Last month, Donald Trump raised the spectre of biological weapons at the UN, calling on the world to help him end their development.

He said AI could help enforce the ban on these weapons.

But scientists are increasingly concerned that technologies like AI and gene editing tools could also make them more accessible – and even more dangerous.

So we’re asking: has the threat of biological weapons returned?

We are joined by Dr Brett Edwards, Senior Lecturer in Security and Public Policy at the University of Bath. His research focuses on both the history and contemporary threat posed by biological and chemical weapons.

Plus we speak to Dr Ken Alibek, Former Deputy Chief of the Soviet Union's Biological Weapons, who lifted the lid on their secret bioweapons programmes to find out what threat Russia poses today.

Producer: Sophie O'Sullivan

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

Studio Operator: Meghan Searle

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Dr Brett Edwards hosts the Poisons and Pestilence Podcast on the history of biological and chemical weapons and warfare.

Dr Ken Alibek is the author of 'Biohazard'.

Credit: UN clip - ABC News.

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