Bats have a lethal weapon against viruses

The only flying mammal, the bat represents an inexhaustible source of mysteries for biologists: it lives particularly long, does not develop cancer and has an extraordinary resistance to viral infections.

It is on this last property that CNRS scientists looked in a recent article published in

explains Christian Vincenot, professor at the University of Luxembourg, specialist in bats.

Two hypotheses have been competing for several years.

Do bats have a more effective immune system than other mammals?

Or is it a consequence of their flight-adapted metabolism?

In full flight, a bat can indeed reach up to 1000 heartbeats per minute and consume 1200 calories per hour in some species.

This corresponds to an energy expenditure...

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