> I wonder what's the likelihood of something more severe / extremely severe appearing in the next few years We already know one such thing - bird flu (H5N1 -

> I wonder what's the likelihood of something more severe / extremely severe appearing in the next few years We already know one such thing - bird flu (H5N1 - 50% mortality). Luckily it doesn't pass from one human to another. But scientists already built a version that presumably can (gain-of-function): > (2019) Controversial lab studies that modify bird flu viruses in ways that could make them more risky to humans will soon resume after being on hold for more than 4 years. ScienceInsider has learned that last year, a U.S. government review panel quietly approved experiments proposed by two labs that were previously considered so dangerous that federal officials had imposed an unusual top-down moratorium on such research. https://www.science.org/content/article/exclusive-controversial-experiments-make-bird-flu-more-risky-poised-resume https://www.science.org/content/article/exclusive-controvers...