I definitely can't comment on what security is or isn't out there.

You're correct that biological weapons are somewhat difficult to deploy in a controlled, predictable manner. (That is likely a part of why they were relatively easy to get most nations to forsake.) Those drawbacks are less of a limitation to use in the hands of a terrorist who doesn't care who the weapon infects, or is merely interested in creating fear or chaos for political or ideological ends. (The U.S. has spent billions investigating and remediating the anthrax-contaminated letters sent in 2001. While they only killed a handful of people, it was front-page news for months, and spurred a good deal of policy change and concern.)

I wondered if you might know if (yes or no) there is currently a biological agent that can survive a blast from the oft theorised 'dirty bomb'. I quizzed a biology professor a while back and he had heard some of the good theories but admitted he didn't think it a good delivery system at all because of the fragile nature of viral/bacterial spores, especially less robust airborn ones.


(A 'dirty bomb' usually refers to an explosive device which scatters radiological material, not biologicals.)

The US, UK, and Russia (at least) demonstrated the ability to disperse biological agents via bombs/artillery decades ago. Bacterial spores aren't fragile in the least.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com