Ethnic bioweapon
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
| Revision as of 14:07, 26 August 2018 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) ← Previous diff |
Current revision Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{Template}} | {{Template}} | ||
| - | '''Human overpopulation''' occurs if the number of people in a group exceeds the [[carrying capacity]] of a region occupied by that group. Overpopulation can further be viewed, in a long term perspective, as existing when a population cannot be maintained without the rapid depletion of [[non-renewable resources]] or without the degradation of the capacity of the environment to give support to the population. | + | An '''ethnic bioweapon''' (''biogenetic weapon'') is a type of theoretical [[bioweapon]] that aims to harm only or primarily people of specific ethnicities or [[genotype]]s. |
| - | The term often refers to the relationship between the [[world population|entire human population]] and its [[environment (biophysical)|environment]]: the Earth, or to smaller geographical areas such as countries. Overpopulation can result from an increase in [[List of countries and territories by fertility rate|births]], a decline in [[mortality rate]]s, an increase in [[immigration]], or an [[Sustainability|unsustainable]] [[biome]] and depletion of resources. It is possible for very sparsely populated areas to be overpopulated if the area has a meager or non-existent capability to sustain life (e.g., a [[desert]]). Advocates of population moderation cite issues like [[quality of life]], [[carrying capacity]] and risk of [[starvation]] as being a basis to argue against continuing high human population growth and for [[population decline]]. | + | == History == |
| - | ==See also== | + | One of the first modern fictional discussions of ethnic weapons is in [[Robert A. Heinlein]]'s 1942 novel ''[[Sixth Column]]'' (republished as ''The Day After Tomorrow''), in which a race-specific [[radiation]] weapon is used against a so-called "[[Pan-Asianism|Pan-Asian]]" invader{{fact|date=February 2012}}. |
| - | *[[Behavioral sink]], a rat over-population experiment | + | |
| - | *[[Demographic trap]] | + | |
| - | *[[Eugenics]] | + | |
| - | *[[Ethnic bioweapon]] | + | |
| - | *[[Human migration]] | + | |
| - | *[[Human population control]] | + | |
| - | *[[Fertility and intelligence]] | + | |
| - | *[[List of most highly populated countries]] | + | |
| - | *[[List of population concern organizations]] | + | |
| - | *[[List of organisations campaigning for population stabilisation]] | + | |
| - | *[[Malthusianism]] | + | |
| - | *[[Overexploitation]] | + | |
| - | *[[Population ageing]] | + | |
| - | *[[Population pyramid]] | + | |
| - | *[[Risks to civilization, humans and planet Earth]] | + | |
| - | *[[Tragedy of the commons]] | + | |
| - | *[[Elephant in the room]] | + | |
| - | '''Other:''' | + | === Genetic weapons === |
| - | *[[Overpopulation in companion animals]] | + | In 1997, [[U.S. Secretary of Defense]] [[William Cohen]] referred to the concept of an ethnic bioweapon as a possible risk. In 1998 some biological weapon experts considered such a "genetic weapon" plausible, and believed the former [[Soviet Union]] had undertaken some research on the influence of various substances on human genes. |
| - | *[[Overpopulation in wild animals]] | + | |
| - | *[[Political demography]] | + | In its 2000 policy paper [[Rebuilding America's Defenses]], think-tank [[Project for the New American Century]] (PNAC) described ethnic bioweapons as a potentially "politically useful tool". PNAC went on to provide substantial staffing for the Bush Jr administration. |
| + | |||
| + | The possibility of a "genetic bomb" is presented in [[Vincent Sarich]]'s and [[Frank Miele]]'s book, ''[[Race: The Reality of Human Differences]]'', published in 2004. These authors view such weapons as technically feasible but not very likely to be used. (page 248 of paperback edition.) | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 2004, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that the [[British Medical Association]] (BMA) considered bioweapons designed to target certain ethnic groups as a possibility, and highlighted problems that advances in science for such things as "treatment to [[Alzheimer's]] and other debilitating diseases could also be used for malign purposes". | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 2005, the official view of the [[International Committee of the Red Cross]] was "The potential to target a particular ethnic group with a biological agent is probably not far off. These scenarios are not the product of the ICRC's imagination but have either occurred or been identified by countless independent and governmental experts." | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 2008, the US government held a congressional committee, ‘Genetics and other human modification technologies: sensible international regulation or a new kind of arms race?’, during which it was discussed how “we can anticipate a world where rogue (and even not-so-rogue) states and non-state actors attempt to manipulate human genetics in ways that will horrify us”. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 2012, ''[[The Atlantic]]'' wrote that a specific virus that targets individuals with a specific DNA sequence is within possibility in the near future. The magazine put forward a hypothetical scenario of a virus which caused mild flu to the general population but deadly symptoms to the [[President of the United States]]. They cite advances in personalized gene therapy as evidence. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 2016, ''[[Foreign Policy]]'' magazine suggested the possibility of a virus used as an ethnic bioweapon that could [[Sterilization (medicine)|sterilize]] a "genetically-related ethnic population." | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Israeli "ethno-bomb" controversy == | ||
| + | In November 1998, ''[[The Sunday Times (UK)|The Sunday Times]]'' reported that Israel was attempting to build an "ethno-bomb" containing a biological agent that could specifically target genetic traits present amongst Arab populations. ''[[Wired News]]'' also reported the story, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Microbiologists and geneticists were skeptical towards the scientific plausibility of such a biological agent. The ''[[New York Post]]'', describing the claims as "[[blood libel]]", reported that the likely source for the story was a work of science fiction by Israeli academic [[Doron Stanitsky]]. Stanitsky had sent his completely fictional work about such a weapon to Israeli newspapers two years before. The article also noted the views of genetic researchers who claimed the idea as "wholly fantastical", with others claiming that the weapon was theoretically possible. | ||
