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 ...
I passed. I missed three, so I’m not perfect, but they changed the book and I had to really hunt for the answers, and the ones I missed were the ones I guessed at. But it will take two months for the permanent license to be sent to me. In TX and AZ it was given to before I walked out. NV took three weeks.
So now, I can take it easy for the next five years!
The long weekend was busy. We’re moving and getting the house we never sold when we “temporarily” came to NYC ready for Mrs. ArGee to live in. I’ll be keeping this job for a while, but staying in an extended stay place instead of a monthly rental apartment.
I think this must be a good thing for both of you. I hope it works out all the way around. :o]
One thing is for sure and that’s that I’ll keep you in my prayers.
Excellent news. NC mails the license in about two weeeks.
If I had to pay that much for an ambulance ride, I'd walk.
From here.
Thank you for gorgeous kitteh that looks just like our Squeak when she was tiny!
Prayers.
Well, you have made my day—you go, girl!!! (There’s a special sort of joy that comes with passing your driver’s test.)
Exactly how I feel about it, Bob. That’s ridiculous, and its even more so when you realize that most of the ambulance rides are for seniors on fixed incomes.
It’s enough to make you want to “fro up!”
Thanks!
This time, I only missed three. I could have gone back and reviewed the test, but I just decided I’d seen enough of the inside of the DMV, and wanted no more of it. I figured I had missed two and one of those was iffy, so I just said “enough” and went to the desk to claim my prize! :o])
I like the new tagline. Good enough is good enough on the driver test. In NC, it shuts off after you get enough questions right to pass.
Here, the test tells you how many you’ve missed and asks if you want to go back and try again. I opted not to, as I had done that earlier. The test took me 27 minutes and there are only 25 questions. That was about 10 minutes longer than it should have taken me. The ones I missed were no doubt those specific to particular driving situations that I may never have.
They wouldn’t let me have the book I had because I had notes in it which made no sense. I could take the book to the station and get the answers from it, but I couldn’t use any personal notes.
It’s time to change the tagline, too! ;o]
The Morning Floof looks brand tiny new!
Good morning. I woke up at 0030 and couldn’t go back to sleep so I just got up. I may take a nap after I get back from Walmart, but it depends on how I feel.
It’s depressing to shop for groceries. Funny, but that thought just came to me.
Later this morning, I have to mail a birthday package to my son. I seldom send him anything, but I’ve been putting this one together for the last year, and its finally finished. I wanted to do it from here, but stamps.com doesn’t like plain brown boxes and wanted to charge me $30 for a 2# box. So I’ll try my luck at the USPS later this morning.
Now, I’m off.
Seeya! That reminds me that I need to pack up a box for Elen, USMC, now that she finally coughed up an address.
Happy Friday Eve, all. Back to the races, but I want you to know I’m still alive.
Yesterday when I was running I actually passed someone who was going in my direction.
OK. He was using a walker.
I have to take the wins wherever I can get them.
I’m not very fast.
Being fast is not important. I hope you have a good Thorsday!
Happy Friday Eve to you, as well!
Did you tell us about when Mrs ArGee will be heading for the home you didn’t sell? Kinda looks like a blessing in disguise, from where I sit! :o]
I don’t even recall how long it took my offspring to apprise me of their military address changes.
One thing I knew, though, that they really liked boxes full of goodies!
!
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