After more than a year and a half of lockdowns, variants, and vaccines, there seems to be no more important question than: where did SARS-CoV-2 come from? The idea that the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 escaped from a Chinese laboratory has now become a mainstream topic. But what is this hypothesis based on? In this video, I’ll give you 8 verifiable facts and then evaluate whether the natural emergence or lab leak theories best fit that evidence. We know that gain-of-function research was being conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology on SARS-like bat coronaviruses collected from Yunnan province around 2012. We know that this research was manipulating these viruses to increase their virulence for more than 6 years. We know that many examples of pathogenic lab leaks exist in history. We know that coronavirus research was being conducted in minimal Biosafety Level 2 safety conditions, and that the Wuhan lab was cited by the US State Department for biosecurity risks. We know many soldiers from around the world came to Wuhan around the most likely time for a lab leak to occur. We know that the virus emerged in Wuhan with minimal genetic diversity, yet incredibly well adapted to infecting human cells. We know that the virus contains an unusual feature, the furin cleavage site, not possessed by any other known SARS-like beta-coronaviruses. 0:00 Introduction 0:40 Coronaviruses don't normally originate in Wuhan 3:46 The Wuhan lab conducted gain-of-function research 7:25 A long history of pathogens escaping labs 9:28 US State Department warning of biosecurity risks 10:10 Reports of sicknesses at lab and Military World Games 11:21 Conflicts of interest of lab leak critics 13:34 Evidence doesn't prove natural emergence 14:25 Unusual furin cleavage site 15:09 Which scenario is more likely? Links to Sources: The COVID lab-leak hypothesis: what scientists do and don’t know | https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-01529-3 Mapping Biosafety Level 4 Labs around the world | https://www.globalbiolabs.org/map Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5 Emergence of Bat-Related Betacoronaviruses: Hazard and Risks | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.591535 How China’s ‘Bat Woman’ Hunted Down Viruses from SARS to the New Coronavirus | https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0620-24 Nicholas Wade’s “Origin of Covid — Following the Clues” | https://nicholaswade.medium.com/ Statement in support of the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China combatting COVID-19 | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30418-9 Liu Xin's exclusive interview with China's 'Batwoman' | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bppR6UQNJO0 Vincent Racaniello’s Interview with Peter Daszak | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdYDL_RK--w U.S. Government Gain-of-Function Deliberative Process and Research Funding Pause on Selected Gain-of-Function Research Involving Influenza, MERS, and SARS Viruses | http://www.phe.gov/s3/dualuse/Documents/gain-of-function.pdf NIAID Funding | https://reporter.nih.gov/search/xQW6UJmWfUuOV01ntGvLwQ/project-details/9491676 A SARS-like cluster of circulating bat coronaviruses shows potential for human emergence | https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3985 Isolation and characterization of a bat SARS-like coronavirus that uses the ACE2 receptor | https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12711 Shi Zeng Li’s Response to Science Magazine | https://www.sciencemag.org/sites/default/files/Shi%20Zhengli%20Q%26A.pdf State Department cables warned of safety issues at Wuhan lab studying bat coronaviruses | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/14/state-department-cables-warned-safety-issues-wuhan-lab-studying-bat-coronaviruses/ Fact Sheet: Activity at the Wuhan Institute of Virology | https://2017-2021.state.gov/fact-sheet-activity-at-the-wuhan-institute-of-virology/index.html Congress is investigating whether the 2019 Military World Games in Wuhan was a covid-19 superspreader event | https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/06/23/congress-wuhan-military-games-2019-covid/