The current covid breakdown that killed the large population worldwide, then the monkeypox outbreak, Langya virus outbreak in China and then the current reoccurrence of polio in UK and US. Most researchers and scientists believe that the biological warfare has already been started.
China's race to be the world largest economy, America's deed to control the world, dispute between Ukraine and Russia, border disputes between China ,India and Pakistan, geopolitical tension between China and USA and the war between very advanced warfare of Israel and Palestine has made the world more vulnerable towards the nuclear war and the biological war. And here's the article on the biological war , it's history and consequences to the mankind.
To know more about the nuclear war, click here
The employment of biological poisons or infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, insects, and fungus with the intention of killing, harming, or incapacitating humans, animals, or plants as a kind of conflict is known as biological warfare, sometimes known as germ warfare.
Biological warfare is entirely different from the other warfare which involves mass destruction like the nuclear warfare , chemical warfare or the kinetic warfare. Though none of these are conventional weapons but damage mechanism of these above warfare's is similar to the conventional warfare's as their damage comes from kinetic, incendiary or explosive energy.
But the case is not the same in case of biological warfare. The weapons used in this kind of war are entirely different from the conventional war weapons and the weapons of mass destruction. The weapons used in bio wars are known as biological weapons. By target these weapons could be anti personnel, anti agricultural or anti livestock.
Biological weapons are the microbiological agents used intentionally in order to kill or hurt humans, animals or plants. These microbiological agents may include natural or genetically mutated bacteria, virus or fungi. These microbiological agents may be the natural ones with the pathogenic nature or the genetically engineered ones with the aim of making them more vital and pathogenic.
In order to carry out hostile objectives, biological weapons put bacteria or viruses along with a delivery mechanism into a hostile environment that is unable to protect itself. Because of this, the agent can become incredibly efficient at destroying humans, animals, plants, and even pets. The most prevalent types of biological weapons in use today include bacteria, rickettsiae, viruses, toxins, and fungi. There are many different bacteria and viruses that have been genetically or traditionally modified to resist antibiotics.
In terms of destructive weapons of mass destruction, developing and manufacturing biological weapons is very cheap. According to one research, the relative cost of civilian casualties "with conventional weapons is $2,000 per square kilometer, with nuclear weapons it's $800, with nerve gas weapons it's $600, and with biological weapons it's $1." It is not unexpected that biological weapons have earned the nickname "the poor man's atom bomb" over time. A survey estimates that 1 gram of bioweapon is capable of killing 10 millions. This data shows that why countries are shifting their interest towards these bio weapons.
A biological weapon could be delivered to a target using anything from a piece of household to a ballistic missile. This is accompanied by the fact that, for some organisms, only a small number of particles would be required to initiate an infection that might eventually result in an epidemic. Weapons of the past detonate once and are rendered useless. Many thousands of people could become Hanta virus carriers with only a few particles, infecting thousands more people.
But there's a bitter side of these weapons. It is slightly more difficult to create and develop biological weapons. For instance, biological agents are destroyed when a missile is in flight because it becomes extremely hot. The missile must therefore be equipped with a cooling system. Additionally, because many of these kinds of agents quickly degrade, it is difficult to store biological warfare agents. And during the engineering of these weapons there's high chance of spread of pathogen so very expensive high grade laboratory are required away from the residential area.
Modern worries about biological weapons go beyond simple ownership or non-possession issues. Instead, the main area of worry is the extent to which states have the capability and desire to threaten or carry out a biological strike; this concern is especially important in light of national biodefense programs. Any nation with a respectably developed pharmaceutical and healthcare sector is capable of mass generating biological weapons. The identification of nations with biological weapons programs is additionally complicated by this circumstance.
Use of biological weapons in the past
1) Mongols launch plague-infected bodies over the walls of Kaffa (in Crimea) in 1346–1347, forcing the besieged Genoans to leave. According to some historians, this incident led to the plague epidemic that swept over medieval Europe and claimed 25 million lives
2) German agents infect cattle and feed intended for transport to Allied forces between 1916 and 1918 using anthrax and the equine disease glanders. A few instances are the anthrax infection of Romanian sheep and glanders for export to Russia, the anthrax infection of Argentinian mules for export to Allied forces, and the anthrax infection of American horses and fodder for export to France. Japan starts developing offensive biological weapons in 1937. BW's research and development unit, Unit 731, is situated in Harbin, Manchuria. At least 10,000 inmates are killed in Japanese experiments during the duration of the program.
3) Japan starts developing offensive biological weapons in 1937. BW's research and development unit, Unit 731, is situated in Harbin, Manchuria. At least 10,000 inmates are killed in Japanese experiments during the duration of the program. And Japanese poisoning in the Nomonhan Incident of 1939 at the former Mongolian border, Soviet water supply contaminated with intestinal typhoid bacteria.
