Weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) are powerful tools of warfare capable of causing indiscriminate, large-scale destruction and loss of life. They are typically classified into three main types:
- Nuclear Weapons: These are perhaps the most well-known, with the potential to cause devastating explosions through nuclear fission or fusion reactions. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are historical reminders of their impact, which includes immediate devastation, lasting radiation, and severe environmental consequences.
- Chemical Weapons: These weapons use toxic chemicals to harm or kill. Examples include nerve agents, like sarin, or blister agents, like mustard gas. Chemical weapons have been banned by international treaties due to their horrific effects on human health and the environment, but they have still been used in various conflicts.
- Biological Weapons: These involve the use of pathogens or toxins to cause disease and death among humans, animals, or plants. The intentional spread of diseases like anthrax or smallpox could lead to pandemics, causing massive casualties and widespread fear.
Because of their capacity for harm, WMDs have strict international controls, with treaties like the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) aiming to limit their spread and usage. The existence of WMDs presents a unique ethical challenge to global security, as their deployment could lead to irreversible humanitarian and environmental consequences.
Nelly Furtado and St. Vincent connected musically through projects and mutual collaborators, such as producer John Congleton, who worked with both artists on separate occasions. In 2015, they also participated in David Byrne’s “Contemporary Color” project, which brought musicians and color guard teams together to create dynamic, multimedia performances. Held at venues including the Barclays Center and Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, this project provided a unique platform for Furtado and St. Vincent to blend music and visual performance art in collaboration with other artists