Re:The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19...
by ethanbond on Friday June 04, 2021 @04:52AM
(#27391827)
So you’re criticizing a scientist for expressing skepticism toward a scenario that had (especially at the time) very limited evidence, and then just placing your own bet on a far more extreme, also non-substantiated version?
Re:The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19...
by eutropia on Friday June 04, 2021 @08:18AM
(#27392837)
The article states that at the time people were denying the possibility of a lab leak, there was a lack of credible evidence for zoonosis. If I’m evaluating hypotheses, it’s generally better that I wait for hard evidence before ruling one out. e.g. some kind of patient zero animal population.
The lancet letter was at best extraordinarily premature.
Re:The lab-leak theory: inside the fight to uncover Covid-19...
by ethanbond on Friday June 04, 2021 @09:02AM
(#27393168)
Errr... yes? None of that is relevant to the claim GP goes on to make. Not only was skepticism warranted toward the lab leak hypothesis (and it continues to be), but going on to speculate that this "regularly" happened is a bit rich.
Placing blame isn't really all that important. Making sure none of this happens again for the same reasons is.
If I was placing a bet, I'd say Wuhan researchers regularly got a handle on patents zero for cross species infection. In the course of the research a virus infected workers because of lax, sloppy, or otherwise inadequate controls; then despite the threat in order to save face government did everything they could to hide the mistake until it was far too late for anything to really be done about it.