Short Wave Where Did The Coronavirus Start? Virus Hunters Find Clues In Bats
Apr 15, 2020
Explore the fascinating world of bats, which harbor deadly zoonotic diseases like the coronavirus. Dive into the intense efforts of virus hunters tracking its origins and the critical role these creatures play in emerging illnesses. Uncover the unique immune systems of bats that help them resist viruses while flying. Investigate the evolutionary links between the virus and its wildlife hosts, challenging the lab-engineered theories. Reflect on humanity's role in outbreak risks and the importance of heeding scientific warnings.
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Contagion's Basis in Reality
- The movie Contagion references Linfa Wong's work with bat-borne diseases and fetal bat cells.
- This is relevant to his work on the 2003 SARS outbreak, traced to horseshoe bats in China.
Tracking SARS to Bats
- Tracing SARS to horseshoe bats took a decade of fieldwork, involving sampling bat guano (poop) and other bodily fluids.
- Dr. Linfa Wong describes the process and the importance of timing and location in collecting samples.
Bats: Vital but Dangerous
- Bats are essential for ecosystems, pollinating flowers, dispersing seeds, and controlling insects.
- However, they also harbor dangerous zoonotic diseases like rabies, Marburg, Hendra, Nipah, and Ebola.