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The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19’s origins

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Re: The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19’s origins

#11
> More recently, Shi and her colleagues at the WIV have performed high-profile experiments that made pathogens more infectious. Such research, known as “gain-of-function,” has generated heated controversy among virologists.

Yeah, I don't see this ending well. A lab leak seems... inevitable, no?

Re: The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19’s origins

#12
post #5
post #2

This is the most shocking article I have ever read in my life. I'd ask everyone to please read it because it is incredible. One thing I did not realize is that US researchers who conducted gain of function research tried to downplay and discredit the possibility of the virus originating from the wuhan lab. There was an anti-lab theory Lancet statement signed by scientists, and "Daszak had not only signed but organize…

Take a look here for another shocking article: https://thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-origin-of-covid-did-peop...

Btw, for anyone who read that, here's a follow-up: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27388943

Re: The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19’s origins

#13
Anybody who has ever worked in a wet lab, or a lab of any sort, knows that accidents happen. All the time. Things catch fire, things are dropped, labeling issues happen, anything you can think of.

I worked for many years in a lab, the accidental leak hypothesis was and still is what I consider the most probable. Calculate the joint probability of everything we know about the origin of SARS-CoV-2 happening and it should be obvious that the "lab leak" should be _thoroughly_ investigated before dismissing it.

Re: The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19’s origins

#14
post #8

This is silly. The lab leak hypothesis was never off limits, it was ridiculed because it had little evidence and was based on political things are different this time thinking. Finding viral origins is never a fight, it is hard work requiring detailed research. Both SARS and MERS are good comparisons and took around three years to fully understand. The lab leak theory is popular because of politics and ignoring the d…

> The lab leak theory posits that natural disasters such as have happened throughout history no longer happen because all events are shaped by the hands of man

wat

Re: The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19’s origins

#15
post #8

This is silly. The lab leak hypothesis was never off limits, it was ridiculed because it had little evidence and was based on political things are different this time thinking. Finding viral origins is never a fight, it is hard work requiring detailed research. Both SARS and MERS are good comparisons and took around three years to fully understand. The lab leak theory is popular because of politics and ignoring the d…

It was off limits if you dared post it on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or any other "popular" place for public discourse.

Re: The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19’s origins

#17
post #8

This is silly. The lab leak hypothesis was never off limits, it was ridiculed because it had little evidence and was based on political things are different this time thinking. Finding viral origins is never a fight, it is hard work requiring detailed research. Both SARS and MERS are good comparisons and took around three years to fully understand. The lab leak theory is popular because of politics and ignoring the d…

Agree totally.

I'd add that, while China is ready to help and take part in the global fight against the covid, a finger-pointing shaming war against them would probably (as it already did several times) trigger the very Asian reaction of counter-fighting to not lose face, and stopping any constructive cooperation.

Re: The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19’s origins

#19
post #8

This is silly. The lab leak hypothesis was never off limits, it was ridiculed because it had little evidence and was based on political things are different this time thinking. Finding viral origins is never a fight, it is hard work requiring detailed research. Both SARS and MERS are good comparisons and took around three years to fully understand. The lab leak theory is popular because of politics and ignoring the d…

I'm sorry, but you are ignoring the chain of low probability coincidences that were evident from the very beginning. Also, the Lancet letter denouncing the theory, written by scientists who claimed no conflict of interest, falsely.

This is laid out clearly in Wade's article below, and saying it's political is not based on data or science.

https://thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-origin-of-covid-did-peop...

Note the grant specifying the research here, with the chief author of the Lancet letter as recipient.

https://reporter.nih.gov/search/xQW6UJmWfUuOV01ntGvLwQ/proje...

Re: The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19’s origins

#20
post #2

This is the most shocking article I have ever read in my life. I'd ask everyone to please read it because it is incredible. One thing I did not realize is that US researchers who conducted gain of function research tried to downplay and discredit the possibility of the virus originating from the wuhan lab. There was an anti-lab theory Lancet statement signed by scientists, and "Daszak had not only signed but organize…

The calculation is simple and could have been made in early 2020. What's the joint probability of occurrence given everything you know about the origins of SARS-CoV-2?

There is _very_ high probability that this is just a human error.

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