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Covid origin case reopened: A lab leak is a legitimate question (bigthink.com)
5 points by baja_blast on Nov 14, 2022 | hide | past | favorite | 4 comments


I thought the problem with the lab leak theory was it didn't look like the original corona virus looked engineered.

Here's an article that talks about the various theories and counter points: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01529-3


Problem is there is no real way to know if a virus is engineered due to commonly used splicing techniques that leave no imprinting. The argument used was it's not how they would alter the virus if their own labs. Additionally a lot of research is done through serial passaging which is done by passing the virus through host species as it adapts naturally kind of like selective breeding. In fact serial passaging techniques were originally used to make an airborne version of the extremely deadly H5N1 virus(bird flu) which triggered a temporary ban during the Obama Administration https://www.science.org/content/article/exclusive-controvers...


I doubt much actually comes out of the house investigations other than a bunch of wild speculation and more politicization of the US's relationship with china.


We will see, but the focus will be placed more on American collaborators to share records they have been withholding. The culpability is shared amongst virologists around the world.




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