How gene editing could be used as a weapon, and what to do about it

phys ^ | 11/15/2021

[devane617]

It has been over a year since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. And perhaps the most important lesson is that we were completely unprepared to face the debilitating virus.

This raises some scary thoughts. What if the threat wasn't COVID-19, but a gene-edited pathogen designed to turn us into zombies—ghost-like, agitated creatures with little awareness of our surroundings? With recent advances in gene editing, it may be possible for bioterrorists to design viruses capable of altering our behavior, spreading such a disease and ultimately killing us. And chances are we still wouldn't be sufficiently prepared to deal with it.

A zombie apocalypse may sound far-fetched, reserved for the annals of graphic novels, immersive gaming experiences and popular culture. But there are examples of "zombification" in nature. Perhaps the most well known is rabies, which can cause aggression and hallucination and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.

But there are others. A recently discovered kind of wasp, for example, can turn a particular species of spider (Anelosimus eximius) into "zombies" by laying eggs on their abdomen. The resulting larvae then attaches itself to the spider, feeding on it, while the spider, once a social individual, leaves the colony and prepares to die alone. Other zombification examples from nature include the African sleeping sickness, a fatal neurological condition created by insect-borne parasites, and the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus, which changes the behavior of carpenter ants before killing them and sprouting out of their heads.

Weaponising pathogens

Last year, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognized the development of a type of genetic scissors called CRISPR-Cas9. Interest in this technology has been simmering for a while, with equal doses of excitement and fear. Because of its ability to edit the human genome with unprecedented precision, replacing a single letter in the DNA, CRISPR has already proven itself useful in treating genetic conditions such as sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, and many others.

[devane617]

this is next.

[\/\/ayne]

Gosh, what to do about it?

[libertylover]

World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. And perhaps the most important lesson is that we were completely unprepared

And why President Trump realized that the WHO is completely worthless and stopped sending them money. Of course, Brandon resumed throwing money down the hole.

[UnwashedPeasant]

”ghost-like, agitated creatures with little awareness of our surroundings?”

A virus that turns us all into Democrat zombies. China will do it if they can.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I just watched THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN again last night. Haven’s sen it in fifty years.

Scary.

[MrBambaLaMamba]

Already here.

Explains leftists, socialists, Democrat voters.

[telescope115]

Well, there are two sides to every coin. Amongst other things, I have Beta Thalassemia Minor, this sounds like a promising technique to treat it.
Not to say that this can’t be abused or perverted.

[seowulf]

With recent advances in gene editing, it may be possible for bioterrorists to design viruses "vaccines" capable of altering our behavior.

[Boogieman]

“What if the threat wasn’t COVID-19, but a gene-edited pathogen designed to turn us into zombies—ghost-like, agitated creatures with little awareness of our surroundings?”

What if it was a gene-edited pathogen designed to make half the population want to hide indoors, avoid human contact, hide their faces, and quit their jobs to languish on government support for years???