Haunted by the Hanta Virus: The 325th Evolutionary Lens with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying

75 snips

May 9, 2026

They dig into hantavirus natural history, transmission routes, and puzzling shipboard cases. They debate ivermectin as a potential antiviral and why WHO and big biotechs respond the way they do. They examine Moderna’s vaccine work and the economics behind vaccine rollouts. They challenge official drought declarations using regional water metrics and bureaucratic incentives.

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INSIGHT

Systematic Review Finds Little Evidence For Human Spread

A systematic review found scant evidence for human-to-human transmission except weak, biased signals for one South American strain.
Heather Heying cites the Journal of Infectious Diseases review concluding overall evidence does not support routine human-to-human spread.

INSIGHT

RNA Virus Evolution Explains Lab Focus

Single-stranded RNA viruses evolve fast, making them preferred targets for gain-of-function experiments.
Bret links that evolutionary property to why labs focus on RNA viruses and why ivermectin discussions recur.

ADVICE

Consider Ivermectin Early For Single Stranded RNA Exposure

Consider ivermectin as a low-risk, plausible early treatment for single-stranded RNA infections pending trials.
Bret argues its safety profile makes even a small chance of benefit worth using for exposed people.

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On this, our 325th Evolutionary Lens livestream, we discuss Hanta virus and drought. First: what is the natural history of Hantavirus, do any Hantaviruses transmit directly from human to human, and what is going on with the M.V. Hondius, the cruise ship on which Hantavirus has made a stand? Given its mechanisms of action, Ivermectin is likely to treat Hantavirus (a negative sense single-stranded RNA virus), but the WHO dismisses the possibility. Moderna is working on a Hantavirus vaccine, even though the Number Needed to Treat is sky high. What is going on? Then: in Washington state, we’re experiencing a very wet drought. The Department of Ecology has declared a drought (again), and the snow pack is low, but all other indicators—from rivers to reservoirs to soil moisture—are excellent. Cliff Mass, atmospheric scientist, puts the evidence in one place and calls bull on the drought diagnosis.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Hantavirus and the elders: https://asm.org/articles/2024/october/indigenous-knowledge-solved-mysterious-outbreak

Toledo et al 2022. Evidence for human-to-human transmission of hantavirus: a systematic review. The Journal of infectious diseases, 226(8): 1362-1371: https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/226/8/1362/6369311

Zaidi & Dehgani-Mobaraki 2022. The mechanisms of action of ivermectin against SARS-CoV-2—an extensive review. The Journal of antibiotics, 75(2): 60-71: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41429-021-00491-6

The WHO on the recent outbreak: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON599

Cliff Mass – There is no drought emergency: https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-is-no-drought-emergency-in.html

Statewide drought declared in WA: https://ecology.wa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/news/2026/april-8-statewide-drought-declared-due-to-dismal-snowpack

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