Welcome to a Cosmos Insights podcast, where we talk to scientists in Australia about the impact of their work.

The risk of Hendra virus being passed from bats to horses – increasing the risk to humans – has escalated in Australia in recent decades.

When viruses spillover from animals to humans there can be serious consequences. SARS Cov-1, SARS Cov-2 (which causes COVID19) and Hendra viruses have all been linked to this kind of event.

A team of researchers, led by conservation biologist Dr Peggy Eby, from the University of New South Wales, and wildlife disease ecologist Dr Alison Peel from Griffith University, analysed 25 years of data on land use change, bat behaviour and Hendra virus spillover events in Australia. Their research is published in Nature.

Cosmos journalist Petra Stock talked to Dr Eby and Dr Peel to find out more.

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Flying foxes and the risk of Hendra Virus spillover 08:29 Share

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Flying foxes and the risk of Hendra Virus spillover