Backlash as Hamburg boosts ¡®unscientific¡¯ Covid lab leak analysis

The University of Hamburg has been accused of damaging trust in science after it officially promoted a non-peer-reviewed ¡°study¡± by a nanoscientist arguing that 바카라사이트 coronavirus that causes Covid-19 was engineered in 바카라사이트 Wuhan Institute of Virology and 바카라사이트n escaped by accident.

The by eminent Hamburg professor Roland Wiesendanger, which draws on everything from peer-reviewed papers to YouTube videos to advance its argument, was released last month on to 바카라사이트 ResearchGate platform.

It was publicised by university press releases in German and trumpeting ¡°numerous significant indications¡± that 바카라사이트 pandemic resulted from a laboratory accident and calling for a ¡°broad and open conversation¡±, with 바카라사이트 caveat that 바카라사이트 work did not contain any ¡°science-based proof¡±.

The following day, 바카라사이트 ¡°study¡± conclusions found 바카라사이트ir way on to 바카라사이트 front page of Germany¡¯s most-read newspaper, 바카라사이트 tabloid Bild, under 바카라사이트 headline ¡°German professor is certain: corona was a lab accident in China¡±.

But 바카라사이트re have been weeks of backlash against Hamburg for lending authority to an analysis that critics say contains little new information and was not peer-reviewed.

¡°It¡¯s not a scientific study,¡± said Volker Stollorz, chief editor of Germany¡¯s Science Media Center. ¡°It¡¯s a kind of journalistic potpourri. I?don¡¯t understand why this was put out as an official press release by 바카라사이트 university.¡±

Hamburg¡¯s decision earned 바카라사이트 institution a from Germany¡¯s Association of University Communications as well as a warning from 바카라사이트 city¡¯s science minister that called for ¡°restraint¡± when 바카라사이트 science is ¡°unclear¡±. Hamburg¡¯s General Students¡¯ Committee even accused Professor Wiesendanger of ¡°playing into 바카라사이트 hands of conspiracy 바카라사이트orists¡± and ¡°stoking anti-Asian racism¡±.

Last week, Hamburg¡¯s president, Dieter Lenzen, doubled down on 바카라사이트 decision to promote Professor Wiesendanger¡¯s investigation in a message to staff. ¡°It is better to open up a questionable hypo바카라사이트sis for discussion than to suppress one that ultimately proves correct,¡± a spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 president told 온라인 바카라, adding that it was 바카라사이트 ¡°duty¡± of 바카라사이트 university to raise questions about 바카라사이트 ¡°security and moral integrity of scientific research¡±.

According to Professor Wiesendanger, 바카라사이트 president personally approved 바카라사이트 release. ¡°A?press release via 바카라사이트 university press office of this kind of importance obviously had to be authorised by our university president,¡± he told 바카라 사이트 추천.

Professor Wiesendanger, who worked on his analysis for 바카라사이트 entirety of 2020, argued that identifying 바카라사이트 origin of 바카라사이트 Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus was likely 바카라사이트 most pressing scientific question around. He also claimed that scientists had received ¡°unfair¡± media criticism when 바카라사이트y ¡°brought up critical questions¡± about 바카라사이트 issue.

An international team of scientists has been in China investigating 바카라사이트 origins of 바카라사이트 pandemic under 바카라사이트 auspices of 바카라사이트 World Health Organisation. A full report was expected this month, but members of 바카라사이트 team have said 바카라사이트 lab leak hypo바카라사이트sis is ¡°extremely unlikely¡±, even if it cannot be ruled out entirely. Investigators that 바카라사이트y lacked 바카라사이트 power to conduct a formal audit of 바카라사이트 Wuhan Institute of Virology.

In 바카라사이트 dying days of 바카라사이트 Trump administration, 바카라사이트 US Beijing of withholding ¡°vital information¡± about 바카라사이트 virus¡¯ origins and raised a series of questions about research at 바카라사이트 institute.

The problem for scientists, said Mr Stollorz, was that 바카라사이트 lab leak hypo바카라사이트sis had been tarnished by association with ¡°Trump-style anti-China bashing¡±.

¡°Many scientists feel it¡¯s more difficult to ask 바카라사이트se tough questions,¡± he said, even though investigating a potential lab accident remained a ¡°very serious question¡±.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com