Super Flu that could wipe out half of the populaion

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Why on earth would someone want to CREATE a deadly virus?

SuperFlu + ???? = PROFIT!!!

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

To those who wonder why this kind of research is made in the first place read the end of the post.

"On the other hand, if the study becomes available for the scientific community, it could allow researchers to ”be prepared” for a potential H5N1 pandemic. Since Fouchier’s study suggests that the risk for this to occur is greater than previously thought. Some researchers believe that banning the paper will leave mankind helpless if the virus naturally mutates and becomes contagious."

Scientists search stuff, that's what they do even if the result of their work doesn't have an immediate use or isn't perceptible by the mass ( or SHH posters ).

 

[Destructus86]

Here's hoping for the end of the world.
Cheers!

 

[Colossal Spoons]

To those who wonder why this kind of research is made in the first place read the end of the post.

"On the other hand, if the study becomes available for the scientific community, it could allow researchers to ”be prepared” for a potential H5N1 pandemic. Since Fouchier’s study suggests that the risk for this to occur is greater than previously thought. Some researchers believe that banning the paper will leave mankind helpless if the virus naturally mutates and becomes contagious."

Scientists search stuff, that's what they do even if the result of their work doesn't have an immediate use or isn't perceptible by the mass ( or SHH posters ).

To study how such a virus would mutate and develope, and to test how likely it is that such a mutation would happen in nature without human intervention.

They're not releasing a recipe, they're releasing their research, which would include the steps they took to create this which could be used as a recipe by parties who had access to laboratories that can produce viruses. The reason they are doing this is so that scientists from all around the world can work on ways to combat such a strain of super flu if it every came to be naturally.

The issue I have with this kind of hurts my argument but I'll spill anyway. The chances for a virus to pick up 5 deadly mutations is VERY unlikely, but not impossible. The fact that this is even up for debate does warrant the research but it's still effort that could have been better spent elsewhere. Why not 10 mutations or 20?