The latest worldwide Armageddon scare is man-made: Scientists at the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands have created a mutation of the Bird Flu virus (H5N1) that could literally wipe out half of Earth’s population.
Bird flu kills more than 50% of all people it infects. The reason it hasn’t caused mass annihilation thus far is because it is not transmissable from human to human.
But this new strain is.
Sometimes we do something just to prove that it can be done.
Sometimes we do something for the greater good. These scientists claim that their research can assist in manufacturing a vaccine. Can it? Probably.
Two things are scary here:
- The fear of bioterrorism
- The fear of forced population control
I have no doubt these scientists are brilliant, but is it really in the globe’s best interest to design this thing?
What do you think?
Whispers Unto the Aether 
Do we really need to create more diseases. Aren’t there enough?
That is my thought too… I’m especially concerned about the many HIV+ patients around the globe (but especially in Africa). We have a hard enough time keeping them alive.
My first thought when I saw this in the news was actually “gosh, imagine all the COSHH forms they have to fill out for that…” My university (I’m a biomed student) only has category 2 labs but we still have strict safety procedures. I’m sure theirs are even more thorough.
Interesting take, I am sure you are right – or at least, I hope so. A lapse in their security would have ridiculous consequences. Thanks for the insight!
One word: YIKES. … So am I understanding correctly that the new strain was accidentally created while the researchers were attempting to create a vaccine for a different strain? Could you link to a source? Thanks!
Nope, it was no accident… They willfully caused the mutations, to view which mutations would be necessary for the virus to pass from one mamal to another. Which does make it easier to create a vaccine, but the fact is that the deadly virus now exists. I’m still kind of in two minds about it. The source is here – a bit of an emotional article, but I can’t find the original one I found on flipboard.
Nope, nuh-uh, not okay. That is how every horror movie starts. I hope they destroy all of it and work on something less apocalyptically dangerous.
LOL, I understand your sentiment 100%… I’m keeping a close eye on progressions of the WHO in the next few days…
I hate to think if some greedy despot grab a hold of that and all the things we see in movies come to life. 😦