Jens returns to present a brief history of bioweapons, with a focus on the program in the Soviet Union, the largest ever undertaken, and his experience working in the decommissioned Soviet bioweapons laboratory known as Vector.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler

Guest: Jens Kuhn

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Links for this episode

• Russia's Bioweapons Labs (Nature)
• Medical Aspects of Biological Warfare
• The Soviet Biological Weapons Program by Leitenberg, Zilinskas, Kuhn
• Biological Threats in the 21st Century by Lentzos
• Bioterrorism and Biocrimes by W. Seth Carus
• Russia's Secret Weapons (Nature)
• Image credit

Weekly Science Picks

Jens - Nudibranchs, Beastly Garden, large nidovirus (one, two) Rich - Living inside a canister Dickson - Global rivers and streamsKathy - TWiM 181 Dr. Warhol’s Periodic Table of Microbes Vincent - Twitter Bots and Russian Trolls Amplify Vaccine Debate

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees.

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv