What is operation cauldron?

Operation Cauldron was a secret biological and chemical weapons testing operation conducted by the British military in 1952. The operation took place on the island of Gruinard off the coast of Scotland.

The purpose of Operation Cauldron was to test the biological agent anthrax as a potential weapon of mass destruction. The experiment involved the release of anthrax spores on the island to study the effects of the bacteria on animals, specifically sheep.

Unfortunately, the tests had unintended consequences, leading to the contamination of the island with anthrax spores. As a result, Gruinard Island was declared uninhabitable and quarantined for several decades.

Operation Cauldron was highly controversial and raised ethical concerns about the use of biological weapons. In 1986, the British government launched a cleanup operation to decontaminate Gruinard Island, which was eventually declared safe for habitation in 1990.