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Also, in the accompanying press release from Scripps, Kristian Andersen says:

“These two features of the virus, the mutations in the RBD portion of the spike protein and its distinct backbone, rules out laboratory manipulation as a potential origin for SARS-CoV-2.”

https://www.scripps.edu/news-and-events/press-room/2020/2020...

There's no hedging there and it's a press release, meaning it's targeted toward journalists and the public.

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ruling out laboratory manipulation != ruling out the virus escaping from a lab.

lab manipulation = bio-engineered; the authors clearly distinguish those two things.

In that April slack conversation, the lead author expressed strong, persistent concern about a lab cultured virus that had adapted and become pandemic-ready through that process. Lab culturing = lab manipulation.

Authors have taken their names off papers for much less.

Manipulation implies control does it not? I don’t think most people would assume lab manipulation meant merely growing it

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