Two separate mass mortality events of saiga antelope raised concerns about this site, although officials attributed the events to pasteurellosis (“pasture-ell-oh-sis”). For 10 points each:
[10h] Name this site where unsafe open-air testing of biological weapons led to a 1971 outbreak of weaponized smallpox that originated on the Lev Berg research vessel.
ANSWER: Vozrozhdeniya Island [or Rebirth Island or Renaissance Island; accept Aralsk-7; prompt on, BUT DO NOT REVEAL, Aral Sea o Orol dengizi or Aral teńizi]
[10e] Vozrozhdeniya is located in this body of water whose current desertified state has caused toxic dust storms. This body of water was drained by extensive cotton irrigation during the Soviet period.
ANSWER: Aral Sea [or Orol dengizi or Aral teńizi]
[10m] Scientists continue to monitor Vozrozhdeniya for outbreaks of this disease. In 1988, vats containing the causative agent of this disease were removed from Sverdlovsk’s Compound 19.
ANSWER: anthrax [accept Bacillus anthracis or anthrax spores]
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