Assessing emerging technologies from an arms control perspective.

Area of Science:

• Life sciences
• Biotechnology
• Digital technologies

Background:

• Scientific advancements improve human health but also create potential for weapons of mass destruction.
• Chemical and biological weapons, though banned, remain a threat, with recent uses and suspicions.
• The life sciences exhibit a pronounced dual-use potential, where research can be applied for both beneficial and harmful purposes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the dual-use potential of life sciences at the Spiez CONVERGENCE conference.
• To facilitate dialogue between scientists, arms control experts, and security communities.
• To assess the impact of life science progress on Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions.

Main Methods:

• Discussion and exchange at the Spiez CONVERGENCE conference series.
• Analysis of digital technologies, DNA sequencing, and synthesis capabilities.
• Review of open databases and algorithms for potential misuse.

Main Results:

• DNA sequencing and synthesis can be misused to reconstruct viruses and cells, posing outbreak risks.
• Open databases and algorithms could potentially be used to design novel chemical weapons.
• The dual-use nature of life sciences requires careful consideration of unintended consequences.

Conclusions:

• Promoting responsible science necessitates awareness of unexpected risks in life science research.
• Effective arms control relies on scientists engaging with policymakers to evaluate and reduce risks.
• Collaboration is key to harnessing life science benefits while preventing malevolent applications.