First, it would be easier to create and release this highly destructive virus from the genetic data than it would be to build and detonate an atomic bomb given only its design, as you don't need rare raw materials like plutonium or enriched uranium. Synthesizing the virus from scratch would be difficult, but far from impossible. An easier approach would be to modify a conventional flu virus with the eight unique and now published genes of the 1918 killer virus.

Bill Joy is still wrong. Now Ray Kurzweil is wrong too.

Creating a virus is non-trivial. This isn't something we need to worry about terrorists doing. The sky is not falling.

UpdateL The Daily Show crew does not agree with me.

Recipe for Destruction^WIgnorance^WFear - New York Times