Chinese Science Academy Lists Wuhan Lab as Outstanding Prize Candidate

[Aldebaran]

An example of extreme irony:

"The Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) has been listed as one of the candidates for the Chinese Academy of Sciences' 2021 Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize for its COVID-19 research. The announcement comes as the theory that the virus could have leaked from the lab—once widely dismissed as a controversial conspiracy—continues to gain mainstream traction in the U.S.

In the early stages of the pandemic, Chinese authorities linked the first cases of the virus to a market in Wuhan, theorizing that the outbreak was caused by the virus passing from animal to human.

But now, U.S. officials have suggested that there may be evidence that the virus accidentally leaked from the Chinese lab. China has strongly denied the claim, defended the lab, and accused Western media of spreading rumors and engaging in smear campaigns.

On Friday, the Chinese Academy of Sciences published a list of candidates for its annual outstanding achievement award, which included the Wuhan lab. The award is often given to researchers who have "demonstrated significant achievements in the past five years," according to the Global Times, a Chinese state-run newspaper."

 

[DaisyDay]

But now, U.S. officials have suggested that there may be evidence that the virus accidentally leaked from the Chinese lab. China has strongly denied the claim, defended the lab, and accused Western media of spreading rumors and engaging in smear campaigns.

There may be evidence? What might that evidence be?

Would evidence of such a leak, if such evidence exists, negate all other achievements of the last five years?

The "lab leak" hypothesis is becoming a conspiracy theory - RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE

 

[Aldebaran]

There may be evidence? What might that evidence be?

Would evidence of such a leak, if such evidence exists, negate all other achievements of the last five years?

The "lab leak" hypothesis is becoming a conspiracy theory - RESPECTFUL INSOLENCE

Causing the deaths of millions of people and then winning a prize soon after is a bit ironic, don't ya think?

 

[pitabread]

Causing the deaths of millions of people and then winning a prize soon after is a bit ironic, don't ya think?

Where is the evidence they caused deaths of millions of people?

Or is this just your run-of-the-mill conspiracy theory where evidence doesn't matter?

 

[durangodawood]

Is it still awards season?

 

[Aldebaran]

Where is the evidence they caused deaths of millions of people?

Or is this just your run-of-the-mill conspiracy theory where evidence doesn't matter?

Plenty of grave markers are around, and even some mass graves in 3rd world countries are rather compelling evidence. Some places resorted to cremation, so I guess they wouldn't leave quite as much evidence as the physical dead bodies of those who were simply buried. Lots of news footage of those refrigerated truck trailers used as morgues could also be considered evidence.

 

[pitabread]

Plenty of grave markers are around, and even some mass graves in 3rd world countries are rather compelling evidence. Some places resorted to cremation, so I guess they wouldn't leave quite as much evidence as the physical dead bodies of those who were simply buried. Lots of news footage of those refrigerated truck trailers used as morgues could also be considered evidence.

Please don't play dumb. I'm asking what evidence you have that they caused the deaths of millions, not that millions of people died.

That you are avoiding a straight answer is simply reinforcing that this is a run-of-the-mill evidence-free conspiracy theory.

In which case, you might want to take this to the Conspiracy Theory forum --> Conspiracy Theories

 

[Aldebaran]

Please don't play dumb. I'm asking what evidence you have that they caused the deaths of millions, not that millions of people died.

That you are avoiding a straight answer is simply reinforcing that this is a run-of-the-mill evidence-free conspiracy theory.

In which case, you might want to take this to the Conspiracy Theory forum --> Conspiracy Theories

biden doesn't think it's a conspiracy theory (which detractors like to call things they want ignored).

"On the heels of President Biden’s abrupt order to U.S. intelligence agencies to investigate the origins of the coronavirus, many scientists reacted positively, reflecting their push in recent weeks for more information about the work of a virus lab in Wuhan, China. But they cautioned against expecting an answer in the three-month time frame of the president’s request."
Scientists Don’t Want to Ignore the ‘Lab Leak’ Theory, Despite No New Evidence

 

[pitabread]

biden doesn't think it's a conspiracy theory

I'm not asking what Biden thinks.

I'm asking what evidence there is that the COVID-19 virus was leaked from a Wuhan laboratory. (For the third time now).

You're still dodging the question. Are you going to 0 for 3? Because if so, yer out.

 

[durangodawood]

Lab leak seems a reasonable guess, just like direct to human transmission in a wet market.

 

[Aldebaran]

I'm not asking what Biden thinks.

I'm asking what evidence there is that the COVID-19 virus was leaked from a Wuhan laboratory. (For the third time now).

You're still dodging the question. Are you going to 0 for 3? Because if so, yer out.

Covid 19 coronavirus: Wuhan lab leak evidence 'overwhelming', scientists say - NZ Herald

 

[Ophiolite]

biden doesn't think it's a conspiracy theory (which detractors like to call things they want ignored).

"On the heels of President Biden’s abrupt order to U.S. intelligence agencies to investigate the origins of the coronavirus, many scientists reacted positively, reflecting their push in recent weeks for more information about the work of a virus lab in Wuhan, China. But they cautioned against expecting an answer in the three-month time frame of the president’s request."
Scientists Don’t Want to Ignore the ‘Lab Leak’ Theory, Despite No New Evidence

If you were genuinely interested in determining, with high level of certainty, the source of the virus then I would expect you to post in measured, concerned tones, without the barely suppressed hysteria, finger-pointing and absolutism. Your actual approach reduces the chances that currently neutral people will give the lab-leak hypothesis proper consideration. If that is your aim, you are on a winner. If you genuinely want people to sit up and take notice, in a responsible way, you need to change your rhetoric.

