*Meryl Nass and Sam Husseini interviewed by Dennis Bernstein on KPFA:* https://kpfa.org/player/?audio=332258 *(The interview begins at 16:05.)*
Where did COVID-19 come from? *by Josh Mitteldorf* Posted on April 17, 2020 <https://joshmitteldorf.scienceblog.com/2020/04/17/where-did-covid-19-come-from/> https://joshmitteldorf.scienceblog.com/2020/04/17/where-did-covid-19-come-from/ *There is genetic evidence suggestive of human tinkering in the genome, and there are news stories suggesting the virus might have been developed either at the Wuhan Institute of Virology or at the American virology lab at Fort Detrick. There are even some suggestions that the American and Chinese bioweapons labs may be working together, sharing samples and exchanging funding.* ------------------------------ *Part 1: The Genetic Evidence* *Preface* We rely on the scientific community as a context for almost every public policy decision. People who want to influence policy know this, and they don’t just lobby Congress, they also buy scientists, scientific reporting, and placement in prominent journals. Most scientists are honest, but they have to survive in a world where funding is tighter than it should be. It’s not surprising that some of them succumb and publish what powerful and corrupt institutions want them to. The question of a laboratory origin for COVID is politically explosive, so we expect a heavy hand restraining the science establishment. Those of us seeking an honest answer, who have a little expertise, a little horse sense, and a lot of patience, are left to sift through information, misinformation, and disinformation in a politicized environment. *Click on the link for the rest.* BIOTECHNOLOGY <https://www.independentsciencenews.org/sections/biotechnology/>, COMMENTARIES <https://www.independentsciencenews.org/sections/commentaries/> , HEALTH <https://www.independentsciencenews.org/sections/health/> APRIL 14, 2020 COVID-19: A wake-up call for biosafety https://www.independentsciencenews.org/health/covid-19-a-wake-up-call-for-biosafety/ by Jonathan Matthews of GMWatch <https://gmwatch.org/en/> Like many of our readers, we may be sheltering-in-place, but please don’t think we’re taking our eye off the ball. Although other issues may not seem so important at the moment, the COVID-19 virus will subside one day, yet we will still be facing huge threats such as the so-called “extinction crisis” (the collapse of biodiversity) and the failure to take biosafety seriously. Interestingly, the pandemic is making many people more alert to exactly these kinds of issues. Take, for instance, biosafety. While some experts have stated <https://thebulletin.org/2020/03/experts-know-the-new-coronavirus-is-not-a-bioweapon-they-disagree-on-whether-it-could-have-leaked-from-a-research-lab/> that COVID-19 has not been deliberately genetically engineered and released as a bioweapon, the possibility that it emerged from a research laboratory has not been ruled out. [image: Coronavirus in the blood]Coronavirus in the blood For instance, Rutgers University’s Prof Richard Ebright, a biosecurity expert who has been speaking out on biosafety issues for nearly 20 years, thinks that the COVID-19 pandemic could have started as an accidental release from a lab, such as one of the two known to have been studying bat coronaviruses in Wuhan, China, where the new coronavirus first emerged. And Stuart Newman, professor of cell biology and anatomy at New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York, editor-in-chief of the journal Biological Theory <https://www.springer.com/journal/13752>, and co-author of Biotech Juggernaut <https://www.routledge.com/Biotech-Juggernaut-Hope-Hype-and-Hidden-Agendas-of-Entrepreneurial-BioScience/Stevens-Newman/p/book/9781138043237>, adds crucial historical context that shows exploring whether COVID-19 could have been genetically engineered should not be dismissed as a subject fit only for conspiracy theorists. *Click on the link for the rest.* -- If you appreciate News From Underground, please consider making a donation — either a one-time gift or a monthly subscription: http://markcrispinmiller.com/support/ Thank you for your support. Ways to unsubscribe: 1) send a blank email to [email protected] PLEASE NOTE: you must unsubscribe using the SAME email with which you subscribed 2) go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "News From Underground" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/newsfromunderground/CAGxB6W8KtmLMBOodrU0gFA-dZ71nd-ETODgBLaZLScwRTyvpwg%40mail.gmail.com.
