yarrriv
is there a reason to care about the origin of the virus other than scoring points on twitter?
Mar 1, 2023 at 3:38amWeb
Show threadNumber One Shoup FanMar 1, 2023
@yarrriv If it's from a lab leak AND from gain of function research then gain of function research maybe should be discouraged.
If it's zoönotic then we should probably work harder to surveil some animal populations in SE Asia/discourage interaction there.
Show threadyarrrivMar 1, 2023
@OneShoup but shouldn't in practice we do both of these? We know that both are unsafe, whether we think the likelihood is 30% covid came from a lab and 70% from a wet market or vice versa.
Show threadNumber One Shoup FanMar 1, 2023
@yarrriv There is not a consensus that gain of function research is unsafe among the research community. Personally, I don't feel like I know enough to say.
Show threadDiego BeghinMar 1, 2023

@yarrriv I'm getting tired of the news cycle where a paper based on flimsy evidence comes out defending the lab leak hypothesis, the lab leakers claim "VINDICATION!!!", and then the evidence falls apart after minimum scrutiny.

I resent the lab leakers bizarre misunderstanding of the scientific debate. An accidental lab leak has always been considered a possible explanation, but it's unlikely given the evidence we have.

Show threadDiego BeghinMar 1, 2023
@yarrriv Nate Silver and co confuse people getting annoyed by their bad arguments with a campaign to discredit the lab leak hypothesis as an impossible explanation.
Show threadRedFishBlueFishMar 18, 2023
@yarrriv scoring points on mastodon