The threat of biological warfare is real – a new book describes the potential devastation

The Conversation notes that Annie Jacobsen’s new book, Biological War: A Scenario, reads like a thriller while weaving investigative journalism with speculative history. It follows a fictional, engineered pathogen leaking from a high‑security lab and spreading worldwide, drawing on interviews with ex‑military officials, defected Russian bioweapon engineers, and even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The review points out that the book underscores real weaknesses in the Biological Weapons Convention and the growing number of top‑level biosafety labs, warning that tighter vigilance is needed. Jacobsen ends by urging governments to strengthen biosecurity and policy safeguards.

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