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The Germy Paradox – Georgia Ray
This document discusses biological weapons and why they have not been used more widely, despite their lower cost compared to nuclear weapons. It presents three key reasons why biological weapons have not seen more widespread use: 1) They are harder to develop than initially thought due to technical challenges; 2) People have an aversion to disease and do not want to inflict suffering through biological agents; 3) Nuclear weapons were developed first and established a norm against their use, which also applies to biological weapons. The document questions what should be done about ongoing biotechnology advances that could lower the technical barriers to developing biological weapons.
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The Germy Paradox – Georgia Ray
- 1. The Germy Paradox Why haven’twe seen more biological weapons? Georgia Ray @eukaryotetweets
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- 3. 3 Where is everyone? Whereare they?
- 4. NON-STATE ACTORS ⦁ AumShinrikyo ⦁ Rajneeshpuram ⦁ 2001 anthrax letters to American senators ⦁ Al Qaeda STATES ⦁ Japan ⦁ Rhodesia ⦁ UK ⦁ US ⦁ USSR ⦁ USA ⦁ Canada ⦁ Israel ⦁ South Africa ⦁ Iraq 4
- 5. But they haven’treally been used. ⦁ 1940’s - Japanese use against Manchurian civilians ⦁ ... 5
- 6. $1/death vs. $800 fornuclear weapons. 1969 United Nations estimate $1 million, 1 month, 3 employees Necessary for producing anthrax 2002 Department of Defense study $1.6 million for a BW factory 1999 DTRA estimate 6 Aren’t bioweapons “the poor man’s nuke”?
- 7. 1. It’s harder thanwe think 7 🔬
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- 9. 3. Nuclear weapons got therefirst 9 🚀
- 10. What do we dowith this? 10
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- 22. 22 Thanks!Discuss: ● Why doyou think more states aren’t developing or using bioweapons? (e.g. what are your filters?) ● How do you expect emerging biotechnologies to influence bioweapon development or usage?Feel free to ask me questions. Find me here, or at @eukaryotetweets & geo.i.ray@gmail.com Find more info at eukaryotewritesblog.com/category/the-germy-paradox Photos are in the public domain. Thanks to the people who produced this slideshow template: Presentation template by SlidesCarnival, Background by Paaatterns.
Editor's Notes
- #9 Could be both “why they’ve never been developed” and “why we expect a lot of retaliation upon usage”