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> The Biological Threat Reduction Program’s priorities in Ukraine are to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concern Where would these path
by zardo 5y ago
> The Biological Threat Reduction Program’s priorities in Ukraine are to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concern
Where would these pathogens and toxins that need to be secured be coming from?
- ethbr0 5y agoEverywhere else? The environment, geopolitical opponents. Bioweapons defense is pretty fuzzy, as until recently you generally had to study a strain for a long amount of time to develop and test an effective vaccine. Which means you have to have a representative strain. Which means you either need to get one... or create your best guess. All while the environment and/or your adversary are doing god knows what out of your sight. Miracles like a vaccine-in-a-year don't just happen. They build on decades of research and preparedness.
- ben_w 5y agoGiven the phrase “deliberate, accidental, or natural”, basically anywhere. The two hypotheses about the origins of COVID are natural (wet market) and accidental (lab leak). Back when “The War On Terror” was the political Zeitgeist-meme, there was at least one anthrax attack (deliberate), and I remember suggestions that terrorists might also try to trigger foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks or algal blooms (it may not surprise you to learn that the latter was suggested by someone looking for government funding for their existing research into algal blooms).