 

[whatbogsends]

If you were genuinely interested in determining, with high level of certainty, the source of the virus then I would expect you to post in measured, concerned tones, without the barely suppressed hysteria, finger-pointing and absolutism. Your actual approach reduces the chances that currently neutral people will give the lab-leak hypothesis proper consideration. If that is your aim, you are on a winner. If you genuinely want people to sit up and take notice, in a responsible way, you need to change your rhetoric.

You're absolutely right that we should be speaking in more measured tones, but that criticism shouldn't be solely reserved for lab leak proponents.

Back in March 2020, natural origin folks used such measured tones such as "We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin".

Statement in support of the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China combatting COVID-19 - The Lancet

Lab leak was dismissed before the investigation began, and these forums were rife with people toting the official wet market narrative without a hint of "maybe we should speak in measured tones".

GROSS: So in February of last year, The Lancet, which is a very respected British medical journal, published a statement signed by 27 scientists rejecting the lab-leak theory. What was this statement, and what was its impact?

EBAN: So the statement was essentially saying the people who are raising the question of a lab leak are trafficking in conspiracy theories. And it said, we support, you know, our Chinese colleagues, these researchers and scientists who have been candid and transparent. And then these scientists said, you know, we have no competing interests, no conflict of interest here. That was a very powerful statement in the scientific world. To basically put scientists on notice, you bring up the lab-leak theory, and you are doing the work of conspiracy theorists. It really had a chilling effect.

You know, the question that I became interested in - what was its impact on credible people who saw reason to doubt? You know, they had questions that they wanted to ask and felt that they couldn't. So as one of the characters I write about, Gilles Demaneuf, said, it was like it was nailed on the church door. It became the orthodoxy of how to discuss COVID origins.

GROSS: But you found that there was a possible conflict of interest in the originator of this letter. Tell us about that.

EBAN: It's rather complicated. But as it turns out, the person who organized that letter, named Peter Daszak, who is president of an organization called EcoHealth Alliance, had taken government grant money and given it in sub-grants, parts of it, to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and had collaborated quite closely with Shi Zhengli.

GROSS: Who's the head of the lab that was doing the virus research.

EBAN: That's right, the lead coronavirus researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. A number of the signatories on that letter were either on EcoHealth Alliance payroll or had gotten funding from EcoHealth Alliance. But really what sort of framed this as an issue was that a Freedom of Information group got emails from Peter Daszak which basically said, we're going to try to put out this statement without linking back to us so it looks like, you know, there's a kind of unanimity and our fingerprints won't be on it, which will give it sort of more authority and power.

Did COVID-19 Leak From A Lab? A Reporter Investigates — And Finds Roadblocks : NPR

Of course, the reality is we still don't know the origin of Covid, but indignation at lab leak proponents tone is rather condescending considering that for over a year, natural origin folks were all but "it's a closed case" on the subject.

 

[FireDragon76]

Causing the deaths of millions of people and then winning a prize soon after is a bit ironic, don't ya think?

You know, throwing around serious accusations without real evidence was considered evil in my house when I was growing up.

Lab leak seems a reasonable guess, just like direct to human transmission in a wet market.

Too much hay is being made out of something that is merely a plausible hypothesis. What's really behind alot of this sort of rhetoric is political tribalism, xenophobia, and a desire to find a scapegoat to distract from serious domestic policy shortcomings in America during the past year.

 

[Aldebaran]

If you were genuinely interested in determining, with high level of certainty, the source of the virus then I would expect you to post in measured, concerned tones, without the barely suppressed hysteria, finger-pointing and absolutism. Your actual approach reduces the chances that currently neutral people will give the lab-leak hypothesis proper consideration. If that is your aim, you are on a winner. If you genuinely want people to sit up and take notice, in a responsible way, you need to change your rhetoric.

It's not personally up to me to determine the source of the virus. That's up to the scientists who are interested in doing so rather than being intimidated by people who might label them as "conspiracy theorists" for even asking the questions.

 

[FireDragon76]

It's not personally up to me to determine the source of the virus. That's up to the scientists who are interested in doing so rather than being intimidated by people who might label them as "conspiracy theorists" for even asking the questions.

It's not wrong to inquire about the origins of the virus. It's wrong to use that question as a political weapon, as you are doing here by equating serious scientific research with "murder".

 

[DaisyDay]

Covid 19 coronavirus: Wuhan lab leak evidence 'overwhelming', scientists say - NZ Herald

FALSE:Through his research paper, Dr Steven Quay, proved that the there is a 99.8% chance that SARS-CoV-2 was actually a virus that escaped from a lab. - Poynter

FALSE: Through his research paper, Dr Steven Quay, proved that the there is a 99.8% chance that SARS-CoV-2 was actually a virus that escaped from a lab.
Explanation: The document which is presented as Dr Quay's research is not a scientific study, but rather a self published report with random information and photos. There is no explanation as to what protocol was used to source the data or the research methodology that the author used to reach his conclusions. Moreover this report has not passed the peer-review process, meaning that the data and the conclusions have not been examined by anyone.

 

[Aldebaran]

It's not wrong to inquire about the origins of the virus. It's wrong to use that question as a political weapon, as you are doing here by equating serious scientific research with "murder".

And where did I do that?

 

[Aldebaran]

FALSE:Through his research paper, Dr Steven Quay, proved that the there is a 99.8% chance that SARS-CoV-2 was actually a virus that escaped from a lab. - Poynter

So says someone named Ellinika Hoaxes.

 

[FireDragon76]

And where did I do that?

Causing the deaths of millions of people and then winning a prize soon after is a bit ironic, don't ya think?

"Cause" has fairly strong implications and is unnecessarily inflammatory. We might as well say that Trump caused millions of deaths due to COVID-19, using the same logic, for instance.

Actually, that would be more honest and truthful.