Biological weapons are weapons that use harmful microorganisms or toxins for the purpose of causing harm to living beings. There are many synonyms for the term biological weapons, such as germ weapons, bioweapons, microbial weapons, and bacterial weapons. Other terms that can be used include contagions and viruses, as these terms refer to the harmful elements that are used in biological weapons. The use of biological weapons is generally considered to be unethical and inhumane, and there are many regulations and treaties in place to prevent their development and use. Despite these efforts, however, there have been instances throughout history where biological weapons have been used with devastating consequences.