--- title: "US Spies Have Obtained Genetic Data “Treasure Trove” From Wuhan Lab" description: "CNN claims US agencies are reviewing genetic data relating to the origins of COVID-19. Read more about the Wuhan lab leak hypothesis here." date: "2021-08-05" modified: "2021-08-11" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/us-spies-have-obtained-genetic-data-wuhan-lab" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "china" - "coronavirus" - "lab leak" - "virus" --- # US Spies Have Obtained Genetic Data “Treasure Trove” From Wuhan Lab ![US intelligence has gained access to what CNN is calling "a treasure trove of genetic data that could be key to uncovering the origins of the coronavirus."]() *\Image: NIH\* Did the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic jump from an animal to human host, as [most scientists believe](), or did it [leak from a lab]() in Wuhan, China? The [White House wants to find out](). And now, US intelligence agencies have gained access to what [*CNN* is calling]() "a treasure trove of genetic data that could be key to uncovering the origins of the coronavirus." It will take time to make sense of what sounds like a considerable amount of raw data. Agents are making use of supercomputers at the Department of Energy and hiring scientists with high enough security clearance and who speak Mandarin, according to *CNN*. The investigation is part of a much wider to push to study the coronavirus's origins. In March, the Chinese government [refused to turn over data]() pertaining to the virus to the World Health Organization and the US, a controversial move that only sparked renewed calls for further investigation. In May, US president Joe Biden [ordered]() American intelligence agencies to investigate the lab leak hypothesis. So far, we have more questions than answers. Investigators have yet to find any definitive evidence suggesting the virus either was intentionally leaked from a lab or jumped to humans from animals. The new "treasure trove" of data is unlikely to fill in all the gaps in our knowledge about the virus' origins and evolution, according to *CNN*. Experts argue that even with a full picture of the virus' early genome, without the proper context we're unlikely to ever nail down its precise origins. ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()