3 ms·

This seems to be another instance of the theory that they were doing gain of function research at Wuhan and the results of that research escaped. A quick skim t

This seems to be another instance of the theory that they were doing gain of function research at Wuhan and the results of that research escaped. A quick skim through the article did not produce any actual proof to support the theory. Did I miss it?

twobitshifter 5y ago
You didn’t miss it, this is a meta article discussing how discussion of a lab leak was shot down as a conspiracy theory after sponsors of the Wuhan research with conflicts of interest posted letters claiming that is was zoological early on in the pandemic. The resulting mass of virologists latched on to the theory and it has held in place until the recent letter submitted to Science which calls for investigation into the lab leak. To learn more about the plausibility of the lab leak you’ll have to read the Science letter here https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6543/694.1/tab-pdf https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6543/694.1/tab-pd...
- williamstein 5y ago
  Moreover, the linked article states as a fact: "But before the ban went into effect, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) funded some gain-of-function research which, through an intermediary nonprofit and subcontracting arrangement, came to be conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The moratorium was lifted during the Trump administration, apparently at the urging of Anthony Fauci, and a 2019 renewal of the 2014 research grant did include gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses." However, snopes https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fauci-gain-function-covid/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fauci-gain-function-covid/ says "To date, none of these claims have been substantiated and Fauci has explicitly denied that NIH funded of gain of function research on the coronavirus." In particular, Fauci said under oath to Congress: "The NIH has not ever and does not now fund gain of function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology." Of course, I don't know what is true, but the linked article is certainly full of unproven assumptions...

twobitshifter 5y ago

You didn’t miss it, this is a meta article discussing how discussion of a lab leak was shot down as a conspiracy theory after sponsors of the Wuhan research with conflicts of interest posted letters claiming that is was zoological early on in the pandemic. The resulting mass of virologists latched on to the theory and it has held in place until the recent letter submitted to Science which calls for investigation into the lab leak. To learn more about the plausibility of the lab leak you’ll have to read the Science letter here https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6543/694.1/tab-pdf https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6543/694.1/tab-pd...

williamstein 5y ago
Moreover, the linked article states as a fact: "But before the ban went into effect, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) funded some gain-of-function research which, through an intermediary nonprofit and subcontracting arrangement, came to be conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The moratorium was lifted during the Trump administration, apparently at the urging of Anthony Fauci, and a 2019 renewal of the 2014 research grant did include gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses." However, snopes https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fauci-gain-function-covid/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fauci-gain-function-covid/ says "To date, none of these claims have been substantiated and Fauci has explicitly denied that NIH funded of gain of function research on the coronavirus." In particular, Fauci said under oath to Congress: "The NIH has not ever and does not now fund gain of function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology." Of course, I don't know what is true, but the linked article is certainly full of unproven assumptions...