this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2023
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A Harvard/Oxford team of researchers has developed a tool to predict viral mutations. They say it would have correctly predicted all of Covid's mutations and evolution. (news.harvard.edu)
submitted 1 year ago by Lugh@futurology.today to c/futurology@futurology.today
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A Harvard/Oxford team of researchers has developed a tool to predict viral mutations. They say that had it been available at the start of the pandemic, it would have correctly predicted all the Covid mutations that evolved to dominate.

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[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

It's a prediction model that runs a bunch of eventual alternative results. It doesn't "predict" anything. It just gives you a jillion (industry term) eventualities. Doesn't mean a thing unless it correctly calculates the actual outcome.

[–] kglitch@kglitch.social 2 points 1 year ago

Did you read the article?

[–] Lugh@futurology.today 2 points 1 year ago

It often surprises me how much doomerism influences thinking about the future. To be convincing, it seems a classic case of cherry-picking facts, to ignore all the good news about the future.

Here's a great example. AI is rapidly advancing our defense against viruses. It's stunning to think a tool is available that could have predicted how Covid would have evolved. It's reassuring to know this weapon against viruses will be available in the future.