One Man Holds a PATENT That Could Crush MONSANTO and Change The World

originally posted by: GetHyped

originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: stutteringp0et


I want to say from the patent side there is nothing about modifying, mutating, or any other combining or changing of species at all. They mearly use 2 or more types of coexisting species of fungi to achieve their goal based on location and what's there.

From the patent description:

32. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium is derived from a genetically modified fungal species.

I saw...I was editing...see my post for the update.

Wow! This is huge news. Thanks for sharing OP.
Monsanto is a giant insect that needs a dose of Mr. Stamets shrooms.
He has also pioneered using mycelium to clean up hazardous waste contaminated soils.

a reply to: DenyFlatulence

He has also pioneered using mycelium to clean up hazardous waste contaminated soils.

I have seen that its amazing what shrooms can do. I saw it when they put the oysters on oil contaminated ground. The shrooms ate the oil and turned into edibles..

purp..

a reply to: chr0naut

It isn't GMO.

Yes it is.
From GetHyped post.

From the patent description:



32. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium is derived from a genetically modified fungal species.

I can tell already this will be a conundrum for some.

This will be interesting to follow.

a reply to: Grimpachi

Well that's also a bit misleading and if you actually go take a look at the 37 claims you will see it appears as if the genetic modification is only used to keep specific species from producing spores for the period of time necessary to allow the fungi to be ingested by the target species. It also isn't necessary for every species... This will be evidenced if you read the other 36 claims. I revised my post on page 4 to reflect what I gleaned from the actual patent which I finally read this morning in full...although a lack of coffee may have played a part in missing claim 32 initially...the patent was not a short read by any means and claim 32 is the only place that genetic modification is mentioned...that I saw at least.

a reply to: RickyD

When has anyone cared what he specifics were on the genetic manipulation of an organism?


Personally I don't see anything wrong wth GMO's, but for those who do I foresee some serious cognitive dissonance and mental gymnastics in their future if they push for this.

That is why I thnk this will be one of the more interesting subjects to follow.

a reply to: Grimpachi

I don't really agree with it but my disagreement is on varying levels. I think exhaustive studies should be done before employing any form of it. I'm not sure of all the research they've done however from what I saw in the patent they sure know what fungus does what to which species pretty well. This guy has a really extensive history and background in mycology so if anyone was to figure it out safely I have a good feeling he would be a good candidate.

I'm definitely with you on this being something to watch one way or the other.

a reply to: RickyD

GMO food has been extensively studied. I don't honestly see how you can have doubts about the safety of GMO food after its been studied so extensively but seem fine with this particular GMO because you have a 'good feeling'.

a reply to: GetHyped

Who's studies are you going by...ones paid for by those trying to get their product out there. Cause it seems I've read about a million threads here where independent studies showed that a lot of GMO food is not good for us and we don't fully understand how it will affect our bodies. Hell even the scientist at Monsanto won't eat their own GMO food.

ETA: I would not be happy if this was pushed out there and used without independent studies too.


Edit to the edit...it's also a wee bit different when its not proposed they spray or add anything to the food. This goes out as a bait trap that is separate from the food your protecting. Therefore we aren't eating roundup modified food the insects are.

a reply to: RickyD

Studies from public institutions, including one involving 100 billion of livestock spanning 10 years.

Cause it seems I've read about a million threads here where independent studies showed that a lot of GMO food is not good for us and we don't fully understand how it will affect our bodies.

And I've read about a million times on here that NASA faked the moon landings, that there's faces on Mars, that the Sun orbits the Earth and a whole host of pseudo-scientific narratives that are commonplace on a conspiracy forum. But that doesn't make them so.

The fungus in the OP is a GMO. How does one wrestle with the idea of using GMOs to stop Monsanto using GMOs? As Grimpachi said, the cognitive dissonance is quite interesting to witness.

a reply to: GetHyped

Yes in some cases the fungi must be modified to allow them not to produce spores for a longer period. However 2 things...1 not all species require this method... And 2 people aren't going to be eating the stuff nor will it be applied in any manner to the food. I see that as a step up in protecting the crop without harming the consumer by making the pesticide and food one thing.

That's great! Healthier pesticides that don't harm you and actually are healthy for you?! Congratulations to the scientist that made this feasible. Nobel prize class.

a reply to: Asynchrony

I'm not so sure they are healthy for you...which is why they aren't applied to crops directly.

