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Comment by djkivi | Hacker News Reader

Please don't post unsubstantive and/or flamebait comments. We want thoughtful, curious conversation here.

The lab leak theory was conflated with 'engineered in a lab' and everyone said no signs of gene editing.

A natural virus sample leaking from a center studying coronavirus was never really addressed. Nor was the concept of Gain of Function studies really addressed. Officially there were no GOF studies underway - but there had been requests for funding of GOF like studies - which were denied.

What concerns me is that researchers tend to piggyback data for new research proposals on existing grants. You all ready have the facilities, lab workers, cells lines, and reagents and other equipment - just run a few experiments to prove out the concept. What is the incremental cost to culture a few more plates of cells, run a few extra sequences?

The narrative that was debunked was the "engineered in a lab" variant. This is what was debunked because this is what was pushed by conspiracy theorists at that time.

This narrative had various claims: that Sars-cov2 contained bits of HIV (by crackpot nobelist Luc Montagnier), that it was released intentionally, that it was actually released several months earlier during the 2019 military games in order to facilitate spread and that it is a tool to cull the population of the globe.

This was debunked and is still debunked.

One problem with conspiracy theorists is that they have an extremely low accuracy requirement in order to consider themselves vindicated. Being on the mark right is unnecessary, even being in the ballpark right is unnecessary. For conspiracy theorists, being in the same galactic sector right is sufficient to consider it a win.

The theory that it is a lab leak, possibly but not necessarily involving gain of function research, and probably by accidentally hitching a ride on one of the researchers has appeared later. It has not been debunked, though it has not been prooven either. It is a plausible possibility.

It is not popular in pro-science circles, because should it be true, the popular reaction is that research should be baned because it is too dangerous which is a stupid stance equivalent to collectively burying your head in the sand.

It is important to distinguish the two though.

Is there anything more dystopian than the richest man on the planet having his own newspapers gaslight the entire world?

I think HN debunked it too.

WAs it? I remember debates about it on HN.

At least according to this comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24482197

There was a debate. Some thought a lab leak was likely, others (like that person) thought it was completely bogus.

Here's a post from Jun 2020 where people are arguing both sides:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23660413

I'm pretty sure this is the debate I remembered, since I have 2 comments in that thread.

It was never debunked. But a lot of claiming it to be debunked.

Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.

We really have come full circle haven't we.

That article has a correction front and center. The mistake at the time was conflating lab leak theory with engineered weapon theory. Lab leak has never been disproven but the media rightly said it's unlikely despite lots of assertions to the contrary.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com