January 2021 Linkpost

In a year where everything’s running low, turns out sperm banks are too—leading to some DIY solutions that might make you rethink your next Facebook group join.

Academic Research & Science

The Lab-Leak Hypothesis (nymag.com)
This deep dive explores the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 originated from a lab accident, drawing on virology research and historical lab mishaps. Key figures like Shi Zhengli and Ralph Baric conducted gain-of-function experiments, creating chimeric viruses by inserting bat spike proteins into SARS backbones, as detailed in their 2015 paper. Evidence includes SARS-CoV-2’s furin cleavage site, potentially from lab techniques like serial passaging, with no clear natural intermediate host found. The study implies a small but real risk—estimated by some at up to 80% over a decade—of lab leaks from global biosafety level 4 facilities. I would note that this challenges the dominant natural spillover narrative, urging better biosafety protocols to prevent future pandemics.

Covid-19 Immunity Likely Lasts for Years (technologyreview.com)
A Science study tracked immune responses in 185 recovered COVID-19 patients, mostly with mild cases, using blood samples over eight months. Methodology involved measuring antibodies, B cells, and T cells; antibodies declined moderately, but B and T cells persisted or increased, suggesting durable immunity. Data points: T cells akin to those from SARS lasting 17 years, with only a small fraction at risk of reinfection. Implications include bolstered herd immunity via vaccination, countering fears of short-lived protection. I would highlight how this offers hope for long-term vaccine efficacy, drawing parallels to other coronaviruses.

Daughters and Divorce: Evidence from Two Cultural Contexts (academic.oup.com)
Using Dutch registry data (over 1 million couples) and U.S. survey data (thousands of families), this paper examines if couples with daughters divorce more than those with sons. Methodology: Regression analysis controlling for factors like family size and education, finding no significant difference overall, with small effects in specific subgroups (e.g., 1% higher divorce with daughters in low-education U.S. families). Key conclusion: No broad “daughter effect,” challenging prior theories of son preference. Implications suggest cultural shifts toward gender equality in family dynamics. A colleague shared this, noting it debunks outdated assumptions about parental preferences.

Technology & Society

What Would the World Do Without GPS? (bbc.com)
This piece outlines GPS’s critical role in mobile networks (synchronizing base stations), finance (timing trades), and transportation (navigation, logistics). Vulnerabilities include jamming (e.g., Syrian military affecting Israeli airports) and solar storms like the 1859 Carrington Event. Historical backups like Loran were decommissioned post-GPS. A five-day outage could cost the UK £5.1bn and the US $1.5bn daily. Implications: Need for alternatives like eLoran or inertial navigation to safeguard infrastructure. I would observe that our overreliance on this tech mirrors broader fragilities in modern systems, much like how a single glitch can halt global trade.

The Sperm Kings Have a Problem: Too Much Demand (nytimes.com)
Amid pandemic shortages, with banks like Seattle Sperm Bank seeing 20% sales hikes but dwindling supplies, women turn to unregulated Facebook groups (e.g., one with 11,000 members run by donor Kyle Gordy, who fathered 35 children). Risks include lack of screening, but the trend reflects shifting taboos. Implications: Potential health and legal issues in informal donations, reshaping family-building norms. My friend mentioned this as a quirky sign of how crises accelerate social changes, like bypassing institutions for direct connections.

Politics & Current Events (2021)

The World Needs a Real Investigation Into the Origins of Covid-19 (wsj.com)
As a WHO team arrives in China amid entry delays and preapprovals, this essay calls for an independent probe into all origins, including lab escapes, beyond Beijing’s controlled reports. Evidence: China’s slow info release and scientist penalties. No specific methodology, but implications stress transparency to prevent future outbreaks. I would point out that politicized inquiries risk obscuring truths, much like debates over natural vs. accidental emergence.

Among the Insurrectionists (newyorker.com)
Eyewitness account of the January 6 Capitol breach: Trump rally fuels mob with fraud claims, leading to barriers overrun, offices ransacked, and chants like “Hang Mike Pence.” Five deaths, including officer Brian Sicknick; 50+ injured. Motivations: QAnon, white nationalism, egged by figures like Proud Boys’ Joe Biggs. Implications: Erodes democratic norms, empowers radicals. A pal shared this, emphasizing how online ferment turned real, threatening institutional stability.

Covid Improved How the World Does Science (bloomberg.com)
Pandemic spurred open-access publishing, with COVID advances shared online pre-peer review for rapid impact. Examples: Faster collaboration via platforms. No hard data on speeds, but implications: Retain this for quicker progress. I would note it’s like how crises force innovation, potentially transforming research norms.