Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps "How the Lab Leak Got Cred" with Elizabeth Finkel
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Sep 22, 2025 Elizabeth Finkel, a seasoned science journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of COSMOS, dives into the controversies surrounding the origins of COVID-19. She unpacks the transition of the lab leak hypothesis into mainstream conversation and debates the implications of misinformation on public trust in science. Topics include the role of gain-of-function research, the investigation of the Huanan market, and the challenges scientists face when communicating uncertainty. Finkel’s insights provide a compelling look at navigating science in a post-truth world.
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Early Genome Release Drama
- Eddie Holmes and a Chinese collaborator raced to release the viral genome in early January 2020 despite Chinese orders to await permission.
- Zhang faced punishment at home but was hailed internationally for making the sequence public.
Two Tweaks Sparked Big Fears
- Early experts feared engineering because two small changes in the spike looked significant.
- After analysis, most concluded those changes were more plausibly natural than deliberate engineering.
Pangolin Sequence Shifted The Debate
- A pangolin coronavirus shared a receptor-binding mutation with SARS-CoV-2, weakening the engineered-origin claim.
- That left only the furin cleavage site as the main remaining mystery.
