The secret Cold War bioweapons test that exposed millions in the Bay Area

bcaulfield 21 points 4 comments September 22, 2026
www.sfgate.com · View on Hacker News

Discussion Highlights (2 comments)

hyperific

Read about this in Judith Miller's Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War. The bacterial species released was Serratia marcescens. If you've ever seen a pinkish build up in your shower these bacteria are to blame. Normally doesn't affect healthy people but people with compromised immune systems aren't so lucky. Operation Sea-Spray was the US Army operation that dispersed S. marcescens over SF. The Army has done similar tests with Bacillus globigii and even carcinogenic chemicals.

JoeBOFH

I actually learned about this on Notgabbyb‘s YouTube channel. It’s insane what we learn about and then somehow don’t riot on.

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