A new book on biological warfare argues the US is badly unprepared for an engineered pathogen, and that the government has a classified plan to save a chosen few — bad news for everyone not on the list.

• The Pentagon rates biological weapons as the single greatest overall threat, because unlike nukes, they can be built cheaply in a basement — and AI tools make it easier.
• There are 3,500 high-containment labs worldwide and 90% fall short on safety, with no government body tracking them.
• A classified program called "devolution" would move a pre-picked group of unelected officials into secret bunkers to rebuild the government after a near-extinction event.
• The trigger, "Cogcon 1," has no clear public definition — raising the worry it could be stretched into a power grab.
• COVID left the US with billions spent and still unready, plus a public that no longer trusts health officials after the CDC and WHO wrongly insisted the virus wasn't airborne.

Outlook: Expect more pressure to declassify how devolution is triggered, and growing alarm about AI companies putting bioweapon know-how within reach of amateurs.