Gregg Gonsalves: You may have opinions on COVID19 origins, but Eddie Holmes brings the evidence. He's one of the world's top scientists working on viral emergence. This is worth, actually required, reading for anyone interested in the subject. There will be a quiz afterwards. www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

You may have opinions on COVID19 origins, but Eddie Holmes brings the evidence. He's one of the world's top scientists working on viral emergence. This is worth, actually required, reading for anyone interested in the subject. There will be a quiz afterwards. www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

The Emergence and Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 | Annual Reviewswww.annualreviews.org The origin of SARS-CoV-2 has evoked heated debate and strong accusations, yet seemingly little resolution. I review the scientific evidence on the origin of SARS-CoV-2 and its subsequent spread throug...

At this point I'm past arguing with the tin foil people about the origins, and only want forced ventilation upgrades in EVERY public space

I will read it carefully and expect to have sufficient background to follow the discussion but it would helpful if there was a way of conveying the information to people with modest scientific background (eg objective members of Congress). Totally understand how hard this is ( mathematician here)

So there are lay-person versions of this. Will find and post.

Wonderful! Thank you so much.

First from NPR. The sources are well-respected scientists. www.npr.org/sections/goa...

What does the science say about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic?www.npr.org Two U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly support the lab leak theory — with low-to-moderate confidence. No evidence has been shared. Scientists have strong evidence of animal spillover at a market.

Thank you for both of these!

Thank you so much for this. Since NPR has been a respected news source it will be easier to encourage "the reluctant" to consider this!

The penultimate paragraph of this piece goes like this: "Various factors may account for this public drift to the lab-leak hypothesis. In my view, a preponderance of empirical evidence is not one of them." 1/ www.nytimes.com/2023/07/25/m...

The Ongoing Mystery of Covid’s Originwww.nytimes.com We still don’t know how the pandemic started. Here's what we do know — and why it matters.

Continuing: "I agree it’s important to remain open-minded toward a lab-leak possibility, but most of the arguments made in support of that possibility boil down to conjecture from circumstance and unsupported accusations." end/

The Ongoing Mystery of Covid’s Originwww.nytimes.com We still don’t know how the pandemic started. Here's what we do know — and why it matters.

This is great as well. From "the best of Times", hopefully we can turn things around and get through "the worst of Times". Love that Bergstrom is cited. He doesn't suffer fools, and yet is so kind!

Quammen says, sure, lab leak "possible," but says that not if you based your evaluation on evidence. He's been covering viruses for years.

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So if it was a lab leak, what exactly are the practical ramifications? It just seems to me that this question is seized upon almost entirely by people seeking to use the answer to deflect blame from their own utter failure to respond adequately.

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