I'm just going to go ahead and post the claims pertaining to claim 20. Which is what claim 32. Is in reference to.

21. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium is metabolically arrested.

22. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium is metabolically arrested via a method selected from the group consisting of drying, freezedrying, refrigerating, gaseous cooling, light deprivation, cryogenic suspension and combinations thereof.

23. The method of attracting social insects of claim 22 wherein the metabolically arrested entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium is metabolically reactivated via a method selected from the group consisting of humidification, immersion in water, warming, exposure to light and combinations thereof.

24. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium is cultivated on wood.

25. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium is cultivated on a bait block with insect entryways wherein the entryways are selected from the group consisting of channels, tunnels, grooves, ridges, holes, perforations and combinations thereof and the entryways are sized to allow entry by an insect selected from the group consisting of a targeted insect larva, a targeted insect pupae, a targeted insect adult and combinations thereof.

26. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium is cultivated on the solid substrate based on a characteristic selected from the group consisting of attractiveness to a targeted insect, mandible size of a targeted insect, size of a targeted insect, pupae and larvae size of a targeted insect and combinations thereof.

27. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the solid substrate is selected from the group consisting of grains, seeds, wood, paper products, cardboard, sawdust, corn cobs, cornstalks, chip board, hemp, jute, flax, sisal, reeds, grasses, bamboo, papyrus, coconut fibers, nut casings, seed hulls, straws, sugar cane bagasse, soybean roughage, coffee wastes, tea wastes, cactus wastes, banana fronds, palm leaves, fiberized rag stock and combinations thereof.

28. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the solid substrate is selected from the group consisting of cardboard, paper, wood, straw, fabrics, landscaping cloths, geofabrics, soil blankets and rugs, mats, mattings, bags, baskets, gabions, fiber logs, fiber bricks, fiber ropes, nettings, felts, tatamis and combinations thereof.

29. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 further comprising the step of pelletizing the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium overgrown on the solid substrate.

30. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 further comprising the step of preparing the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium for spray in a form selected from the group consisting of wettable powders, emulsifiable concentrates, water-dispersible granules, aqueous solutions, emulsions including oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions, dispersions, suspoemulsions, microemulsions, microcapsules and combinations thereof.

31. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium additionally comprises a material selected from the group consisting of baits, foods, fungal attractants, nonfungal attractants, protectants, nutrients, growth enhancers, wetting agents, surfactants, dispersants, emulsifiers, sticking agents, humectants, penetrants, fillers, carriers, antibiotics, arrestants, feeding stimulants, sex pheromones, aggregating pheromones, trail pheromones, encapsulating materials, yeast, bacteria and combinations thereof.

32. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the entomopathogenic preconidial mycelium is derived from a genetically modified fungal species.

33. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the social insect is a pest insect.

34. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the social insect is selected from the group consisting of Formosan termites, reticulated termites, carpenter ants and fire ants.

35. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the social insect is selected from the group consisting of termites, ants, wasps and bees.

36. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the social insect is selected from the group consisting of Formicidae ants including Camponotus carpenter ants, Calomyrmex, Opisthopsis andPolyrhachis ants, pharaoh ants, Argentine ants, pavement ants, odorous house ants andAtta and Acromyrmex leaf cutter ants, Isoptera termites including Coptotermes, Reticulitermes, Cryptotermes, Ahamitermes, Allodontermes, Amitermes, Anacanthotermes, Amitermitinae,Archotermopsis, Armitermes, Calcaritermes, Capritermes, Cornitermes, Cubitermes, Drepanotermes, Globitermes, Glyptotermes, Heterotermes, Hodotermes, Hodotermopsis, Incisitermes, Kalotermes, Labiotermes, Macrotermes, Macrotermitinac, Marginitermes, Mastotermes, Microcerotermes, Microhodotermes, Nasutitermes, Nasutitermitinac,Neotermes, Odontotermes, Ophiotermes, Parastylotermes, Paraneotermes, Parrhinotermes, Pericapritermes, Porotermes, Prorhinotermes, Psammotermes, Rhinotermes, Rhynchotermes, Rugitermes, Schedorhinotermes, Serritermes, Syntermes, Stolotermes, Termitogeton, Termes, Termitinae, Termopsis and Zootermopsis, Sphecoidea and Vespoidea wasps and Apoidea bees.

