Could Insects Be the Next Bioweapons?

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SUMMARY

Sonny Ramaswamy, chair of the entomology department at Kansas State University, expresses concern over the potential use of insects, such as stable flies and aphids, as bioweapons for distributing deadly pathogens. He emphasizes that while such attacks may lack the dramatic impact of events like the World Trade Center, they could be more insidious. The discussion also references the concept of designer mosquitoes that could deliver immunizations, raising ethical questions about their potential misuse as bioweapons. Historical context is provided with mentions of alleged U.S. biowarfare tactics during the Korean War involving anthrax-laden maggots.

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Could Insects Be Used as Bioweapons?

April 8 — Sonny Ramaswamy is trying to walk a very fine line. He doesn't want to be seen as an alarmist, but he thinks people ought to know about the thought that keeps haunting him these days.

Ramaswamy, who chairs the department of entomology at Kansas State University, is concerned that the tiny little insects he has spent a lifetime studying could become implements of international terrorism.

It's possible, he says, that even a stable fly, or something as tiny as an aphid, could be used to distribute deadly pathogens over a wide geographical area in a surprisingly rapid and efficient manner. Bugs as delivery systems for weapons of mass terror.

"It wouldn't be as spectacular as the World Trade Center," he says, "but it would be more insidious."

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/SciTech/DyeHard/insects_terrorism_dyehard_040408-1.html
 
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Since there is no way that I am going to make my deadline in the morning anyway, :frown:, I saw something similar on The Science Channel. Apparently some scientists are playing with the idea of designer mosquito's that provide immunizations with every bite. The idea that this approach could be used to design a bio-weapon was mentioned as well. In fact...I just remembered seeing some previously classified footage about bio warfare during the Korean War. The statement was made that we [the US] had spread anthrax laden maggots over troops in N Korea. I don't know if this is true...it may have been some kind of propaganda film from N Korea, but in either case it seems that the idea is not completely new.

It was nice of these guys to tell everyone how to do it.
 
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Ivan Seeking said:
It was nice of these guys to tell everyone how to do it.
My thoughts exactly. Every time they bring up a way terrorist's can do something, I wonder if they aren't just giving them ideas.