Scientist who signed letter supporting lab-leak theory: We didn’t speak out sooner because we didn’t want to ally with Trump HotAir

The science around the lab leak theory hasn t changed. But here s why some scientists have. That s how NBC headlined this story about the sudden mainstreaming of the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 escaped into the population via a lab accident. I made that point in this morning s post about Fauci, who now wants the world to believe that he s always been open to the possibility of a lab leak even though he clearly hasn t. Why is it that scientists like him are suddenly ambivalent about the virus s origins when there s been no new evidence supporting the lab-leak theory to shift their thinking? What data are these allegedly data-focused people seeing that s moved them from a firm no on a lab accident to a modest maybe ?

The answer, according to a genetic engineer who spoke to NBC, is that there isn t any. The shift was political, not scientific. Alina Chan is no random scientist either: She s one of the 18 researchers who signed the now-famous letter to Science magazine last month urging colleagues to consider the possibility of a lab leak. That letter combined with Nicholas Wade s compelling analysis is what caused the dam holding back interest in the lab hypothesis to break.

And what inspired that letter, according to Chan, is that Trump s departure from office meant there was no longer any risk of being seen as aligned with him by speaking out.

It s nice of scientists, I guess, to finally admit that they suppressed the lab-leak theory for nakedly political reasons.

via hotair.com

It’s pretty obvious when you think about it. Scientists resemble people in most respects. (/satire)