37. The method of attracting social insects of claim 20 wherein the social insect is selected from the group of insects consisting ofCamponotus modoc, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus femigineus, Camponotus floridanus, Camponotus pennsylvanicus, Camponotus herculeanus, Camponotus varigatus, Camponotus abdominalis andCamponotus noveboracensis, Solenopsis invicta, Solenopsis richteri, Monomorium pharonis, Coptotermes formosanus, Reticulitermes flavipes, Reticulitermes virginicus, Reticulitermes speratus, Reticulitermes hesperus, Reticulitermes tibialis, Reticulitermes luctfugus, Reticulitermes santonensis, Cryptotermes domesticus, C. cubioceps, Kalotermes flavicollis, Incisitermes minor and Mastotermes darwiniensis.

I guess number 30 is pretty bad too...I'm not a huge fan of it being sprayed on crops as we have no clue how far those effects could go...I mean is it possible some people are able to be colonized too?

Wow, if they found a way to weaponize that against humans, scary stuff, dying of a fungal infections.
Ultimate biological weapon. The attacked region would just think it's a crazy pandemic

Not a pleasant way to go I would think.

a reply to: purplemer
There are already all kinds of fungi variations of cordyceps that attack pretty much every kind of insect out there, some attack other fungi as well. So it may work if you modify them to not put out spores, generally insects have there own way of dealing with it and have been doing it for a long time, like the ants once they find an infected they physically carry it away from the nest, and they stay away from the spores like there life depended on it.

You could find the specific type of cordyceps which attacks whatever pest you want to get rid of, and it could work in eliminating them from any specific area, and will not directly effect other insects as it wont target them unless its specific for that insect, so technically it can work...Maybe. I would test it out in a controlled environment first one with plenty of space and different organisms around.

But I would not count on it not effecting other insects out there bees and such.
Bees killed by fungus

Though even if it was modified to not put out spores it may trick the insects only for a while, and eventually both will evolve to work within that system, or around it. So while it may be great like he says in this bellow vid at the 13:00 mark on getting rid of carpenter ants and termites permanently from your house. It may not quite work out in a larger area or to get rid of crop pests without effecting beneficial insects like bees, though either way it will be safer as it wont effect the crops like pesticides and GMO's do.


So really I think it will have its benefits in certain respects, but it would not be a cure all. Now I know most higher organisms are a bit more tricky to infect and turn into fungi zombies or kill of, that and we already have our own symbiotic relationships with fungi just like we do with viruses.

But really what if they evolve to attack human hosts, zombie apocalypse anybody? It was the whole premise behind The Last of Us video game, were there was a variation of cordyceps which attacked human hosts and turned them into mushroom zombies...Ohh!

Not likely to happen even if it could happen, since were such useful hosts for all types of fungi and viruses and all types of things, were practically walking bio factories it would be a shame to kill us off when they could already get us to ingest them voluntarily. So its not even in these killer fungus's interest to kill off all hosts since then they will die as well...But you know once in a while when population grow out of control, fungi do make for some great pest control, be they insect, plant, or even a higher or more complicated bio form. So you never know.

a reply to: purplemer

Interesting I was just talking about him Saturday with an acquaintance...

Anyhow and I'm on my way to beddy-bye.

Don't we need insects - to - like - polinate plants for us and other good things.

I'm not terribly knowledgeable on this subject but know in my own 'organic' garden I loose a small amount to pests but it's well worth the trade off and easy to learn to control with other insects, chickens, bats, and then there is companion planting as well. Granted on an 'industrial scale' that could be challenging but then probably necessary if we are to restore the soil and save the planet.

Mushrooms are groovy.

I read in a SciFi thriller, 20 years ago (can't recall the title or the author), that it will be fungi from space ("space" includes planet Earth I might add) that ultimately wipes out humanity.

Viruses and fungi are the two non stoppable antagonists of modern medicine. @@

I like this idea none the less if it will limit the use of chemical based pesticides even a little. We have to start somewhere and the Ladybugs, Horny toads, and dung beetles are getting tired!

a reply to: purplemer

I really, really, really want ticks to be one of the 200,000. Fleas too! But yeah, ticks,, definitely ticks.

I hope any & all politicians start turning into fungi from the inside out. They're all born from sh#t already anyways.