Inheritance and Genetic Engineering" Please respond to the following:
In 1918, an influenza pandemic that originated with avian flu killed 50 million people. Researchers isolated samples of that virus from bodies of infected people preserved in Alaskan permafrost since 1918. From the samples, they sequenced the viral genome, and then reconstructed the virus. The reconstructed virus is 39,000 times more infectious than modern influenza strains, and 100 percent lethal in mice. Understanding how this virus works can help us defend ourselves against other deadly influenza strains that arise. For example, discovering what makes it so infectious would help researchers design more effective vaccines. Consider this statement: Critics of the research are concerned that if the virus escapes the containment facilities (even though it has not done so yet), it might cause another pandemic. Worse, terrorists could use the published DNA sequence and methods to make the virus for horrific purposes. Determine whether or not you believe this research makes us more or less safe, and explain why.