Coronapod: Uncertainty and the COVID 'lab-leak' theory
Nature Podcast
podcast@nature.com
4.5 • 893 Ratings
🗓️ 4 June 2021
⏱️ 18 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been allegations that SARS-CoV-2 could have originated in a Chinese lab. A phase one WHO investigation concluded that a 'lab-leak' was "extremely unlikely" and yet, the theory has seen a resurgence in recent weeks with several scientists wading into the debate.
In this episode of Coronapod, we delve into what scientists have been saying and ask how and why the 'lab-leak' hypothesis has gained so much traction. We ask if the way we communicate complex and nuanced science could be fuelling division, and what the fallout could be for international collaboration on ending the pandemic.
News: Divisive COVID ‘lab leak’ debate prompts dire warnings from researchers
Science: Investigate the origins of COVID-19
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Here's the truth about AI. AI is only as powerful as the platform it's built into. |
| 0:05.8 | ServiceNow puts AI to work for people across your business, removing friction and frustration |
| 0:11.2 | for your employees, supercharging productivity for your developers, providing intelligent |
| 0:16.5 | tools for your service agents to make customers happier, all built into a single platform |
| 0:21.5 | you can use right now. That's why the world works with ServiceNow. Visit ServiceNow.com |
| 0:27.8 | slash UK slash AI for people. This message comes from BetterHelp. Can you think of a time when you |
| 0:34.1 | didn't feel like you could be yourself, like you were hiding behind a mask. |
| 0:38.3 | BetterHelp online therapy is convenient, flexible and can help you learn to be your authentic self, |
| 0:44.3 | so you can stop hiding, because masks should be for Halloween fun, not for your emotions. |
| 0:50.6 | Take off the mask with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com today to get 10% off your first month. |
| 0:57.2 | That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P.com. |
| 1:02.4 | Welcome to CoronaPod. |
| 1:05.8 | In this show, we're going to bring you Nature's Take on the latest COVID-19 developments. And we'll be speaking |
| 1:12.2 | to experts around the world about research during the pandemic. We're entering a new era now. We've |
| 1:20.3 | new COVID strategies. There's some new unknowns and we've got a vaccine. |
| 1:30.6 | Hello and welcome to CoronaPod. |
| 1:36.5 | We've been away for a few weeks, but now we're back and on the line as ever is reporter Amy Maxman. |
| 1:37.5 | Hi, Amy, how are you doing? |
| 1:38.9 | Hi, I'm good. How are you? |
| 1:40.3 | Not bad, thank you. So we've had a few weeks off, and in the last few weeks, an awful lot has happened, |
| 1:44.6 | including a resurgence of something that we've spoken about before, which is the lab leak theory. |
| 1:50.8 | So we'll talk a little bit more about this in a minute. But before we do that, can you tell us |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from podcast@nature.com, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of podcast@nature.com and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.