"A Lab Will Explode In Russia & Release Something Awful" - Annie Jacobsen
Annie Jacobsen joins Chris Williamson to walk through a scenario where Russia's Vector Lab releases a genetically modified pneumonic plague and how the U.S. would detect and respond in real time.
The gist
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The first 12 to 24 hours after a bioweapon release are critical; missing that window makes stopping a pandemic nearly impossible.
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U.S. intelligence watches for biological threats using satellites, signals intelligence, and sensors hidden in sewers and infrastructure.
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Jacobsen says pneumonic plague is especially dangerous because, unlike anthrax, it spreads person to person through the air.
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Any response option, from a military strike to quarantine, creates new problems, including the risk of nuclear escalation.
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