Decoding The Gurus
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Special Lab Leak Roundtable Discussion
🕑 Added 2023-03-07 13:26:20 +0000 UTCHey everyone,
This is a bit of a special release that we want to keep behind the Guru curtain until it is edited up with the intro and outro.
But we can trust you guys, right?
So in response to all the discussion around lab leaks we arranged an interview with three leading experts on the topic.
You have:
Kristian Andersen: a professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research, with joint appointments in the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, and at the Scripps Research Translational Institute. Over the past decade, his research has focused on the complex relationship between host and pathogen. Using a combination of next-generation sequencing, field work, experimentation, and computational biology he has spearheaded large international collaborations investigating the emergence, spread and evolution of deadly pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, Zika virus, Ebola virus, West Nile virus, and Lassa virus. His work is highly cross-disciplinary and exceptionally collaborative.
Eddie Holmes: known for his work on the evolution and emergence of infectious diseases, particularly the mechanisms by which RNA viruses jump species boundaries to emerge in humans and other animals. He currently holds an NHMRC Leadership Fellowship and is Professor of Virology at the University of Sydney. He moved to the University of Sydney in 2012. He has studied the emergence and spread of such pathogens as SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, dengue virus, HIV, hepatitis C virus, myxoma virus, RHDV and Yersinia pestis.
and
Michael Worobey: Department Head, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona. His research taps into the genomes of viruses, using molecular and computational biology, to understand the origins, emergence and control of pandemics. He has made discoveries pinpointing, for example, where, when and how HIV originated and spread worldwide and how influenza pandemics, including the intense 1918 pandemic, emerge and kill large numbers of people. Recently, his interdisciplinary work on SARS-CoV-2 has shed light on how and when the virus originated and ignited the COVID-19 pandemic in China and how SARS-CoV-2 emerged and took hold in North America and Europe.
Current research includes (1) SARS-CoV-2 genomic epidemiology and evolution from local to global scales, (2) work at the intersection of viral evolution and immunology with both SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses, (3) influenza vaccines, and (4) pandemic preparedness and prevention.
They have all published on the topic of covid origins, all are targets for conspiracy theorists, and all have in various ways examined the evidence for and against a lab leak.
We think this discussion is important and we will add an intro and outro to introduce the topic and participants and edit for clarity.
But this is the Patreon so you get the full unedited interview.
Feedback and comments welcome. Enjoy!
Comments
Tom McCool
Ah, yes the Intelligence agency coming out with the report at the same time as (Cue Lindsey et al with the “dunh, dunh dunhhhh) Republican hearings in the House wanting to tell the American people (🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸) whence that dang Cov-2 was cookedup in Chinese laboratories! (These types of hearings have answers first, questions second).
Exai
So which one of these three fools is going to give me a metaphysics for washing my ass, slaying a dragon and fucking my wife? Nobody? Useless.
Christopher Kavanagh
The authorities might not know but I suspect their scientists understand the evidence and have relayed that.
Christopher Kavanagh
lol, I don't think the intelligence agencies are above that kind of stuff but I think the DOE report only got attention thanks to the WSJ article.
Kat
I'm suspicious. The intelligence report supporting the "lab leak" came out at more or less the same time tensions between the US and China heat up. Could these be related? The US intelligence agencies garnering support for some actions against China or something? But more important, why isn't this discussed in the heterodox sphere? Is it being suppressed? Are these people part of a conspiracy to blame China?
Tom McCool
Excellent panel and discussion. Too bad this is ‘low quality criticism’ of the Weinstein Conspiracy Family. Could this panel discussion, or any other of similar quality, break through to WCF and their familiars? I doubt it. But I understand more each time I listen to these discussions but how the conspirators don’t or won’t is unfathomable. Sad.
Paul Bowman
The costs that have been heaped on these guys for the "crime" of advancing the science around the origins of this particular virus (and others) in the aim of preventing or mitigating future outbreaks, is a testament to how much conspiracism isn't just harmless fun for a few credulous misfits but a serious social plague
YellowDreams
Use a vpn to buy YouTube premium from Argentina for around 2usd a month. Then you can listen when phone is locked. Then also rejoice in no ads and YouTube music for free as well.
Paul Sees
❤️
Christopher Kavanagh
Yep. Will do so later today.
Robert Andrews
Wow! Looking forward to watching this!
Paul Sees
Any chance you can throw an audio version up? YouTube is crap for listening while working and if I don't have quality content for work somebody is going to have to dispose of my boss's body. Or does anyone know an android solution to listen to YouTube videos? Best I have so far is Firefox browser in desktop mode, which at least allows turning off the screen, but it's clunky af.
Dr Badmouth
Nevermind, it works now
Dr Badmouth
Oh, maybe it's my end. Other youtube videos were playing though which is bizarre
Protagonist Science
Well done on making them a bit uncomfortable though :P
Christopher Kavanagh
? We do?
Martin Andersen
This was a great discussion. I think the discussion around why China has been less than forthcoming is particularly important. I wonder, though, if one hypothesis is missing: maybe Chinese authorities are reluctant to be more forthcoming because they don't know if it was a lab leak either (or what other adverse inferences would be drawn from a more open stance).
Dr Badmouth
I don't think we have sound
