I feel like the comments to this article exemplify the worst of HN - the assumption things other than computer science probably have simple solutions no one has thought of yet.
For example, one commentator suggests possibly every patient, doctor, and researcher has missed that merely taking cough drops would completely clear up long covid.
Even if it's true in some rare cases, I think we would be better off presuming that any active subject of research can't be solved by an outsider thinking about it for five minutes.
I really appreciate HN for providing a refreshingly healthy, intellectually stimulating forum for discussion. In fact, as someone who is decidedly outside the tech-space, I mainly come here for the articles and discussions that have nothing to do with technology. At the same time, I think HN prides itself on being different from the myopic hivemind typical of other social media outlets - anecdotally, this something that I haven't found to be entirely accurate. (See anything about STEM vs. non-STEM education, medicine or biotechnology for an example of what I'm talking about).
I think the subjects HN broadly has blindspots in is actually really wide but maybe being aware of them is specific to one's field. For a long time until recently I was similarly outside the tech space and the misconceptions about my former field that are asserted here with absolute confidence are staggering. Conversely, surely there are plenty of us here from all kinds of fields, so I even feel silly talking about HN as any kind of monolith. It's sticky!
I disagree with your last point. We should presume that it's very probable that an outsider thinking for five minutes won't be producing a solution, but not disregard the possibility.
For example, one commentator suggests possibly every patient, doctor, and researcher has missed that merely taking cough drops would completely clear up long covid.
Even if it's true in some rare cases, I think we would be better off presuming that any active subject of research can't be solved by an outsider thinking about it for five minutes.