Fundamentally, there remain very few cases in which biological weapons retain a tactical edge over other weapon systems, such as chemical warfare agents.
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What will Biological Warfare look like in the 21st Century
Emerging threats and ethical dilemmas in future biological conflicts
Key Insights
From the perspective of a natural scientist, how will today's technology change biological warfare in the 21st century? Over the last two decades, breakthroughs in synthetic biology, biological engineering and biological AI have radically changed what is possible in terms of biological weapons research. But despite potentially gaining new capabilities, the deployment of biological weapons remains unlikely given their military disadvantages and the challenges involved in acquiring them.
Written by Leif Sieben
30 June 2024 · 00:00 CETUpdated 21 June 2026 · 18:18 CETDOI 10.69790/epis03.65387 · Issue IV
Cite this brief
Sieben, L. (2024). What will Biological Warfare look like in the 21st Century. EPIS Insight · Security Policy & Defence.
doi.org/10.69790/epis03.65387
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