Bats originated in Europe, rewriting mammals’ family tree, study reveals
Biggest study of its kind provides insights into bats’ evolution – a potential gamechanger for research into treating viruses and cancer in humans
TL;DR
- Bats likely originated in Europe about 65 million years ago, according to a landmark study using fossils and genomic data.
- This discovery reshapes the understanding of bat evolution and dispersal across the globe.
- The research is part of the Bat1K project, aiming to sequence the genomes of all 1,500 bat species.
- Understanding bat disease resistance could lead to new treatments for human viruses, cancer, and aging.
- Bats are vital to ecosystems, playing roles in pollination, seed dispersal, and insect control.
- Many bat species face declining populations due to habitat loss, climate crisis, and disease like white nose syndrome.