Originally Posted by
Mesabah
I think you have been misled here, because the virus being studied at the lab, already had those specific characteristics. It would take only a few human tissue samples to manufacture a derivative.
You can hypothetically MANUFACTURE a virus designed to do certain things. This has been done, but there's no indication that it's EVER been done as a bio-weapon. But that will leave tell-tale genetic markers from the gene splicing (which is not neat and tidy). The covid genome has already been examined and that was ruled out long ago.
In order to develop a non-genetically engineered virus, which would appear natural without gene splices, you would need to do old-fashioned SELECTIVE BREEDING, like you learned about in HS biology or ag class. That would take a lot of hosts, and a lot of time. If you use commonly available lab animals (ex rats), there's no guarantee or likelihood that your end result would affect humans at all, or in the manner you hoped for.
Cliff's notes here:
https://www.wusa9.com/video/news/ver...8-833d706996d7
CIA came to the same conclusion, despite pressure from the previous administration to blame the lab.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/0...-theory-226269
I'd believe that the wuhan lab was experimenting with covid, and it's at least remotely possible it escaped from the lab.
But it was not engineered as a bio-weapon. Remotely (very), hypothetically possible they were breeding it in rats or bats or something to do research on contagious coronaviruses.
But I still think Occam's razor favors the wet markets, you've got everything you need right there with no hygiene controls.