Charles Piller

And like I say, I'm fortunate, but also it's a way in which The editors of the magazine, they understand if they want to contribute in this way, they have to be willing to allow me to take the time to do it. And so I'm very grateful to them for that and for their leadership in that respect.

And like I say, I'm fortunate, but also it's a way in which The editors of the magazine, they understand if they want to contribute in this way, they have to be willing to allow me to take the time to do it. And so I'm very grateful to them for that and for their leadership in that respect.

That's right, yeah.

That's right, yeah.

Well, so that was something I, many years ago, worked for a small newspaper that was published by the University of California, and I became interested in biological sciences. And I became interested also in this phenomenon of how genetic engineering was used in our culture and in the scientific community. Because I think it's an important, amazing, powerful tool

Well, so that was something I, many years ago, worked for a small newspaper that was published by the University of California, and I became interested in biological sciences. And I became interested also in this phenomenon of how genetic engineering was used in our culture and in the scientific community. Because I think it's an important, amazing, powerful tool

and one that, like any tool, can be used for good or ill in society. And one of the really interesting things to me was this big question that goes with the question of how you use genetic engineering in warfare. Because at the time I was writing this book, a long time ago, there was a considerable amount of concern about it. There still is.

and one that, like any tool, can be used for good or ill in society. And one of the really interesting things to me was this big question that goes with the question of how you use genetic engineering in warfare. Because at the time I was writing this book, a long time ago, there was a considerable amount of concern about it. There still is.

But that was kind of in at the ground floor level, you might say, when those concerns were just building on the possibility of biological warfare being affected by genetic manipulation in a way that might produce perhaps more harmful weapons.

But that was kind of in at the ground floor level, you might say, when those concerns were just building on the possibility of biological warfare being affected by genetic manipulation in a way that might produce perhaps more harmful weapons.

At the time, the United States had what they called a biological defense program, which was a robust, large program to examine whether they could develop remedies for problems for imagined biological weapons that had been the product of genetic engineering by the country's adversaries.

At the time, the United States had what they called a biological defense program, which was a robust, large program to examine whether they could develop remedies for problems for imagined biological weapons that had been the product of genetic engineering by the country's adversaries.

And of course, this is a very challenging realm of research, very dangerous realm of research because of the hazards associated with the possible biological weapons organisms. And so what was really interesting to me was this nuance in the picture. In other words, the difference between offensive research and defensive research in biological weapons studies is really one of intent.

And of course, this is a very challenging realm of research, very dangerous realm of research because of the hazards associated with the possible biological weapons organisms. And so what was really interesting to me was this nuance in the picture. In other words, the difference between offensive research and defensive research in biological weapons studies is really one of intent.

In other words, the processes of examining these organisms, exploring them, building defensive responses to them, understanding how they might be used, Offensive and defensive programs need to do the same kinds of things. And it's only the intent of the researchers that determines where things are at.

In other words, the processes of examining these organisms, exploring them, building defensive responses to them, understanding how they might be used, Offensive and defensive programs need to do the same kinds of things. And it's only the intent of the researchers that determines where things are at.

And so for me, as an investigative reporter, I wanted to know all I could know about how that worked. And a lot of how I did that book was to both explore the history of that realm, but also to file a number of Freedom of Information Act requests of the federal government

And so for me, as an investigative reporter, I wanted to know all I could know about how that worked. And a lot of how I did that book was to both explore the history of that realm, but also to file a number of Freedom of Information Act requests of the federal government

in order to learn about the Biological Weapons Defense Program and to learn the degree to which it was involving what they called dual-use experiments, dual-use studies. And that means that they were equally applicable to offense and defense. It's just, again, a matter of the intent of the researchers. And to me, that was critical to help inform the public about the potential dangers involved.

in order to learn about the Biological Weapons Defense Program and to learn the degree to which it was involving what they called dual-use experiments, dual-use studies. And that means that they were equally applicable to offense and defense. It's just, again, a matter of the intent of the researchers. And to me, that was critical to help inform the public about the potential dangers involved.