US Military Program Could Be Seen As a Bioweapon, Scientists Warn (phys.org)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Phys.Org: A research arm of the U.S. military is exploring the possibility of deploying insects to make plants more resilient by altering their genes. Some experts say the work may be seen as a potential biological weapon. In an opinion paper published Thursday in the journal Science, the authors say the U.S. needs to provide greater justification for the peace-time purpose of its Insect Allies project to avoid being perceived as hostile to other countries. Other experts expressed ethical and security concerns with the research, which seeks to transmit protective traits to crops already growing in the field. That would mark a departure from the current widely used procedure of genetically modifying seeds for crops such as corn and soy, before they grow into plants.

The military research agency says its goal is to protect the nation's food supply from threats like drought, crop disease and bioterrorism by using insects to infect plants with viruses that protect against such dangers. The State Department said the project is for peaceful purposes and does not violate the Biological Weapons Convention. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said its scientists are part of the research, which is being conducted in contained labs. The technology could work in different ways. In the first phase, aphids -- tiny bugs that feed by sucking sap from plants -- infected plants with a virus that temporarily brought about a trait. But researchers are also trying to see if viruses can alter the plant's genes themselves to be resistant to dangers throughout the plant's life.

Comments

A mouse corpse is a bio weapon

[goombah99]

Anything might be a bio weapon. this is a bit bonkers. Just as any high energy physics, rocketry, encryption algorithm, or computer could be a weapon and probably is.

Re:A mouse corpse is a bio weapon

[Ol Olsoc]

Anything might be a bio weapon. this is a bit bonkers. Just as any high energy physics, rocketry, encryption algorithm, or computer could be a weapon and probably is.

On a few occasions, I think my farts were just that.

Re:A mouse corpse is a bio weapon

[cayenne8]

Why do we constantly keep trying to FUCK with the food supply?

This is critical to our lives, and I'm a bit concerned with we try to fsck with mother nature a bit too much too FAST.

One really bad mistake using vectors like this and well, it could wipe out the planets food sources potentially.

"Nature finds a way"...as I seem to have heard mentioned before.

Re:A mouse corpse is a bio weapon

[shaitand]

"As a weapon, this one would have more negative side-effects than an atom bomb, and the explanation that they're doing this to somehow protect our crops from other countries' biological weapons doesn't pass the sniff test."

Exactly. Frankly I'd be less alarmed if they were trying to develop this as an offensive weapon. The military genetically modifying domestic plants to produce... just about anything they wish chemically, and that includes heirloom plants. Sounds like a sci-fi nightmare to me.

Consider the current political environment, with all the tensions and extremes, now throw something in to make people edgy and paranoid into common crops. Now maybe you think THAT is paranoid but conspiracy and coordinated mass effort are the bread and butter of the military. Assuming they are up to something might make you crazy, assuming they aren't makes you naive, assuming they could be and that anything that can be misused will eventually be misused is just due diligence. All it would take is one bad actor in the white house between now and ever. We the people shouldn't stand for it.

Re:A mouse corpse is a bio weapon

[gnick]

It isn't our responsibility too feed and otherwise support the whole world.

Some people don't like the idea of human starvation, even if it's not their responsibility. For some reason they care about people they've never even met. Damned bleeding-hearts.

Old news much?

[DalM]

Is this a headline from the 1980's?

Seriously. This is literally the same conspiracy theory the Soviets believed the US was doing in the 1980's. It was even a featured story line in the tv show "the Americans".

This is just a basic research project

[rsilvergun]

on crop yields pretending to be a "military" project because Americans won't pay for anything that isn't "Defense". Norm Chomsky talked about this, the video's still up on Youtube somewhere. When Reagan hit and began slashing fed money in order to fund his tax cuts the only way to get any basic research done was to find a reason why it was "Defense" spending, since that's a sacred cow here.

Christ but we Americans do a lot of silly things...

Re:This is just a basic research project

[gtall]

Reagan didn't slash fed money to fund his tax cuts. In fact, he got taken to the cleaners by Tip O'Neill who promised to cut expenditures but didn't. Reagan initially thought he could cut fed money for research but ultimately that never happened because some of the programs he wanted required basic research. So stop making shit up. And relying on Noam Chomsky isn't a point in your favor.

Now the current and fake president probably will result in lower R&D spending outside of DoD. The only way he'll succeed in doing this is with the cooperation of Republicans in Congress who are more than happy to declare the only science we'll ever need is either in the Bible or created by companies. Any Party that holds Marsha Blackburn (R) of Tennessee in high regard cannot be trusted with the reins of power.

Re:Our culture has already regressed a hundred yea

[shaitand]

"A large faction seems to be really trying to pull the party WAY left (US left) and that bothers me, there are actual candidates there promoting socialism."

Socialism doesn't concern me, that is just economic. What concerns me is the rampant racism, sexism, and hate they are promoting. They are promoting a culture of paranoia and fear.