Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
“Recent developments in genetic engineering and synthetic biology are enabling unprecedented biological capabilities, offering thrilling medical possibilities. Combined with rapid innovations in emerging technologies such as data-driven machine learning (“artificial intelligence”), nanotechnology, neurotechnology, and robotics, these advances also raise the alarming prospect of genetically engineered bioweapons, or “genetic weapons.” Such weapons would be nearly impossible to deter due to high variability, undetectability, and unattributability. Addressing the threat of genetic warfare will require a concerted and sustained global effort before it becomes an irreversible reality.”
June 26, 2023
Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
“The weaponization of the scientific and technological breakthroughs stemming from human genome research presents a serious global security challenge. Gene-editing pioneer and Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna often tells a story of a nightmare she once had. A colleague asked her to teach someone how her technology works. She went to meet the student and ‘was shocked to see Adolf Hitler, in the flesh.’
Doudna is not alone in being haunted by the power of science. Famously, having just returned home from Los Alamos in early 1945, John von Neumann awakened in panic. ‘What we are creating now is a monster whose influence is going to change history, provided there is any history left,’ he stammered while straining to speak to his wife. He surmised, however, that ‘it would be impossible not to see it through, not only for military reasons, but it would also be unethical from the point of view of the scientists not to do what they knew is feasible, no matter what terrible consequences it may have.'”
