Anthrax Research Paper

In spite of the positive influences of biological/chemical weapons, there are many more negative effects, including the immense terrorist threat. Because biological and chemical weapons can be a seemingly effortless construction, the possibility of terrorist use is always evident: “If a bioterrorist attack were to happen, Bacillus anthracis, the bacteria that causes anthrax, would be one of the biological agents most likely to be used" (“Anthrax”). According to the CDC, anthrax is a likely bioterrorist weapon for a few main reasons: including the former use, the spores can be found in nature or produced in a scientific lab, the spores are microscopic and near impossible to detect, and the spores can be put into many environments and still

Many scientists, including Fred Milanovich, have been working to eliminate this risk: “A key factor limiting the nation's ability to protect against a biological attack has been the state of biodetector technology. Only now is technology becoming available that permits identification of biological organisms within minutes, when concentrations are low but often still dangerous” (Walter). Biological and chemical weapons can be snuck into many high security places; high value people and places could become an easily accessible target for terrorists to send a message. Although this technology has been developed to detect these risks, it only detects the toxin when it is suspected, and is not accessible for public use. Also, the time between infection and detection of the toxin is a weapon in and of itself: “Many biological agents are contagious, and during this lag time, infected persons could continue to spread the disease, further increasing its reach. Hundreds or even thousands of people could become sick or die if a biological attack were to occur in a major metropolitan area” (Walter). If a terrorist was able to weasel a toxin into popular areas, or onto popular people, by the time detection occurred the agent would have been spread to a large