The Weaponization of Outbreaks - Crash Course Outbreak Science

The video explores the concept of weaponizing outbreaks, tracing its history from the Mongols using plague-infected corpses to modern bioweapons. It discusses the ethical and practical implications of using diseases as weapons, highlighting historical examples like the British using smallpox against Native Americans and the Nazis in WWII. The video also covers modern bioweapons, the risks they pose, and international efforts to prevent their use. It emphasizes the importance of biosecurity and preparedness to mitigate the impact of potential bioweapon attacks.

What is the term used when an outbreak is intentionally used to harm a group of people?

• Weaponizing an outbreak

• Chemical warfare

• Bioterrorism

• Genetic engineering

Which empire used the bubonic plague as a weapon in 1346?

• The Roman Empire

• The Ottoman Empire

• The Mongol Empire

• The British Empire

What was the British General Geoffrey Amherst's plan to spread among Native Americans?

• Cholera

• Smallpox

• Typhus

• Influenza

How did the British colonizers exacerbate the smallpox outbreak on Vancouver Island?

• By not helping those affected

• By providing medical aid

• By implementing strict quarantine

• By vaccinating the population

What was the primary reason for the creation of the Warsaw ghetto by the Nazis?

• To improve sanitation

• To isolate Jews

• To prevent typhus

• To provide shelter

What is the main method of dispersing modern bioweapons?

• Through contaminated food

• As a spray in the air

• Via water supply

• Through direct contact

What international treaty was signed in 1972 to control bioweapons?

• Chemical Weapons Convention

• Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

• Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention

• Geneva Protocol

What is the term for the security measures in labs handling dangerous pathogens?

• Biodefense

• Biosecurity

• Biocontainment

• Biohazard management

What is a key strategy to prevent bioweapon attacks?

• Reducing research funding

• Monitoring potential targets

• Ignoring potential threats

• Increasing lab access

What technology allows scientists to engineer new strains of diseases?

• X-ray

• MRI

• PCR

• CRISPR