The Political Battle Over Covid's Lab Leak Theory.

The hunt for Covid-19's origin has been shaped by politics and partisan lenses, with both Democrats and Republicans filtering the available evidence. The lab leak theory gained traction after former President Trump raised it, but conclusive proof remains out of reach. Recent findings have bolstered the market theory, but China is holding onto clues that could reshape the debate. Scientists have become lobbyists, competing for policymakers' time and favor, and some have successfully worked the corridors of power in Washington to force journalists, policymakers, and skeptical Democrats to take the lab leak idea seriously.