This episode of acclaimed podcast Slow Burn examines the 2001 anthrax attacks and their role in perpetuating the climate of fear that enabled the U.S. march to war.

In 2001, just a week after the terrorist attacks of September 11, a new threat swept across America.

Barely visible or detectable, anthrax spores sent by mail hospitalized victims throughout the country, setting off a scramble to find and eliminate their source.

Slow Burn is a narrative podcast produced by Slate Magazine that takes an in-depth look at pivotal historical events.

In the fifth season, host Noreen Malone examines the run-up to the Iraq War.

This episode examines how the 2001 anthrax attacks reshaped the American landscape.

Through interviews with key figures and experts, Malone examines how the attacks helped pave the way for the invasion of Iraq, and what the investigation into them eventually revealed.