Some meta-commentary on the lab leak controversy:
Whatever you think about the truth of the matter, the fact that the US intelligence community can't figure this one out really bodes poorly for our visibility into the PRC.
One way or another, there should be tens of thousands of communications between thousands of Chinese officials on the origin of the virus, and yet it feels like each agency is still guessing.
Not a good sign for predicting an invasion of Taiwan or escalation in the SCS.
It's pretty clear that this topic has been so politicized that even scientists descend immediately into ad hominem. Every topic becoming part of the same constant culture war is not only exhausting, it's going to destroy our ability to ever come to consensus on anything.
Glad we have the block button.
@alex yup that debate got nasty against Alina last year - and she was great at always giving weight to all available options and shedding light into the issues.
@Migueldeicaza @alex even the ProPublica piece seems to have gotten substantial blowback and triggered editorial review, although the editors came back defending the piece: https://www.propublica.org/article/editors-note-a-review-of-criticisms-of-a-propublica-vanity-fair-story-on-a-covid-origins-report
