1/N
Many non-experts peddle garbage articles from Nicholas Wade defending the conspiracy theory that SARS-CoV-2 came from a lab.
This shows much of the defense of 'lab leak' isn't based on knowledge, but instead paranoia, etc.
nicholaswade.medium.com/origin-of-covi…
thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-or…
2/N
For context:
This is not the first time Nicholas Wade said nonsense outside his field of expertise to suit his preferred ideologically-motivated narrative, despite experts correcting him.
sciencemag.org/news/2014/08/g…
cehg.stanford.edu/letter-from-po…
3/N
Wade's discussion of the furin cleavage site shows willful ignorance of what's been known about SARS-CoV-2 since at least May 2020.
thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-or…
4/N
This statement of his is asinine:
"But that seemed not to matter when so much further evidence in support of natural emergence was expected shortly"
thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-or…
Wade needs a lesson on how long work in this subject takes.
5/N
1) HIV was well-adapted to humans, with a higher CFR that SARS-CoV-2. Does that mean it escaped from a lab?
2) SARS-CoV-2 adapted to humans during the pandemic [hint: *VARIANTS!* 🤦♂️]
3) Adaptations doesn't require a lab.
nature.com/articles/s4159…
thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-or…
6/N
I've worked with mouse models of human diseases for years. It's like Wade doesn't have the first clue about how they work, their limitations, etc.
thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-or…
7/N
The symptoms experience *non-specific*, and could easily come from fungi common in caves/mines.
Seriously, this is 1st-year-medical-student-level info. Wade is ignorant. 🙄
thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-or…
8/N
Could list many other fabrications / misleading claims in Wade's article. But evidence won't persuade most of those attracted to 'lab leak' conspiracy theories.
It's like baseless paranoia about HIV's origins all over again😑
9/N
I made a thread going through 'lab origin' conspiracy theories one by one almost a year ago...
...Only to find that people are still peddling the same garbage now.
Again, like dealing with other science deniers. 🤦♂️
researchgate.net/profile/G_Mich…
10/N
It's amazing to me how many non-experts peddled Nicholas Wade's claims as being credible.
A modicum of biological literacy or scientific meta-literacy would have prevented that.
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