“Virtually every major technology has been exploited not only for peaceful purposes but also for hostile ones. Must this also happen with biotechnology, which is rapidly becoming the dominant technology of our age?” —Matthew Meselson,...

Viewpoint: Yes, biological weapons are a genie already out of the bottle and awaiting a master. Research and development on biological weapons should be resumed. Viewpoint: No, resumption of research on and development of biological weapons is a...

Biological weapons constitute an increasingly important ethical and political issue for science and technology. This entry examines that issue by defining biological weapons (BWs), reviewing the history of their use, considering efforts to deal with...

any of a number of disease-producing agents—such as bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, fungi, toxins, or other biological agents—that may be utilized as weapons against humans, animals, or plants. The direct use of infectious agents and...

The United Nations has defined biological warfare as the use of any living organisms (e.g. bacteria) or infective material derived from them, in order to cause disease or death in humans, animals, or plants. The effectiveness of these organisms depends...

The United Nations has defined biological warfare as the use of any living organisms (e.g. bacteria) or infective material derived from them, in order to cause disease or death in humans, animals, or plants. The effectiveness of these organisms depends...

Biological warfare, as defined by The United Nations, is the use of any living organism (e.g. bacterium, virus) or an infective component (e.g., toxin), to cause disease or death in humans, animals, or plants. In contrast to bioterrorism, biological...

Long ago humans discovered that certain animals and plants were capable of causing severe illness or death if anyone consumed them. Some were clever enough to extract liquids from these poisonous plants and tip their arrows with the poison before...

Military use of disease-producing or poisonous agents, and the means for defending against such agents. Biological warfare agents include many bacteria, such as those which cause anthrax, brucellosis, and typhus; viruses that cause diseases such as...

Biological agents used to threaten human life (e.g., anthrax, smallpox, or any infectious...

Biological warfare Chemical warfare Nuclear weapons Radiological...