Leonard A. Cole
Biography:
Dr. Leonard A. Cole is an adjunct professor of political science at Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, where he teaches science and public policy. He is an expert on bioterrorism. Trained in the health sciences and public policy, he holds a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University. He is a Fellow of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and has been a recipient of grants and fellowships from the Andrew Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Rockefeller Foundation.
Cole has written for professional journals as well as general publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Scientific American, and The Sciences. He has testified before congressional committees and made invited presentations to several government agencies including the U.S. Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Office of Technology Assessment. He has appeared frequently on network and public television and has been a regular on MSNBC. He is the author of six books including The Eleventh Plague: The Politics of Biological and Chemical Warfare and, most recently, The Anthrax Letters: A Medical Detective Story.
Past Shows:
Anthrax Attacks
Bioterrorism expert, Leonard Cole, (anthraxletters.com) discussed the science behind the Anthrax attacks and shared theories as to who may have been involved. The creation of powdered anthrax such as was used in the 2001 attacks, could be done by someone with a high school or college background in how to grow bacteria, he said. In fact the attackers were able to cause a huge havoc for a small overlay in the right lab set-up (under $20,000) he commented. The US, he estimated, spent around $4 billion decontaminating buildings such as post offices and in man hours in security and investigation during the 2001 letter incidents. The evidence is unclear as to whether the attacks originated from a domestic or foreign source, he added.Smallpox is potentially a greater threat than Anthrax said Cole, who noted that the vaccines people took as children may have lost their effectiveness. A large stockpile of emergency vaccines are available however, and he suggested that medical personnel ... More »
Host: George Noory