Since the identification of the SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan, China in Jan 2020, the origin of the virus has been a topic of intensive scientific debate and public speculation. The two main hypotheses are that the virus from human to an infected animal ("zoonosis" or a research-related-accident.) The investigation into the origin of the virus has been made difficult by the lack of key evidence from the earliest days of the outbreak. There is no doubt that a greater transparency would be enormously helpful. Nevertheless, we argue here that there is much important information that can be gleaned from US-based research...