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It may hurt your feelings to know this, but The investigation isn't scientifically important. It is motivated by politics. Gotta find a way to finger China.

dclusin 5y ago
Yes because discussions about safety protocols at laboratories like these aren't worth having or trying to improve.
- Fricken 5y ago
  No, because the investigation isn't motivated by that, obviously. You're being deliberately disingenuous, because it isn't science you're interested in. You're interested in fingering China.
  - dang 5y ago
    You can't break the site guidelines like this, regardless of how wrong another is or you feel they are. We ban accounts that do it, and we've had to warn you more than once in the past. If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and sticking to the rules when posting here, we'd be grateful. I realize it's not easy when it feels like you're in a minority position, but actually it isn't easy to begin with, and we all need to make the effort.
- notacoward 5y ago
  Are you in turn assuming that those discussions aren't happening already? It seems like you are, and thus your sarcasm is ill warranted.
  - Throwawayaerlei 5y ago
    They are no more visibly happening than discussions about shutting down wet markets.
    - notacoward 5y ago
      That has nothing to do with what I said. Maybe those discussions aren't "visible" to you because they don't exactly make headlines and you're disinclined to look any harder. Unless you're in a position to be sure you'd be privy to any such discussions in the places where they'd matter then it's an assumption that they're not happening. Getting all caustic at someone for not sharing your own unfounded assumption is pretty poor form, to put it politely.
programmarchy 5y ago
It's important to know what the risks of gain-of-function research are, independent of whether China or US was ultimately responsible. Deciding what or if something should be studied is decided politically, not a scientifically. Perhaps this can serve as a wake up call for the scientific community to develop its "metascience" practices.

dclusin 5y ago

Yes because discussions about safety protocols at laboratories like these aren't worth having or trying to improve.

Fricken 5y ago
No, because the investigation isn't motivated by that, obviously. You're being deliberately disingenuous, because it isn't science you're interested in. You're interested in fingering China.
- dang 5y ago
  You can't break the site guidelines like this, regardless of how wrong another is or you feel they are. We ban accounts that do it, and we've had to warn you more than once in the past. If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and sticking to the rules when posting here, we'd be grateful. I realize it's not easy when it feels like you're in a minority position, but actually it isn't easy to begin with, and we all need to make the effort.
notacoward 5y ago
Are you in turn assuming that those discussions aren't happening already? It seems like you are, and thus your sarcasm is ill warranted.
- Throwawayaerlei 5y ago
  They are no more visibly happening than discussions about shutting down wet markets.
  - notacoward 5y ago
    That has nothing to do with what I said. Maybe those discussions aren't "visible" to you because they don't exactly make headlines and you're disinclined to look any harder. Unless you're in a position to be sure you'd be privy to any such discussions in the places where they'd matter then it's an assumption that they're not happening. Getting all caustic at someone for not sharing your own unfounded assumption is pretty poor form, to put it politely.

programmarchy 5y ago

It's important to know what the risks of gain-of-function research are, independent of whether China or US was ultimately responsible. Deciding what or if something should be studied is decided politically, not a scientifically. Perhaps this can serve as a wake up call for the scientific community to develop its "metascience" practices.