Unified Serenity
30th November 2011, 01:34
http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Bird-Flu_Corbis.jpg
“I can’t think of another pathogenic organism that is as scary as this one,” adds Keim, who has worked on anthrax for many years. “I don’t think anthrax is scary at all compared to this.”
Some scientists say that’s reason enough not to do such research. The virus could escape from the lab, or bioterrorists or rogue nations could use the published results to fashion a bioweapon with the potential for mass destruction, they say. “This work should never have been done,” says Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute who has a strong interest in biosecurity issues.
Aside from a potential outbreak from the lab where the genetically modified virus is kept, Ebright is expressing his reserve over what’s called dual use research, or research that is meant to help the public, but could also be used against it. Here’s a video dialogue about dual use research from NSABB:
0yS1ur24j40
It's a pretty long article, you can read it at the Blaze (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/pandemic-possible-scientist-genetically-modifies-bird-flu-with-scary-results/).
“I can’t think of another pathogenic organism that is as scary as this one,” adds Keim, who has worked on anthrax for many years. “I don’t think anthrax is scary at all compared to this.”
Some scientists say that’s reason enough not to do such research. The virus could escape from the lab, or bioterrorists or rogue nations could use the published results to fashion a bioweapon with the potential for mass destruction, they say. “This work should never have been done,” says Richard Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute who has a strong interest in biosecurity issues.
Aside from a potential outbreak from the lab where the genetically modified virus is kept, Ebright is expressing his reserve over what’s called dual use research, or research that is meant to help the public, but could also be used against it. Here’s a video dialogue about dual use research from NSABB:
0yS1ur24j40
It's a pretty long article, you can read it at the Blaze (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/pandemic-possible-scientist-genetically-modifies-bird-flu-with-scary-results/).