Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Cells, Microbes & Viruses => Topic started by: opportunity on 15/03/2018 13:31:52
-
Yesterday the UK decided to give the exit to all Russian diplomats on UK soil given the poisoning issue.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/14/relations-britain-russia-now-dangerous-cold-war-warns-putins/
Is anyone familiar with this case?
Spying is integral to any state, yet for any state being monitored to react with chemical warfare is a statement in itself, right?
Russia denies any involvement, yet they go beyond and state there will be further recriminations.
Wow. Dinner parties a plenty in Europe with Russia.
The question is, is scientific research on the microbiological scale sanctioned with appropriate restrictions? And if not, then what's the path ahead of Russian microbial science if they want to win this event?
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/03/15/in-joint-statement-world-leaders-agree-russia-behind-nerve-agent-attack-on-former-spy.html
-
the exit to all Russian diplomats on UK soil
According to the quoted stories, 23 Russian diplomats were given notice. This is a small fraction of Russian diplomatic staff at their London embassy. Usually there will be diplomatic and trade activities in other major cities in addition to the capital.
The UK embassy in Moscow has about 250 staff - you can expect Russia to take a proportionate action against the UK diplomatic staff.
Short of an all-out war, it is undesirable for a host country to expel all the diplomatic staff of another country:
- it provides no continuity; the host country has to rebuild relationships with the new embassy staff
- the spy agencies will need to start afresh to identify any undercover roles amongst the new staff.
- Ongoing diplomatic relationships benefit both countries.
chemical warfare...microbiological scale
A nerve agent would be called chemical warfare.
- Biological warfare would involve viruses or bacteria (or perhaps some larger parasites)
- Nerve agents are far below the size of viruses and bacteria, so it is not of the "microbiological scale"
- A major difference is that chemical agents become more diluted the more it spreads, so it is (somewhat) contained. Someone coming in contact with the policeman would pick up a much smaller dose than the policeman himself.
- Biological agents multiply as they spread, so the millionth victim is just as dangerous as the first victim.
is scientific research on the microbiological scale sanctioned with appropriate restrictions?
There are treaties banning the stockpiling and use of chemical and biological weapons in warfare.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_Weapons_Convention
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_Weapons_Convention
Despite the biological weapons convention also banning development, there is no agreed mechanism for verification, and so it is a rather toothless treaty.
Treaties can do little to control research which happens behind closed doors in military establishments within a country's own borders. There are locations where human visitors are banned, because they were used to test biological warfare agents (like anthrax) many decades ago.
An interesting case occurred in 1980 when the smallpox virus was declared eliminated in the human population.
However, both Russia and USA decided to retain samples of smallpox for "research" purposes.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox_virus_retention_controversy
-
I feel that it is futile to try and eliminate organisms such as smallpox completely once their genetic code is known they can be synthesized as has recently been done with the 1918 influenza virus.
Once Pandora,s box has been opened it can never be re closed.
-
What's the worst thing we can make, and how is that monitored?
Is there a list of bad things and how these bad things are monitored?
(I was born yesterday....clearly)
Is there any proficiency in using biological agents against one person?
Is there any reason why the killing agent didn't spread?