"Smoke" detector promises safety.

• Position: Bioterrorism - Detection technology can provide early warning - Brief Article

High-traffic facilities like airports, office buildings, rail stations, and sporting arenas serve hundreds of thousands of people each day, making them particularly susceptible to silent and invisible biological attacks. However, a "biological smoke detector" has been developed by scientists at California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The stand-alone device can provide early warning to help authorities limit exposure and start treating victims before they show symptoms of full-blown infection.

The Autonomous Pathogen Detection System continuously monitors the air, promises John Dzenitis, a chemical engineer at LLNL. It is capable of detecting and identifying three types of biological agents: bacteria, viruses, and toxins, including such familiar threats as anthrax, plague, and botulinum...