Six-Legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War is a nonfiction scientific warfare book written by author and University of Wyoming professor, Jeffrey A. Lockwood. Published in 2008 by Oxford University Press, the book explores the history of bioterrorism, entomological warfare, biological warfare, and the prevention of agro-terrorism from the earliest times to modern threats.[2] Lockwood, an entomologist, preceded this book with Ethical issues in biological control (1997) and Locust: The devastating rise and mysterious disappearance of the insect that shaped the American frontier (2004), among others.
Six-Legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War
"I think a small terrorist cell could very easily develop an insect-based weapon... The raw material is in the back yard." (Lockwood, to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, 2009)
Six-Legged Soldiers gives detailed examples of entomological warfare: using buckets of scorpions during a fortress siege, catapultingbeehives ("bee bombs") across a castle wall, civilians as human guinea pigs in an effort to weaponize the plague, bombarding civilians from the air with infection-bearing insects, and assassin bugs placed on prisoners to eat away their flesh.[2][3] Lockwood also describes a domestic ecoterrorism example with the 1989 threat to release the medfly (Ceratitis capitata) within California's crop belt.[4] The last chapter highlights western nations' vulnerability to terrorist attacks.[5]
Interviewed about the book by BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the author describes how a terrorist with a suitcase could bring diseases into a country. "I think a small terrorist cell could very easily develop an insect-based weapon."[1]
Criticismedit
In its January 2009 review, The Sunday Times criticised the book as being "scarcely scholarly" for its mixed collection of myth, legend and historical facts.[2] Contrary to this critique, reviews from credible scholarly and scientific sources stated, "Six-Legged Soldiers is an excellent account of the effect arthropod-borne diseases have had on warfare...This book will inspire readers to understand...threats and prepare new methods to combat them." (Nature), "Lockwood thoroughly and objectively assembles an engaging chronicle on a topic for which official documentation is often sparse and the opportunity for propaganda is rife." (Science News), and "Lockwood...makes this history of entomological warfare morbidly entertaining...thanks to a lively writing style that ranges from the sardonic to the arch." (BioScience Magazine) [6]
Referencesedit
^ abAdams, Stephen (5 Jan 2009). . telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
^ abcHastings, Max (January 4, 2009). "Six-legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War by Jeffrey A Lockwood". timesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-05.
^. Six-Legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War Jeffrey A. Lockwood. Oxford Univ., $27.95. Publishers Weekly. August 18, 2008. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
^Linthicum, Kenneth J. (November 5, 2008). "Insects of war, terror and torture". Nature. 456 (7218). Nature Publishing Group: 36–37. Bibcode:2008Natur.456...36L. doi:10.1038/456036a. ISSN 0028-0836.
^"Six-Legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War". Oxford University Press. 11 September 2008.
April 15, 2024
legged, soldiers, legged, soldiers, using, insects, weapons, nonfiction, scientific, warfare, book, written, author, university, wyoming, professor, jeffrey, lockwood, published, 2008, oxford, university, press, book, explores, history, bioterrorism, entomolog. Six Legged Soldiers Using Insects as Weapons of War is a nonfiction scientific warfare book written by author and University of Wyoming professor Jeffrey A Lockwood Published in 2008 by Oxford University Press the book explores the history of bioterrorism entomological warfare biological warfare and the prevention of agro terrorism from the earliest times to modern threats 2 Lockwood an entomologist preceded this book with Ethical issues in biological control 1997 and Locust The devastating rise and mysterious disappearance of the insect that shaped the American frontier 2004 among others Six Legged Soldiers Using Insects as Weapons of WarAuthorJeffrey A LockwoodCountryUSALanguageEnglishSubjectEntomological warfareGenreNonfictionPublisherOxford University PressPublication dateOctober 10 2008Media typeHardcoverPages400ISBN0 19 533305 5OCLC192109802Dewey Decimal358 3882 22LC ClassUG447 8 L63 2009 I think a small terrorist cell could very easily develop an insect based weapon The raw material is in the back yard Lockwood to BBC Radio 4 s Today programme 2009 1 Summary editSix Legged Soldiers gives detailed examples of entomological warfare using buckets of scorpions during a fortress siege catapulting beehives bee bombs across a castle wall civilians as human guinea pigs in an effort to weaponize the plague bombarding civilians from the air with infection bearing insects and assassin bugs placed on prisoners to eat away their flesh 2 3 Lockwood also describes a domestic ecoterrorism example with the 1989 threat to release the medfly Ceratitis capitata within California s crop belt 4 The last chapter highlights western nations vulnerability to terrorist attacks 5 Interviewed about the book by BBC Radio 4 s Today programme the author describes how a terrorist with a suitcase could bring diseases into a country I think a small terrorist cell could very easily develop an insect based weapon 1 Criticism editIn its January 2009 review The Sunday Times criticised the book as being scarcely scholarly for its mixed collection of myth legend and historical facts 2 Contrary to this critique reviews from credible scholarly and scientific sources stated Six Legged Soldiers is an excellent account of the effect arthropod borne diseases have had on warfare This book will inspire readers to understand threats and prepare new methods to combat them Nature Lockwood thoroughly and objectively assembles an engaging chronicle on a topic for which official documentation is often sparse and the opportunity for propaganda is rife Science News and Lockwood makes this history of entomological warfare morbidly entertaining thanks to a lively writing style that ranges from the sardonic to the arch BioScience Magazine 6 References edit a b Adams Stephen 5 Jan 2009 Terrorists could use insect based biological weapon telegraph co uk Archived from the original on 22 January 2009 Retrieved 2009 01 05 a b c Hastings Max January 4 2009 Six legged Soldiers Using Insects as Weapons of War by Jeffrey A Lockwood timesonline co uk Retrieved 2009 01 05 Nonfiction Reviews Six Legged Soldiers Using Insects as Weapons of War Jeffrey A Lockwood Oxford Univ 27 95 Publishers Weekly August 18 2008 Archived from the original on January 7 2009 Retrieved 2009 01 09 Six Legged Soldiers oupcanada com Retrieved 2009 01 05 Linthicum Kenneth J November 5 2008 Insects of war terror and torture Nature 456 7218 Nature Publishing Group 36 37 Bibcode 2008Natur 456 36L doi 10 1038 456036a ISSN 0028 0836 Six Legged Soldiers Using Insects as Weapons of War Oxford University Press 11 September 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Six legged Soldiers amp oldid 1145351005, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
