A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it
answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.
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Straight from our paper - "The genomic features described here may explain in part the infectiousness and transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 inhumans. Although the evidence shows that SARS-CoV-2 is not a purposefully manipulated virus, it is currently impossible to prove or disprove the other theories of its origin described here. However, since we observed all notable SARS-CoV-2 features, including the optimized RBD and polybasic cleavage site, in related coronaviruses innature, we do not believe that any type of laboratory-based scenario is plausible"
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Right, but we do actually then state that no laboratory-based scenario is plausible.
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If I were on the other side I would then ask why you wrote this second sentence?
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Well, that's the genius of that sentence - it says "we do not _*believe*_ that any type of laboratory based scenario is_*plausible*_". "Not plausible" does not mean "impossible".
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2022-02-16 13:54
Andrew Rambaut
not-plausible to me means has a non-zero probability but still small
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Yup
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As Kristian says - the categorical bit is 'any'
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My problem your letter is that it ends with the its impossible to prove/disprove statement whereas the paper has more.
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"Believe" does a lot of heavy lifting here too - clearly this is our opinion (based on all the data, expertise, etc).