Covid-19 made in a Lab? Ask Gilead and Baric.

The question of the novel coronavirus’ origins is easy to answer: what is its first known scientific identification? What is the first citation with a modicum of attributes characterizing its structure, and what is the date of these observations?

Sophisticated bioinformatic modeling of corona’s possible evolutionary history is  completely irrelevant without such information, and “expert opinion,” is hopeless hokum. A citation and a description are all that is relevant.

The raison d’etre of all ambitious scientists is to be the first to discover something, a new planet, particle, plant, bug, virus, or the geometry of the spec of dust. Every PhD on the planet dreams of lead authorship on a Nature published article describing the DNA, RNA, physiology, or habits of this or that previously unknown amoeba, bacillus, or novel chemical polymer, with the reward being a Nobel prize and getting a crater, or a creepy-crawly to carry one’s surname.

In 2015 American scientists predominantly from the U…