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> Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. (...) As is most conspiratorial claims regarding Covid, and so on ad nauseam. Most conspiracies theories

> Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. (...) As is most conspiratorial claims regarding Covid, and so on ad nauseam. Most conspiracies theories are extremely implausible. However there is a conspiracy theory about Covid that is so extremely plausible that it's the claims that it's not that should require extraordinary evidence. That theory is that the perfectly pedestrian hypothesis that a lab studying dangerous pathogens could have experienced an industrial accident resulting in a pandemic was covered up by both a totalitarian government and other individuals with a personal interest in the matter. Where am I going with this? Well, I posit that years of throwing around accusations of "conspiracy theorism" and promoting dodgy "fact checking" that typically involves mere opinions rather than incontrovertible facts has made downright demented ideas like Ukraine bombing itself more palatable. In other words, "they lied to us about Wuhan, they must be lying about Ukraine" or something.

oneshtein 4y ago
This incident, which caused release of virus, was filmed and was available on YouTube, see https://web.archive.org/web/20200407175030/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w7SAeNcXA8 https://web.archive.org/web/20200407175030/https://www.youtu... (2019.09.16, explosion at Vector BioSafety Level 4 lab, Novosibirsk, RF). Observe the soldier in the background at the 01:05 timestamp who appears to have taken a water tube from the BSL4 lab. This is concrete proof rather than a mere speculation. It's worth considering why the Russians removed this video.
- hammock 4y ago
  For those who don’t speak Russian, can you tell us the content of the video?
  - oneshtein 4y ago
    See these articles in English for details: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/17/health/russia-lab-explosion-smallpox-intl-hnk/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/17/health/russia-lab-explosi... https://iser.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/explosion-vector-hoping-best-while-preparing-worst https://iser.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/explosion-vector-hoping-be... Following an explosion, first responders and firefighters entered a building to inspect (break into) every room on every floor for signs of fire. It has been reported that some Russian firefighters have been known to steal items during these inspections, as they can deny responsibility after a door lock is broken. The video shows a soldier pouring out water from a stolen water bottle while the director of the BSL4 lab speaks. There were several investigations conducted by independent Russian reporters into this incident and the subsequent outbreak of an unknown virus in Siberia that occurred shortly after, but I am unable to locate them now.

oneshtein 4y ago

This incident, which caused release of virus, was filmed and was available on YouTube, see https://web.archive.org/web/20200407175030/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w7SAeNcXA8 https://web.archive.org/web/20200407175030/https://www.youtu... (2019.09.16, explosion at Vector BioSafety Level 4 lab, Novosibirsk, RF). Observe the soldier in the background at the 01:05 timestamp who appears to have taken a water tube from the BSL4 lab. This is concrete proof rather than a mere speculation. It's worth considering why the Russians removed this video.

hammock 4y ago
For those who don’t speak Russian, can you tell us the content of the video?
- oneshtein 4y ago
  See these articles in English for details: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/17/health/russia-lab-explosion-smallpox-intl-hnk/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/17/health/russia-lab-explosi... https://iser.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/explosion-vector-hoping-best-while-preparing-worst https://iser.med.unsw.edu.au/blog/explosion-vector-hoping-be... Following an explosion, first responders and firefighters entered a building to inspect (break into) every room on every floor for signs of fire. It has been reported that some Russian firefighters have been known to steal items during these inspections, as they can deny responsibility after a door lock is broken. The video shows a soldier pouring out water from a stolen water bottle while the director of the BSL4 lab speaks. There were several investigations conducted by independent Russian reporters into this incident and the subsequent outbreak of an unknown virus in Siberia that occurred shortly after, but I am unable to locate them now.