23 ms·

We can read and hear lots of descriptions for and against. Absent going into the lab ourselves with training, it seems like either could be the case, neither is

We can read and hear lots of descriptions for and against. Absent going into the lab ourselves with training, it seems like either could be the case, neither is convincing.

gregjor 5y ago
Nor does it actually matter in terms of protecting ourselves from it, treating the symptoms, developing vaccines. The only arena where the source matters is political, at least right now. That’s why grandstander Rand Paul is all over this and medical experts are not.
- 248ff 5y ago
  It sure is politicized from all possible sides. But we should be open to investigating the cause, so that we can create policies that can prevent future disasters.
  - gregjor 5y ago
    Policies already exist but impossible to force agreement or compliance. Suppose clear evidence comes out this was a lab-grown virus, released either accidentally or maliciously. Then what? What agency will punish China? How would that knowledge affect global response to the virus? I imagine every nation with sufficient capabilities has secret biowarfare research going on — no clean hands. Pointing fingers and speeches in the UN won’t change that.
daly 5y ago
I've been listening to "This Week in Virology" (aka TWIV) (https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/ https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/) for more than a year, about 100+ podcasts so far. This is a podcast about viruses. All of the people are fully qualified active or retired virologists. They have interviewed dozens of leading virus researchers and other viral-connected individuals (including Fauci). In their professional opinion there is no possible way this virus was created in a lab.
- tootie 5y ago
  The current speculation has nothing to do with it being created in a lab. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/lab-leak-theory-on-the-media https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/lab-leak-t...

We can read and hear lots of descriptions for and against. Absent going into the lab ourselves with training, it seems like either could be the case, neither is convincing.

gregjor 5y ago

Nor does it actually matter in terms of protecting ourselves from it, treating the symptoms, developing vaccines. The only arena where the source matters is political, at least right now. That’s why grandstander Rand Paul is all over this and medical experts are not.

248ff 5y ago
It sure is politicized from all possible sides. But we should be open to investigating the cause, so that we can create policies that can prevent future disasters.
- gregjor 5y ago
  Policies already exist but impossible to force agreement or compliance. Suppose clear evidence comes out this was a lab-grown virus, released either accidentally or maliciously. Then what? What agency will punish China? How would that knowledge affect global response to the virus? I imagine every nation with sufficient capabilities has secret biowarfare research going on — no clean hands. Pointing fingers and speeches in the UN won’t change that.

daly 5y ago

I've been listening to "This Week in Virology" (aka TWIV) (https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/ https://www.microbe.tv/twiv/) for more than a year, about 100+ podcasts so far. This is a podcast about viruses. All of the people are fully qualified active or retired virologists. They have interviewed dozens of leading virus researchers and other viral-connected individuals (including Fauci). In their professional opinion there is no possible way this virus was created in a lab.

tootie 5y ago
The current speculation has nothing to do with it being created in a lab. https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/lab-leak-theory-on-the-media https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/lab-leak-t...