Babbling Baby Bats Sound Strikingly Similar to Human Infants
More than anything else, language defines human nature. Speech, the vocal output of language, requires precise control over our vocal articulators, including the tongue, lips,…
Bats News
Bats in Switzerland Harbor Diverse Viruses – Some With Risk of Jumping to Humans
New analysis identifies some viruses with potential risk to jump to other animals or humans, including the near-complete genome of a MERS-CoV-related virus. An analysis…
Creating a Phantom River: Experimental Broadcast of Whitewater River Noise Drives Bats and Birds Away
While many might consider a walk in the woods to be a quiet, peaceful escape from their noisy urban life, we often don’t consider just…
Bats’ Surprising “Supersense” of Time: They Know the Speed of Sound From Birth
A new Tel Aviv University study has revealed, for the first time, that bats know the speed of sound from birth. In order to prove…
Experiments Show Cryptic Sixth Sense of Orientation of Bats Lies in the Eye
Mammals see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and smell with their nose. But which sense or organ allows them to orient themselves on…
If COVID Spread to North American Bats, It Could Be Disastrous – Here Is the Current Risk Assessment
The risk is low that scientists could pass coronavirus to North American bats during winter research, according to a new study led by the U.S….
New Research Finds SARS-CoV-2 (the Virus That Causes COVID-19) Jumped From Bats to Humans Without Much Change
How much did SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, need to change in order to adapt to its new human host? In a research article…
One of the Most Abundant Bats in Europe Is Attracted to Wind Turbines – Increasing Risk of Fatality
One of the most abundant bats in Europe may be attracted to wind turbines, a new study shows. The activity of common pipistrelle bats was…
Climate Change May Have Driven the Emergence of SARS-CoV-2, the Virus That Caused the COVID-19 Pandemic
Global greenhouse gas emissions over the last century have made southern China a hotspot for bat-borne coronaviruses, by driving growth of forest habitat favored by…
Scientists Discover How Fast-Flying Bats Are Able to Reach Great Heights of Over 1,600 Meters
Although scientists knew that some bats could reach heights of over 1,600 meters (or approximately one mile) above the ground during flight, they didn’t understand…
“Spectacular” New Species of Bat Discovered in African “Sky Island”
A group of scientists led by the American Museum of Natural History and Bat Conservation International have discovered a new species of a striking orange…
Fatal Attraction: Bats With White-Nose Syndrome Prefer Deadly Habitats Despite the Consequences
Since 2006, a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome has caused sharp declines in bat populations across the eastern United States. The fungus that causes the…
New Research Uncovers Why Bats Excel As Viral Reservoirs Without Getting Sick
Study confirms bats adopt multiple strategies to reduce pro-inflammatory responses, thus mitigating potential immune-mediated tissue damage and disease. Findings provide important insights for medical research…
Vampire Bats Social Distance When They Get Sick, Slowing Disease Spread
A new paper in Behavioral Ecology, published by Oxford University Press, finds that wild vampire bats that are sick spend less time near others from their…
Poop Is Full of Secrets: DNA in Fringe-Lipped Bat Poop Reveals Unexpected Eating Habits
Poop is full of secrets. For scientists, digging into feces provides insights into animal diets and is particularly useful for understanding nocturnal or rare species….
Raw Genetic Basis of Bats’ Unique Adaptations and Remarkable Superpowers Revealed
First six reference-quality bat genomes released and analyzed. For the first time, the raw genetic material that codes for bats’ unique adaptations and superpowers such…
Genetics of Bat Superpowers Revealed: How They Fly, Survive Deadly Viruses, Resist Aging and Cancer
The genetic material that codes for bat adaptations and superpowers — such as the ability to fly, to use sound to move effortlessly in complete…
Scientists Warn That More Bat Research Is Critical to Preventing Next Pandemic
The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has a likely connection to bats, and the next viral outbreak probably will too, unless scientists can quickly learn more about…