
Why Are Bats Such Great Hosts for Viruses?
This year’s novel coronavirus pandemic again highlights an interesting fact in the animal world: Bats make great hosts for viruses. Research suggests that SARS-CoV-2 might have originated in bats. It is not the first virus to be transmitted from bats to humans, nor will it be the last. How is it this flying mammal survives all these viruses, while people do not fare nearly as well? The answer may surprise you.