Man-made flu virus with potential to wipe out many millions if it ever escaped is created in research lab

A group of scientists is pushing to publish research about how they
created a man-made flu virus that could potentially wipe out
civilisation.

The deadly virus is a genetically tweaked version of the H5N1 bird flu
strain, but is far more infectious and could pass easily between
millions of people at a time.

The research has caused a storm of controversy and divided scientists, with some saying it should never have been carried out.

The current strain of H5N1 has only killed 500 people and is not contagious enough to cause a global pandemic.

But their are fears the modified virus is so dangerous it could be used for bio-warfare, if it falls into the wrong hands.

Virologist Ron Fouchier of the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands
lead a team of scientists who discovered that a mere five mutations to
the avian virus was sufficient to make it spread far more easily.

He conducted his tests on ferrets as the animals have become a model of
choice for influenza and have similar respiratory tracts to humans.

Fouchier is so prepared for a media storm that he has hired an advisor to help him work on a communication strategy.

The research done was part of an international drive to understand H5N1 more fully.

Fouchier admitted the strain is 'one of the most dangerous viruses you
can make' but is still adamant he wants to publish a paper describing
how it was done.

The study is one of two which has caused serious debate about scientific
freedom and about regulating research which might have potential public
health benefits but at the same time could also be useful for
bio-terrorism.

The other paper, also on H5N1, was done by a joint team at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Tokyo.

It is understood to have had comparable results to the study done by Fouchier.

Both papers are now being reviewed by the U.S National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB).

NSABB does not have the power to prevent the publication but it could ask journals not to publish.

Paul Keim, chairman of NSABB, said: 'I can't think of another pathogenic
organism that is as scary as this one. I don't think anthrax is scary
at all compared to this.'

Traditionally scientific research has always been open so that fellow
scientists can review the work of others and repeat their methods to try
and learn from them.

But numerous scientists have said they believe research on the avian flu should be suppressed.

However bio-defense and flu expert Michael Osterholm, who is director of
the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University
of innesota, said the work carried out was important medically.

He added he could not discuss the papers because he was a member of
NSABB but said if they were published certain information could be
withheld and made available to those who really need to know.

'We don't want to give bad guys a road map on how to make bad bugs really bad,' he said.

Source

So like what do these scientists do....sit in the lab all day creating extremely dangerous virus's that could potentially wipe out the world?

I guess they make shit like this for warfare?

I read about this a couple days ago...shits crazy...They say this could be like a plague if let loose...We should drop a vial in China tho.

Keep in mind they have a few projects that are not released to the public aswell.

no matter where its dropped that shit would be here fast....fucking scary man

fuck time to go live in a bubble

Why the fruck would they create this tho? It's gonna end up in the wrong hands and we're gonna die or they're just gonna release it theirselves and claim it as an accident. Fruck I hate people.

What's the point in creating something like this?? They are some fucking idiots for smart people lol.

41OMaXiMuS wrote:What's the point in creating something like this?? They are some fucking idiots for smart people lol.

Chemical warfare

I know that's why but I mean why take the risk... why make something that could potentially wipe out the human race... they are some fucking idiots.

41OMaXiMuS wrote:I know that's why but I mean why take the risk... why make something that could potentially wipe out the human race... they are some fucking idiots.

Idiot warfare.

if you can create a biological mutation before it exists you can develop an antibody and potentially disable a naturally occurring extinction. its like working on your pain threshold before a fight so you are less susceptible

Evan Kettler wrote:if you can create a biological mutation before it exists you can develop an antibody and potentially disable a naturally occurring extinction. its like working on your pain threshold before a fight so you are less susceptible

Or - it's like pouring gasoline all over your house because you thought maybe someday it would catch on fire anyway... but now it's WAY more likely to happen.

41OMaXiMuS wrote:

Evan Kettler wrote:if you can create a biological mutation before it exists you can develop an antibody and potentially disable a naturally occurring extinction. its like working on your pain threshold before a fight so you are less susceptible

Or - it's like pouring gasoline all over your house because you thought maybe someday it would catch on fire anyway... but now it's WAY more likely to happen.

meh lets say 50/50 chance they are retarded/heroes

Evan Kettler wrote:

41OMaXiMuS wrote:

Evan Kettler wrote:if you can create a biological mutation before it exists you can develop an antibody and potentially disable a naturally occurring extinction. its like working on your pain threshold before a fight so you are less susceptible

Or - it's like pouring gasoline all over your house because you thought maybe someday it would catch on fire anyway... but now it's WAY more likely to happen.

meh lets say 50/50 chance they are retarded/heroes

I was just presenting the other side of the argument. Who the fuck am I to say if it's a good idea or not lol.