Scientists create killer flu virus in lab

[JohnK]

Five tweaks of the H5N1 virus is all it takes to turn it in to one of the most deadly ever flu strains.

Like something from a horror movie the killer virus is so dangerous that if it ever got out it could cause untold devastation and death. Unsurprisingly the research has generated a great deal of controversy and criticism, with lead scientist Ron Fouchier fearing a substantial backlash for creating it. "I can't think of another pathogenic organism that is as scary as this one," said Paul Keim, chairman of the U.S National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity.

The deadly virus is a genetically tweaked version of the H5N1 bird flu strain, but is far more infectious and could pass easily between millions of people at a time. The research has caused a storm of controversy and divided scientists, with some saying it should never have been carried out.

Full story link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...lions-created-warns-frightened-scientist.html

Thoughts?

 

[kmjt]

I'm sure they had reasons for doing it, like they do when creating any other virus. This kind of research helps them develop cures. As long as they take the protective measures to make sure it doesn't get out, its all good.

 

[Meeder1]

Bad idea, the same type of dumb typical shit you would see in a horror movie. Whats the motivation for creating the damn thing? They say it was important to medical research, but the contributions it's made aren't talked about at all. Putting it out there, yet alone publishing how it was done, is a stupid idea. The way they talk about it in the article is something like " Look I made this awesome thing that could wipe out entire regions easily ! ", not " Oh yes I've created this to further our medical understanding of the flu ".

Why would you create a virus that has the potential to be the new bubonic plague? However, I believe if the research notes hold very detailed notes on how they created it, they would be forced to not publish it ( I don't care what the article says, the government has more than enough power to do that ).

They create A virus that has the potential to kill millions, in order to better understand A virus that has killed 500. Smart.

 

[Scarlet_Blade]

Let's do something controversial!

Instead of leaving it alone all super secret and stuff, now let's publish it!

Lol, we all gonna die.

 

Rather than create death, i'd rather they created cures.

 

[.James]

Yeah I agree with the post a few above me.

Why would we create something to kill millions to save 500? Imagine if the virus got out, and why the hell wouldn't the keep it a secret.

 

[RA1fu]

This is completely stupid...

Spending time and money on creating death...when they could be finding cures for aids and cancer.

Oh yeah I forgot the government created AIDS Population control ftw?

 

[slysteeler]

I bet this type of biological engineering has been done many times before, but have not been reported to the outside world. I find it hard to think that it hasn't.

 

[Helper1]

dumb idea, why not spend more time looking for cures of the original virus?

 

[gmaskphil420]

Sketch.
If scientists keeps tweaking virus's Zombies may become a reality..

 

[Zerkerfist]

Just the thought of the fact something that deadly can be created by human hands is deeply disturbing to me. And the fact that so much time and money was probably invested into the project, when that money and time could be going towards curing cancer, or AIDS, or some other kind of incurable, deadly disease.

And now they want to publish it and explain how it was done? Just imagine what would happen if the formula ended up in the wrong hands.. that could be an extremely deadly weapon to be used in biological/chemical warfare.

 

[Gummy Worm]

Okay. We've been hearing the same paranoid crap
About synthetically developed pathogens for a VERY long time.
Nat.Geo published an interview of one of the worlds top researchers on the HN1
In 2005. When did the virus make national headlines? About 2008.
initially half the country was freaking out about the H1 version of the virus. Now its the H5.
If a pandemic is going to break out, its not going to be a 'government engineered super virus'.it will be a naturally occurring outbreak. A few decades ago ebola had the world gawking in horror at the havoc it was causing in Africa. Don't be so easily convinced.

 

[SuF]

People do this sort of thing all the time so I really don't think its an issue.

 

[capper4lyf]

Agree with the many, why would you spend your time into creating such a thing instead of putting more time into finding cures? Actually how the hell do they come up with something like this and still not have a cure for something as big as cancer.