Free Republic

One is an event, two is a coincidence—but three is a pattern. On Monday, the Department of Justice announced that a third Chinese national has been nabbed for allegedly trying to smuggle biological materials into the United States. Making things more disturbing is a fact that a Hollywood screenwriter couldn’t have come up with: the smuggler was studying in, where else, Wuhan, China. You’ve heard of Wuhan, haven’t you? The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan released a statement alleging that Chengxuan Han, “a citizen of the PRC” (People's Republic of China), sent packages containing biological material...

Raccoon Roundworms (Baylisascaris procyonis) Raccoon Roundworms (Baylisascaris procyonis) may be the perfect biological weapon. The common raccoon is the primary host for this parasite.  Not only have urban areas been a windfall for raccoon populations, but the closer proximity facilitates the raccoon-to-raccoon transmission of this worm. Typical rural habitat might contain 10 raccoons per square mile.  Prime, bottomland habitat might support 20 raccoons per square mile.  Urban habitats have been documented as holding 130-to-390 raccoons per square mile.  And, of course, urban habitats increase the exposure of humans to raccoon poop. Baylisascaris procyonis  The adult worm on the left is...

Not only was Richard III one of England’s most despised monarchs, but it now turns out the hunchback king was probably infected with parasitic worms that grew up to a foot in length. Researchers who dug up Richard III’s skeleton underneath a parking lot in Leicester last year now report they discovered numerous roundworm eggs in the soil around his pelvis, where his intestines would have been. They compared that to soil samples taken close to Richard’s skull and surrounding his grave. There were no eggs near the skull and only traces of eggs in the soil near the grave....