The rise of nanometers

At the junction of the Tengger Desert and the Helan Mountains, in the hinterland of the desert about 65 kilometers away from Alxa Left Banner, there is a small city in the desert.

On the surface of the small city, it is a desert management base, but there is a cave underground.

In the rock formation 154 meters underground, in the core area of ​​the secret base, Huang Xiuyuan, who had been here for more than half a month, discussed the base's research projects with more than a dozen core researchers from the Suiren Department and the military.

After reading the test report, he showed a solemn expression.

Li Wenchang, who escorted the swine fever vaccine from Shanmei Caiyu Institute of Biology, is also here.

In addition, there are virus scientist Zhang Zhiguang from the Suiren Department and virus scientist Wang Haoshi from the military. Both of them have been the chief researchers of this base.

In the conference room, there were also the base director and instructor of the base.

The six people all looked solemnly at the scientific research report in their hands. This report was not the test data of the swine fever vaccine, but a research report on the A42 mutant strain of African swine fever.

Wang Haoshi put down the document in his hand: "RNA vaccine technology is too dangerous."

"Technology is a double-edged sword. The key is how to use it." Huang Xiuyuan rubbed his temples. The emergence of the A42 mutant strain was actually an unexpected result.

Although ABCD's conspiracy this year was thwarted by the Suiren Department, COFCO and Beidahuang, the swine fever virus is still spreading in a small area in the country.

Li Wenchang, who is responsible for researching swine fever vaccines, is also studying RNA vaccine technology while testing and improving vaccines.

At the end of May, a researcher inadvertently cultivated a new strain of swine fever virus using swine fever virus and RNA vaccine technology.

At first, the researcher was very happy because the toxicity of A42 had been weakened, and its toxicity was only about 37% of the original strain.

But the subsequent test made everyone at the institute feel like they were facing a formidable enemy.

Because after A42 infects pigs, there is an incubation period of 12 to 15 days, during which the pigs do not show any obvious clinical symptoms.

Once the incubation period has passed, A42 will explode wildly, turning live pigs into dead pigs within a few days. The emergence of the incubation period has raised the risk of the A42 mutant strain to a higher level.

This will make prevention and control work more difficult.

After all, during the incubation period, the sick pig itself has no obvious clinical symptoms, so it is difficult to find that the pig is infected.

"Fortunately among the misfortunes, our vaccine target is still immune to A42." Li Wenchang said somewhat happily.

Huang Xiuyuan shook his head: "Don't be too careless. Once something like a virus appears in the natural environment, there are too many variables."

"Mr. Huang is right. The possibility of A42 further mutating and losing control is very high." Wang Haoshi was also very cautious.

Pigs are highly similar to humans, both in terms of genetic sequence and survival habits. Their similarity to humans is second only to rhesus monkeys and chimpanzees, which are also primates.

Once A42 becomes prevalent among pigs, and pigs and humans are in frequent contact, cross-species infections are very likely to occur.

Even bird flu can infect humans, not to mention viruses in pigs.

Even with the swine fever vaccine currently developed by Li Wenchang, the survival rate of pigs after injection has increased to about 52% to 55%.

The problem is that the target vaccine was developed for pigs. Who knows whether it will be useful in humans? Even if it is useful, the survival rate is only 52% to 55%.

This 50/50 vaccine is comparable to Thanos' random snap of his fingers. It is simply a torture for patients who receive the vaccine.

Huang Xiuyuan suggested seriously: "Strengthen the management and protection level of the base, and absolutely do not allow any mistakes, otherwise we may become sinners of mankind."

"Don't worry, Mr. Huang, we have already prepared for the worst." the base director replied calmly.

Huang Xiuyuan's eyes were extremely complicated. Viruses were the things he least wanted to study, but he had to study them.

Because if he doesn't study, that human beacon will also study the biological laboratories that are scattered all over the world, and the filthiest, darkest, and most evil things are hidden in them.

Before 2048, before humans developed nanomolecular robots, small things leaked from various laboratories in the lighthouse caused three large-scale biochemical crises.

Microorganisms with highly mutable characteristics are definitely the stupidest weapons, because they are an uncontrollable Pandora's box. Once opened, there will be no distinction between friend and foe.

How naive are those capital giants to think that they can control the mutation of the virus.

They paid the price for their arrogance.

But Huang Xiuyuan had to follow up, because before the development of nanomolecular robots, the only way for humans to resist viruses was vaccines.

Even if he knows part of the process and ideas of nanomolecular robots, it will still take more than 10 years to develop practical nanomolecular robots.

If during this period, those capital giants commit suicide again, that would be a real big trouble.

This secret base not only studies swine fever virus, but also other smallpox viruses, Ebola, coronaviruses, superbugs and so on.

It is a huge comprehensive microbiological research base. In addition to the first area where they are now, four other underground bases are planned around it. The second area is currently under construction.

Researching technologies to fight and treat various viruses is the mission of this base.

This time, the immature RNA vaccine technology and the cultivation of new mutant strains were the result of unintentional planting.

"Wen Cang, RNA vaccine technology cannot be given up, but we must be cautious."

Li Wenchang nodded. In fact, Huang Xiuyuan didn't need to remind him that he himself was frightened by the mutant strain this time.

If this kind of thing is leaked, it may lead to catastrophic consequences.

After discussing for a long time, Wang Haoshi suddenly asked: "Mr. Huang, in the internal paper you proposed last time, a team under me tried the gene fragments of the 12 targets of Ebola and found that Fragments 6 and 8 are very suitable as vaccine targets."

Taking the tablet, Huang Xiuyuan turned to the Ebola vaccine research project and found the specific report of the research.

"Yes, you can research in this direction."

"Thanks to Mr. Huang for his guidance." Wang Haoshi replied humbly.

After Huang Xiuyuan read several research reports, he pointed out some of the problems, and everyone exchanged research on various viruses and microorganisms.

For now, in addition to vaccines, there are only a few compounds that have specific effects on viruses.

In Huang Xiuyuan's memory, there are hundreds of special medicines to be discovered in the future, some of which have very good effects on specific diseases. He plans to gradually develop these medicines so that humans can get rid of some diseases in advance.

Huang Xiuyuan stayed in the underground base in the Tengger Desert for more than a week, explaining various things before leaving.

Just when his motorcade had just returned to the urban area of ​​Alxa Left Banner.

Dongfeng Aerospace City, not far from here, has also entered a busy stage. A large launch vehicle was slowly pulled from the general assembly area to the launch tower of the launch site.

After so long of research and improvement, a new generation of large solid fuel launch vehicles is finally about to undergo its first launch.

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