Anthrax bacteria have contaminated a leading US research centre twice in the last month. The US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Maryland is reeling after discovering traces of a dangerous anthrax strain outside a supposedly sealed, high-containment lab. Traces of another strain were found when the building was tested following the first leak. Anthrax experts fear that if such accidents can occur at the leading American anthrax facility, worse might happen in the 10 new high-containment labs planned under the US biodefence programme.
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
2
Mysterious ‘cold blob’ in the Atlantic suggests the AMOC is weakening
3
Why we should all take quantum physics extremely personally
4
Hundreds of new moons are revealing our solar system's violent history
5
Understanding anorexia’s grip on the brain could unlock new therapies
6
Dinosaur-killing asteroid impact site stayed hot for millions of years
7
A nuclear war between India and Pakistan could destroy the ozone layer
8
What is a ‘normal’ memory slowdown, and when should I worry?
9
Millions of fossil whale bones found in deep-ocean ‘necropolis’
10
Explore the mind-bending and paradoxical art of M C. Escher