuri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Darksheare; TheOldLady

I miss the olden days pics from ZotS ...
Where is TOL? She had beautiful fractal pics..


74 posted on 10/15/2018 8:54:40 AM PDT by Bikkuri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick; Monkey Face

75 posted on 10/15/2018 9:00:26 AM PDT by Bikkuri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Bikkuri; Monkey Face; ArGee; Silentgypsy; ColdOne

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdra55DPr1E

A nice video for those who like dogs.


76 posted on 10/15/2018 9:33:05 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Kindness and truth shall meet." Ps. 85:10)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: Bikkuri

I think that’s alligator, not crocodile.


77 posted on 10/15/2018 9:50:02 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Kindness and truth shall meet." Ps. 85:10)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: Bikkuri; NicknamedBob

Actually, this is a continuation of the original Undead Thread which was started in June of 2004 and reached the End of the Internet in December of that same year. For a full chronology of the UT, go to Nicknamedbob’s home page.

We’ve been chasing around the galaxy for a while, now. The Flying Castle has its benefits! :o]


78 posted on 10/15/2018 10:03:15 AM PDT by Monkey Face (The person who invented autocorrect should burn in hello. ~~ FB ~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: Bikkuri; TheOldLady

If I’m not mistaken, TOL opted out of the ping list. We were sad to see her go, but things happen.


79 posted on 10/15/2018 10:06:14 AM PDT by Monkey Face (The person who invented autocorrect should burn in hello. ~~ FB ~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: Darksheare; Monkey Face; Tax-chick; Silentgypsy; no-to-illegals; NicknamedBob; NoCmpromiz; ...

I sensed a disturbance in the Force. Glad I was able to finally extricate myself from the 9:30 - 1:30 meeting and drop by.

Now for my 2:00 meeting.

If I don’t pop in again by tomorrow morning, could someone see if I’m trapped in one of my moving boxes?

But don’t look in the one marked quantum entanglements, please.


80 posted on 10/15/2018 10:57:40 AM PDT by ArGee (I trust people with freedom more than I trust government with power.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 6,541-6,560 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson