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 ...
A package for her came here a few weeks ago. Now that I have an address, I’m putting it in a box with a few of her bank statements.
We got Bill the Son’s new debit card. I just sent him a text about it. “Oh, I need that!” Right, Bill. I told him he should change his address with Wells Fargo.
Kids. He sounds more like my daughter, air head that she was at his age.
But I’m sure Elen will be grateful for everything you send her.
Yeah, Bill’s a flake, still.
I’ll send Elen other things, now that I have her address.
We’re figuring out how to move at the end of June. That’s when our lease runs out.
Right now I’m thinking I will have to make 3 one-way trips in 2 days (3.5 hrs or so each). 2 in a U-Haul truck an one in a car.
Men can’t not mind being the slowest or stupidest in the room.
w00t!
I think I could put up with that, if it ever happened to me.
“MY ball!”
G’orning, y’all!
Thanks! I had to run some errands, but I saw this just before I left. :o])
You can’t possibly be the slowest in the whole city of New York!
Our errands were less than 100% successful, but it could have been worse. We went to a strange Walmart because we were already up that way, and the employees were dreadful compared to our local store.
No wonder it’s called the strange Wal Mart.
I wasn’t sure I was going to like this Walmart, after the good treatment I got in Henderson, but they’re warming up to this crazy ol’ lady that shops at 0400-0500!
It was sunny this morning, but it’s clouded over, now.
I need to get a good rest because tomorrow is Gonzo’s pedicure, and he’s so super flighty, I should have named him Gladys Kravitz! I have to remove his food at 0600, and then try to get him into the travel cage. He’s going to hate me, and won’t trust me in the future. Beaker will get used to being handled, but Gonzo? He worries me.
Depends. Is Bob in NY?
Aren't they all?
Good point. Last I heard, Bob was in MD. Not an M.D.
Oh, that’s rich!
Captain Kirk, with his jaw dropping open: "I'm not sure, but I think we've been insulted!"
Doctor McCoy, with a wry expression: "I'm sure."
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