| + | |||
| + | A planned second installment of the article never appeared, and no sources were ever identified. Neither of the authors of the ''Sunday Times'' story, [[Uzi Mahnaimi]] and [[Marie Colvin]], have spoken publicly on the matter{{fact|date=February 2012}}. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Russian ban on export of biological samples== | ||
| + | In May 2007, a Russian newspaper ''[[Kommersant]]'' reported that the Russian government banned all exports of human biosamples. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The report claims that the reason for the ban was a secret [[FSB (Russia)|FSB]] report about on-going development of "genetic bioweapons" targeting Russian population by Western institutions. The report mentions the [[Harvard School of Public Health]], American International Health Alliance, Department of Medical Biotechnology of Jagiellonian University, [[United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division]], Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology Warsaw University, and [[United States Agency for International Development]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[Genographic Project]], genetic anthropology study; intention is to study migration. | ||
| + | * [[Biological warfare]] | ||
| + | * [[Pharmacogenomics]] | ||
| + | * ''[[Prayer of the Rollerboys]]'' | ||
| + | * [[Project Coast]] | ||
| + | * [[Race in biomedicine]] | ||
| + | * ''[[Syphon Filter]]'', a video game in which terrorists attempt to release a genetically programmable virus. | ||
| + | * [[Toxicogenomics]] | ||
| + | * [[Wouter Basson]] | ||
| + | * [[International HapMap Project]] | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Current revision
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
An ethnic bioweapon (biogenetic weapon) is a type of theoretical bioweapon that aims to harm only or primarily people of specific ethnicities or genotypes.
Contents |
History
One of the first modern fictional discussions of ethnic weapons is in Robert A. Heinlein's 1942 novel Sixth Column (republished as The Day After Tomorrow), in which a race-specific radiation weapon is used against a so-called "Pan-Asian" invaderTemplate:Fact.
Genetic weapons
In 1997, U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen referred to the concept of an ethnic bioweapon as a possible risk. In 1998 some biological weapon experts considered such a "genetic weapon" plausible, and believed the former Soviet Union had undertaken some research on the influence of various substances on human genes.
In its 2000 policy paper Rebuilding America's Defenses, think-tank Project for the New American Century (PNAC) described ethnic bioweapons as a potentially "politically useful tool". PNAC went on to provide substantial staffing for the Bush Jr administration.
The possibility of a "genetic bomb" is presented in Vincent Sarich's and Frank Miele's book, Race: The Reality of Human Differences, published in 2004. These authors view such weapons as technically feasible but not very likely to be used. (page 248 of paperback edition.)
In 2004, The Guardian reported that the British Medical Association (BMA) considered bioweapons designed to target certain ethnic groups as a possibility, and highlighted problems that advances in science for such things as "treatment to Alzheimer's and other debilitating diseases could also be used for malign purposes".
In 2005, the official view of the International Committee of the Red Cross was "The potential to target a particular ethnic group with a biological agent is probably not far off. These scenarios are not the product of the ICRC's imagination but have either occurred or been identified by countless independent and governmental experts."
In 2008, the US government held a congressional committee, ‘Genetics and other human modification technologies: sensible international regulation or a new kind of arms race?’, during which it was discussed how “we can anticipate a world where rogue (and even not-so-rogue) states and non-state actors attempt to manipulate human genetics in ways that will horrify us”.
In 2012, The Atlantic wrote that a specific virus that targets individuals with a specific DNA sequence is within possibility in the near future. The magazine put forward a hypothetical scenario of a virus which caused mild flu to the general population but deadly symptoms to the President of the United States. They cite advances in personalized gene therapy as evidence.
In 2016, Foreign Policy magazine suggested the possibility of a virus used as an ethnic bioweapon that could sterilize a "genetically-related ethnic population."
Israeli "ethno-bomb" controversy
In November 1998, The Sunday Times reported that Israel was attempting to build an "ethno-bomb" containing a biological agent that could specifically target genetic traits present amongst Arab populations. Wired News also reported the story,
Microbiologists and geneticists were skeptical towards the scientific plausibility of such a biological agent. The New York Post, describing the claims as "blood libel", reported that the likely source for the story was a work of science fiction by Israeli academic Doron Stanitsky. Stanitsky had sent his completely fictional work about such a weapon to Israeli newspapers two years before. The article also noted the views of genetic researchers who claimed the idea as "wholly fantastical", with others claiming that the weapon was theoretically possible.
A planned second installment of the article never appeared, and no sources were ever identified. Neither of the authors of the Sunday Times story, Uzi Mahnaimi and Marie Colvin, have spoken publicly on the matterTemplate:Fact.
Russian ban on export of biological samples
In May 2007, a Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that the Russian government banned all exports of human biosamples.
The report claims that the reason for the ban was a secret FSB report about on-going development of "genetic bioweapons" targeting Russian population by Western institutions. The report mentions the Harvard School of Public Health, American International Health Alliance, Department of Medical Biotechnology of Jagiellonian University, United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division, Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology Warsaw University, and United States Agency for International Development.
See also
- Genographic Project, genetic anthropology study; intention is to study migration.
- Biological warfare
- Pharmacogenomics
- Prayer of the Rollerboys
- Project Coast
- Race in biomedicine
- Syphon Filter, a video game in which terrorists attempt to release a genetically programmable virus.
- Toxicogenomics
- Wouter Basson
- International HapMap Project
