NPR
Animal spillover? Lab leak? What the science says about the origins of COVID-19
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Dr. Anthony Fauci's pandemic diaries were released in 2024, containing notes from his communications during the early COVID-19 response. The diaries reignited discussion among researchers about whether SARS-CoV-2 originated from animal spillover or from a laboratory incident. Scientists have presented evidence supporting both hypotheses, though no definitive consensus has been reached on the virus's origin.