zlacker

>>datafl+(OP)
If we apply Occam's razor [1] decision between "Wuhan, however, is home of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a leading world center for research on coronaviruses" and "Wuhan, there is a wet market where under certain conditions virus can jump from bat to monkey to person" is relatively straightforward

But then, we should probably also apply Hanlon's razor [2] "never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_razor

[2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon%27s_razor

>>seymor+Jo
I assume practically every city in China has wet markets. I wonder how many cities have facilities that do virus research. It might actually be more than you'd assume; I have no idea what sort of research might happen at universities, You also have to weigh this with SARS Classic originating in China.

>>dehrma+ir
"a leading world center for research on coronaviruses" presumes some form of uniqueness amongst potential other similar facilities

>>seymor+7s
Presumably they specialised in coronaviruses because of the proximity to a bat population with coronaviruses, making sample gathering much easier? Are there other areas with significant coronavirus hosts? Are there other labs that specialise in coronaviruses to the same extent? The two seem linked to me, although I have no background in this area.

So we'd a priori expect coronavirus to originate in the area with coronavirus hosts, whether it was through the lab or the market...

>>verbif+iy
Is going out with butterfly nets to catch some bats a common routine activity among virologists? I'd say if not then the proximity of the research lab to where any bats can be found is not of much relevance - if needed, any bats can be obtained, but they are likely not the most definite factory for locating a major research center.