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As a deadly new virus starts spreading in Wuhan, China, so do rumours about a lab there.

In the remote, jungle-covered hills of China\u2019s far-southwestern Yunnan Province, teams of scientists have spent years intensively researching one animal: bats. The scientists are virus hunters, trying to better understand and mitigate the threat of new viruses jumping from bats to other animals and humans, potentially setting off a pandemic.

Their samples of bat droppings are brought back to labs, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology. So when a new coronavirus begins killing people in that same city, questions are raised about whether the people trying to stop a pandemic could\u2019ve accidentally triggered one.

Archive: CBS; The White House; NPR; CGTN; NBC.

Presenter: John Sudworth \nSeries producer: Simon Maybin\nEditor: Richard Vadon \nSound design and mix: James Beard \nCommissioning editor: Dan Clarke \nScience advice: Julian Siddle and Victoria Gill\nExtra production: Eva Artesona and Kathy\nLong Research support: Zisheng Xu and BBC Monitoring \nProduction coordinators: Siobhan Reed, Helena Warwick-Cross, Sophie Hill, and Debbie Richford \nTheme and original music: Pete Cunningham, with trumpet by Joss Murray Radio 4 \nEditor of Editorial Standards: Roger Mahony\nHead of BBC News - Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon