But shortly virus ’ genetic makeup revealed early January , rumors began bubbling maybe virus engineered lab either intentionally accidentally released.An unfortunate coincidence fueled conspiracy theorists , says Robert Garry , virologist Tulane University New Orleans.The Wuhan Institute Virology “ close proximity ” seafood market , conducted research viruses , including coronaviruses , found bats potential cause disease people. “ That led people think , oh , escaped went sewers , somebody walked lab went market something , ” Garry says.Accidental releases viruses , including SARS , happened labs past.So “ something dismiss hand , ” Andersen says. “ That would foolish. ” Looking clues Andersen assembled team evolutionary biologists virologists , including Garry , several countries analyze virus clues could human-made , grown accidentally released lab .