3 ms·

In the Washington Post an American virologist finally published a detailed analysis of the "spike protein research" theory: Some people have wondered whether t

In the Washington Post an American virologist finally published a detailed analysis of the "spike protein research" theory: Some people have wondered whether these types of experiments could have produced SARS-CoV-2. The answer is, in this case, not really. In theory, if you had the right viruses in your catalogue, sure. But there are no indications that anyone had ever seen this virus nor any viruses similar enough to serve as its genetic building blocks before SARS-CoV-2 emerged in the population. The Wuhan institute’s most recent chimeric virus used a very different coronavirus as its genetic backbone. Looking at the body of research produced there, it’s clear that scientists were laser-focused on the bat viruses related to SARS-CoV, which spurred research on coronaviruses worldwide after it emerged in 2003 because of its pandemic potential. There’s just no trace of SARS-CoV-2 in the lab, and if the SARS-CoV-2 progenitor or its building blocks weren’t in the lab before the pandemic, the pandemic could not have started there — even accidentally. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/virus-origins-nature-lab/2021/06/03/dd50eb62-c4a9-11eb-93f5-ee9558eecf4b_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/virus-origins-nature-...

MilnerRoute 5y ago
Apparently there's also new information now that strengthens support for the theory that it came from the market. From the New York Times: Last month a team of researchers presented an inventory of 47,381 animals from 38 species sold in Wuhan markets between May 2017 and November 2019. It included species like civets and raccoon dogs that can act as intermediate hosts for coronaviruses. Dr. Worobey called that study “a game-changing paper.” He also pointed to the timing of the earliest cases of Covid in Wuhan. “The Huanan market is right at the epicenter of the outbreak, with later cases then radiating outward in space from there,” Dr. Worobey said in an email. “No early cases cluster anywhere near the W.I.V., which has been the focus of most speculation about a possible lab escape,” he said. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/science/coronavirus-origins-lab-leak.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/science/coronavirus-origi...

MilnerRoute 5y ago

Apparently there's also new information now that strengthens support for the theory that it came from the market. From the New York Times: Last month a team of researchers presented an inventory of 47,381 animals from 38 species sold in Wuhan markets between May 2017 and November 2019. It included species like civets and raccoon dogs that can act as intermediate hosts for coronaviruses. Dr. Worobey called that study “a game-changing paper.” He also pointed to the timing of the earliest cases of Covid in Wuhan. “The Huanan market is right at the epicenter of the outbreak, with later cases then radiating outward in space from there,” Dr. Worobey said in an email. “No early cases cluster anywhere near the W.I.V., which has been the focus of most speculation about a possible lab escape,” he said. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/science/coronavirus-origins-lab-leak.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/09/science/coronavirus-origi...