[sloppycee]

> Simple explanation is almost always right over complex ones.

What's more likely?

An amazing coincidence:

  - The origin of this novel disease is 20 miles from a research lab.
  - The research lab is actively studying zoonotic viruses.
  - The genome suggests a ~10 years lineage from the closest bat coronavirus (96% identical). This strain of Bat coronavirus has gone under the radar for that long?
  - Despite the numerous mutations it has the exact same envelope protein to that closest bat coronavirus. This is extremely unusual even for closely related viruses.
  - China is 'overreacting': has quarantined 50 million people, stationed armed guards in hazmat suits and is scrambling to build overflow hospitals.

OR

Someone responsible for disposing of test animals (bats) decided instead to make a quick buck selling them to a market 20 miles down the street?

[Natsu]

To be fair, it might have been first identified there because there was a lab equipped to isolate it, but I don't really know. I mean, China has had a problem with things like fake eggs, so who knows?

Its DNA seems to have been sequenced and made available online. If it's anything that has obviously been tampered with by a lab, I expect someone to point that out sooner or later. That said, I have no idea what sort of thing could be detected in the first place.

[beaunative]

Fake eggs are known to cost more than real eggs. Much like fake meat today. Where do you get that information?

[Natsu]

I saw it long ago so I'm not sure, but it was probably from this:

https://www.chinasmack.com/shanghainese-netizen-finds-fake-c...