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There is a lot of stupid and non-sense talk about how the coronavirus was created, because of Chinese people eating bats. There is no scientific evidence to su
by blackrock 7y ago
There is a lot of stupid and non-sense talk about how the coronavirus was created, because of Chinese people eating bats.
There is no scientific evidence to support this!
Instead, this exposes the deep-seated biases and prejudices, that Westerners (white people) have of Easterners, and specifically, the Chinese, in this case. It also didn’t help that the Trump Administration went on a negative media assault for the past 3 years to demonize the Chinese, so they are now an easy scapegoat for all troubles in the world. This really does not help the situation.
Now, how about a different theory?
Animals normally develop immunity to their environment, and from the viruses that exist in that area. This is the law of natural selection in play. Those that survive, go on and reproduce, and carry the antibodies to protect their offspring. Those that don’t, will die off, and their bodies will be eaten by vultures.
I suspect that the coronavirus mutated and appeared, because of an animal from one part of the world, was shipped to another part of the world, where it didn’t have natural immunity to the diseases of that region. In this case, a bat carrying the virus.
Maybe an animal from Africa, was transported to Asia, where it would have never traveled there by itself. That animal got sick, and triggered a mutation, which infected a human handling it, which mutated again, and infected another human, and now, we have an outbreak.
The key to understanding this may be in how the MERS virus appeared. It’s believed to come from bats, which infected a camel, which infected a human. Do people in the Middle East eat camels? No, I don’t think so.
So why should SARS and this COVID-19 virus be any different?
Limiting the transport of live animals, to different areas of the world, should help minimize future virus outbreaks. But, humans have been transporting live animals all over the world, for hundreds or thousands of years, ever since boats were first invented. So I suspect, that it is only a matter of time before another novel coronavirus appears. And global warming may also be playing a factor too, in triggering viruses and diseases in nature, that had previously been dormant.
This is HN. Most people here are scientifically and technically educated. Do your part. Analyze the situation scientifically. Change the narrative. Otherwise, we risk devolving into our deep seated fears and prejudices. We lose our humanity in the process.
- cycrutchfield 7y agoFunny how you chose MERS as your example and not SARS. Intentionally trying to be disingenuous?
- blackrock 7y agoThen provide an alternative theory. The world would love to know where this virus came from, and how it mutated to what it is.
- cycrutchfield 7y agoOur best guess is that SARS originated from bats and jumped to humans via masked palm civets, which are typically sold in live animal markets in China. This is not just my own pet theory, you can read the extensive literature on the topic.
- blackrock 7y agoThis is an already known and suspected theory. But there is no evidence that it came from eating it. Then explain how MERS appeared. Did people of the Middle East suddenly have a gourmet taste for eating camels one day?
- cycrutchfield 7y agoI don’t think anybody said that somebody ate a civet and got sick. However, civets are not naturally to be found in close proximity to humans. The jump from species to species was due to the appetite for civets causing them to be held in cages at wet markets for prolonged periods of time.
- nradov 7y agoCamel meat has always been popular in the Middle East. About 3M camels are slaughtered for meat every year. It's similar to beef, and considered a halal meat for Muslims.
- blackrock 7y agoIsn’t the meat cooked? That normally kills off germs and pathogens.
- chimprich 7y ago> Do people in the Middle East eat camels? No, I don’t think so. Yes, they do.
- Killes 7y agoWherever it may come from, I think many people are happy to have an angle to attack a certain category of Chinese for their perception and treatment of animals. The hunting and extinction of species due to these ridiculous primitive beliefs is utterly repugnant in this day and age where we teeter on the brink of environmental disaster and mass extinctions with climate and other causes. Exchanging true fascinating living treasures of earth evolved over millions of years all the way back to this planets creation for some baubles and to satisfy their tummies or supposedly treat some fucking wart, or even save them from a heart attack, really, those selfish beings are worth the torture and extinctions ? It also simply hurts and inspires rage to truly consider and witness the absolutely mind boggling levels of cruelty shown in the hunting, keeping and processing of these animals. How is one to like humans that think themselves so superior and special over everything else that they may be allowed to do anything? Its the worst of "humanity" and we can be well glad to loose that aspect of it. Unfortunately may these Chinese with disregard and 0 empathy for animals be a minority or not of, the scale of the country make it too many by far.
- onceUponADime 7y agoEbola jumped with bushmeat- and this is not a prejudice. This is just fact. Travell to china, see for yourself on a wet market in the morning. You can get everything there. Of course with the foreigners prices, but nearly everything.
- afjl 7y ago> Do people in the Middle East eat camels? No, I don’t think so. I've eaten camel. It was offered during multiple meals to us during the trip. Seems somewhat common.