and i thought i couldn't sleep before?

this makes me feel all warm and fuzzy - NOT!
Revealed: the lax laws that could allow assembly of deadly virus
DNA Urgent calls for regulation after Guardian buys part of smallpox genome through mail order
James Randerson, science correspondent Wednesday June 14, 2006 The Guardian

DNA sequences from some of the most deadly pathogens known to man can be bought over the internet, the Guardian has discovered.
In an investigation which shows the ease with which terrorist organisations could obtain the basic ingredients of biological weapons, this newspaper obtained a short sequence of smallpox DNA. The deadly virus has existed only in laboratories since being eradicated from the world's population 30 years ago.
The DNA sequence of smallpox, as well as other potentially dangerous pathogens such as poliovirus and 1918 flu are freely available in online public databases. So to build a virus from scratch, a terrorist would simply order consecutive lengths of DNA along the sequence and glue them together in the correct order. This is beyond the skills and equipment of the kitchen chemist, but could be achieved by a well-funded terrorist with access to a basic lab and PhD-level personnel........

photo: A phial containing an incomplete sequence of smallpox DNA, obtained by the Guardian over the internet. Photo: Martin Argles