It’s been two years since covid-19 was declared a pandemic by WHO and we still don’t know the origin of covid-19

That means there is little cause for complacency. With the virus still circulating widely, the risk of a dangerous new variant emerging is very real.

Two years on, we’re still debating where and why covid-19 started in the first place, because scientists are still hunting for the ultimate clues.

Welcome to Curious coincidence. A five-part podcast that tells the story of finding those clues. Hosted by our biomedical senior editor, Antonio Regalado, this is a viral genomic detective story about people in the lab doing sensitive research on germs. danger and the crisis they are facing.

It’s a story about why people keep quiet and why they speak up. It’s about the sheer power of biotechnology, the science that allows us to develop vaccines so quickly – but also what gets us into trouble in the first place.

Why is it so hard to find its origin story, and why is finding it important?

As Natasha Loder, health policy editor at the Economist, said in the podcast: “You can’t learn from history if you don’t know what your history is, if your history is buried.”

Listen to Curious Coincidence on Apple, Spotifyor wherever you usually go to listen to podcasts.