Why bats don't get sick - Arinjay Banerjee

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Consider a bat that is infected with several deadly viruses, including ones that cause rabies, SARS, and Ebola. While this diagnosis would be lethal for other mammals, the winged wonder is totally unfazed, and may even spend the next 30 years living as if this were totally normal— because for bats, it is. So what’s protecting bats from these dangerous infections? Arinjay Banerjee investigates.


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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Arinjay Banerjee
  • Director Cabong Studios
  • Narrator Adrian Dannatt
  • Storyboard Artist Luke Passos
  • Animator Cabong Studios
  • Compositor Júlio Muzzi - Astrolábio Studio
  • Art Director Cabong Studios
  • Sound Designer Júlio Muzzi - Astrolábio Studio
  • Music Júlio Muzzi - Astrolábio Studio
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Did bats transmit SARS-CoV-2 to humans? There is evidence that this virus may have evolved in bats, but we do not know if the virus jumped directly from bats into humans. Other animals may have been involved in the transmission cycle of this virus. More research will hopefully shed light on the likely source of this virus. Virologists and epidemiologists do extensive sampling to investigate where new viruses originate.

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Arinjay Banerjee
  • Director Cabong Studios
  • Narrator Adrian Dannatt
  • Storyboard Artist Luke Passos
  • Animator Cabong Studios
  • Compositor Júlio Muzzi - Astrolábio Studio
  • Art Director Cabong Studios
  • Sound Designer Júlio Muzzi - Astrolábio Studio
  • Music Júlio Muzzi - Astrolábio Studio
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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