Bioterrorism

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, America faced a new kind of terror in the form of anthrax-laced letters. These letters were examples of the high-tech chemical and biological warfare that now threatens the United States and every other country in the world. This episode of Investigative Reports examines the threat of bioterrorism to the United States and its allies. It explores the growth of bioterrorism and the necessary resources and technology under which it flourishes. Bioterrorism would be useful for classes on American History, World History, Political Science, Current Events, Biology, Science and Technology and Ethics. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Objectives

Students will learn about the threat of bioterrorism to the world. They will explore the ramifications of sophisticated biological and technological science applied for destruction.

• collaborate
• colleague
• diabolical
• diagnostic
• disperse
• inflation
• pathogens
• pauper
• physiological
• recruit
• thwart
• vigor

1. The events of September 11 changed the world, especially the United States and the cities of Washington, DC and New York. How did these events illustrate the vulnerability of the United States to terrorist attacks?

2. How do conventional weapons differ from biologial and chemical weapons? How do responses to these different forms of attack vary?

3. Bioterrorism is a frightening form of terrorism. How does bioterrorism work? Why is it so frightening?

4. How are biological and chemical weapons delivered? Why are these weapons, especially biological weapons, so difficult to deliver?

5. What are the risks of conducting biological warfare?

6. A terrorist sent anthrax-laced letters through the U.S. mail in the aftermath of the September 11 tragedy. What is anthrax? What are its symptoms? Why is it so dangerous?

7. The region of the former Soviet Union has extensive biological warfare laboratories and studies. Why does this area have such extensive and well-developed programs?

8. What is the history of the United States/Soviet Union relations? How did these relations influence the Soviet biological warfare programs?

9. Discuss the differences between biological and chemical weapons.

10. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many scientists found themselves out of work or underpaid. What did the United States do to ensure that these scientists would not be tempted to sell their talents or information to those who would use this information to do harm?

11. Discuss the differences in the Soviet labs and the U.S. labs.

12. What is the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC)? What is its function?

13. What are "designer germs?" Why are they called this?

14. Smallpox is one of the world's most feared diseases. Why is this disease so terrible?

15. What is the problem of "dual use?" How does dual use pose a threat to scientific studies?

1. The recent bioterrorism of anthrax letters affected the psyche of the American public profoundly. What were your reactions? How did you cope with your fears and feelings?

2. Research anthrax on the Internet and use your data to create a brochure of symptoms and what to do in case of exposure.

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Air Dates

• July 07, 2003
• December 03, 2003