The Case for Focusing on Biorisk

The threat of biorisk from future diseases looms large as highlighted by a study estimating the potential catastrophic impact of a smallpox DNA strand being transmitted. The emergence of COVID-19 further underscores the potential risks, with concerns over deadlier diseases in the future, either naturally evolving or bioengineered. The likelihood of a pandemic killing over 100 million people in the next century is considered to be as significant as the risks of nuclear war or climate change. However, efforts towards addressing biorisk are far more neglected, with a significantly lower allocation of funds compared to climate change mitigation. The potential of bio-weapons to surpass the devastation caused by nuclear war or climate change adds an alarming dimension to the biorisk scenario.