/oss/taxonomy/term/4820/all en /oss/article/covid-19-history-general-science/bat-poop-accused-crimes <p>COVID has not been kind to bats. They have been accused of harbouring the SARS-CoV-2 virus and transferring it to people via an animal vector. But this is not the first time that these flying mammals have hit the headlines. Back in 1993, newspaper readers were stunned by this one: “Holy Blam, Batman! Bat Dung Brews Methane; Park Building Explodes!”</p> Fri, 09 Jul 2021 18:32:34 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8781 at /oss /oss/article/general-science/bats-stand-accused <p>No, the original cause of COVID-19 was not someone eating bats in China. That is a myth. But bats are not off the hook because there is a chance that the SARS CoV-2 virus did originate in bat poop from where it migrated to an animal, likely the pangolin, from where it jumped to humans. Interestingly, this is not the first time that bat droppings have been accused of crimes against humanity.<br /> <br /></p> Wed, 30 Sep 2020 20:40:14 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8431 at /oss