• The Latest on the Doomsday Virus - NYTimes
    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-latest-on-the-doomsday-virus.html

    finalement Fouchier peut publier son article sur les mutations de la grippe aviaire ; il suffisait de changer un peu les arguments (de trrrrrès dangereux on passe à dangereux, et d’utile à trrrrrrès utile).

    Now that board has changed its mind. In late March, after reviewing a revised version of the paper and grilling the Dutch scientist, it voted 12 to 6 to recommend publication with none of the details excised.

    Board members told us that the new virus appeared less lethal than they first thought; the benefits of letting scientists around the world keep an eye out for the specific mutations in nature appeared greater than they first thought; and the risk that a terrorist would use the information seemed minimal, judging from a briefing they got from intelligence officials. Many members also felt boxed in when federal officials said that redacting the details would harm America’s relations with nations that wanted full access.

    #science #recherche #bio-armements #censure #santé