4) During first world war , The tactics for the use of bio-agents in warfare reached a new degree of complexity by 1900 thanks to the germ theory and developments in bacteriology. During World War I (1914–18), biological sabotage using anthrax and glanders was carried out on behalf of the Imperial German government with mixed results. Chemical and biological weapons were outlawed by the Geneva Protocol of 1925.
5) During second world war tularemia, anthrax, brucellosis, and botulism toxins were effectively weaponized. Though these were never offensively used by UK but its program was the first to successfully weaponize a variety of deadly pathogens and bring them into industrial production. Later on France and Japan also started their own biological weapons programs. Later on when United States entered the war, it's started its own biowarfare program which Facilities for the mass manufacturing of brucellosis, botulism, and anthrax spores were established quickly, but the war ended before these weapons could be used effectively.
Some major biological weapons
1) Anthrax
This microbe is regarded as the most lethal agent ever included in a bioweapon. Anthrax is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis, and according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is a Category A agent. Since the spores remain in the environment for a long time, this raises serious concerns about the safety of the people. Since almost a century ago, anthrax has been employed in a variety of products, including food, powders, aerosols, and water. The world's deadliest bioweapon status of anthrax is conferred by the fact that the spores are tasteless, odorless, and unseen. These gram-positive, rod-shaped anthrax spores, which are often found in soil, can be created in a lab and purposefully cultured as a versatile weapon. Anthrax has been applied previously. Anthrax spores were delivered through the US mail service in 2001. Five of the 22 people who contracted anthrax died. Furthermore, the offender was never found.
2) smallpox
Smallpox, which, unlike anthrax, can travel from person to person, is another possible bioterrorist weapon. The last naturally occurring incidence of smallpox occurred in 1977, and the disease is no longer a reason for concern in the natural environment as a result of widespread vaccination campaigns. The smallpox virus, which is still stored in two labs—one in the U.S. and one in Russia Trusted Source—could be an efficient weapon, though, as it spreads swiftly and easily between humans.
3) Botulinum Toxin
This unusual bioweapon can be produced very easily, is highly dangerous and potent, and is easily dispersed by aerosols or tainted food and water supplies. If inhaled, one gram of botulism has the potential to claim a million lives. There are thought to be 1,000 botulism-infected R-400 bombs in Iraq. It was discovered that Saddam Hussein's Iraq produced an excessive 19,000 liters of botulinum toxin at the start of the Gulf War. This threat against the American forces during Desert Storm and Desert Shield was unquestionably catastrophic.
4) cholera
Cholera has the potential to be utilized in bioterrorism as a potentially serious and occasionally fatal gastrointestinal sickness. Since it is not easily contagious, a significant water source would need to be heavily treated with it in order for it to be successful. Vibrio cholerae, the cholera-causing bacteria, has already been weaponized by a number of countries, including the United States, Japan, South Africa, and Iraq.
5) Ebola
The Marburg virus, which has a 67% fatality rate, shares a common ancestor with the Ebola virus. The Soviet Union selected the Ebola virus, which set it apart from the Marburg Haemorrhagic Fever as a potential bioweapon. Thankfully, the Soviets did not make use of it. In order to combat the virus and stop its transmission during the recent Ebola epidemics in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, which saw a substantial number of infections, Army researchers led the development of four distinct multi-drug regimens.
Only four laboratories can safely handle the virus on a global scale. Preliminary scientific findings suggest that interaction with contaminated animal tissues, blood, and body fluids like urine and feces can result in Ebola infection in humans. After infection or exposure, the Ebola virus symptoms can appear two to 21 days later. A person who is infected will first experience a fever, aches, and pains, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, blood in the stool, compromised liver and kidney function, external and internal bleeding, and lower white blood cell counts.
6) Tularaemia
Tularemia, an infection brought on by the Francisella tularensis bacteria, is seen by some as a possible bioweapon. It results in fever, sores, lymph node enlargement, and, occasionally, pneumonia. The bacterium can infect a person by getting inside through skin tears or by being inhaled into the lungs. Because of how contagious it is, only a very tiny number of organisms—as few as 10—need to enter the body in order to cause a significant case of tularemia. F. tularensis is a hardy bacterium that was studied by the Japanese during World War II and stocked by the US in the 1960s. It can survive low temperatures in water, hay, decaying animal remains, and moist soil for several weeks.
International laws for biological weapons
The Geneva Protocol of 1925 forbade the employment of biological weapons in armed conflict. The research, manufacturing, stockpiling, acquisition, and retention of biological weapons were subsequently outlawed by the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC). The BTWC, the first global disarmament agreement to outlaw an entire class of weapons of mass destruction, went into effect in 1975. Over 180 states have ratified the convention.
Several nations expressed concerns about the Geneva Protocol's applicability and its use as reprisal after it was ratified. Due to these reservations, the agreement actually had a "no-first-use" condition.
The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1540 in 2004, requiring all UN Member States to create and implement appropriate legal and regulatory safeguards against the spread of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons and their delivery systems, especially to stop the spread of such weapons to non-state sectors.
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