Virus Hunters
I could never have been a scientist, especially this type:
Before entering the cave, the small team of scientists pull on hazmat suits, face masks and thick gloves to cover every inch of their skin. Contact with bat droppings or urine could expose them to some of the world's deadliest unknown viruses.
Equipped with headlights, they set their nets up at the entrance of the dark opening overhung with bamboo trees, which is part of a vast system of limestone caves in China's south-western Yunnan province.
Doesn't this just sound like a groovy job!?!!??
But someone's gotta do it. And these guys are tough.
When the sun sets, thousands of bats fly out of the caves, looking for food -- and straight into their nets.
The scientists collect the nets and carefully put the bats to sleep with a mild anesthetic, before delicately extracting blood from a vein on their wings. "We also carry out oral and faecal swabs and gather droppings," says Peter Daszak, who presides over EcoHealth Alliance, an American NGO which specializes in detecting new viruses and pandemic prevention.
"We (have) collected more than 15,000 bat samples, which led to the identification of around 500 new coronaviruses," he says.
(https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/26/health/virus-hunters-bat-cave-coronavirus-hnk-intl/index.html)
15,000 samples! And 500 coronaviruses!
If they've ID'd about 500...... wonder what percentage that is? 2%, 10%, 25%
The perils of nature are truly all around us.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt
Before entering the cave, the small team of scientists pull on hazmat suits, face masks and thick gloves to cover every inch of their skin. Contact with bat droppings or urine could expose them to some of the world's deadliest unknown viruses.
Equipped with headlights, they set their nets up at the entrance of the dark opening overhung with bamboo trees, which is part of a vast system of limestone caves in China's south-western Yunnan province.
Doesn't this just sound like a groovy job!?!!??
But someone's gotta do it. And these guys are tough.
When the sun sets, thousands of bats fly out of the caves, looking for food -- and straight into their nets.
The scientists collect the nets and carefully put the bats to sleep with a mild anesthetic, before delicately extracting blood from a vein on their wings. "We also carry out oral and faecal swabs and gather droppings," says Peter Daszak, who presides over EcoHealth Alliance, an American NGO which specializes in detecting new viruses and pandemic prevention.
"We (have) collected more than 15,000 bat samples, which led to the identification of around 500 new coronaviruses," he says.
(https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/26/health/virus-hunters-bat-cave-coronavirus-hnk-intl/index.html)
15,000 samples! And 500 coronaviruses!
If they've ID'd about 500...... wonder what percentage that is? 2%, 10%, 25%
The perils of nature are truly all around us.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt
