Bats

Researchers from the Smithsonian's Global Health Program found six new coronaviruses in bats in Myanmar.

Smithsonian Scientists Discover Six New Coronaviruses in Bats in Myanmar

The new viruses are not harmful to humans or closely related to SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19

Pallid bats use relatively low-pitched sounds for echolocation, making them better at hunting in open spaces like grasslands.

California Bats Thrive in Forests Recovering From Wildfires

Wildfires leave behind a patchwork of forest densities that can give bats more room to fly and hunt

A Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis), one of the species that contributed to the guano researchers used to study the climates of the past.

Ancient Bat Guano Reveals Thousands of Years of Human Impact on the Environment

Like sediment cores, ice samples and tree rings, bat excrement can be used to study the climate of the past

A sign reading "No Entrance!" is seen at the burned-out monkey house of the zoo in Krefeld, western Germany, on January 1, 2020.

More Than 30 Animals, Among Them 'Highly Endangered' Species, Killed in Fire at German Zoo

Authorities say the blaze was likely started by floating lanterns illegally released into the sky on New Year's Eve

The tooth-filled mouth of a lamprey. These bloodsucking fish have managed to survive for hundreds of millions of years.

Why the World Needs Bloodsucking Creatures

The ecological benefits of animals like leeches, ticks and vampire bats are the focus of a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum

Mexican free-tailed bats near Bracken Cave, Texas.

The Best Places Around the World to See Bats (by the Millions)

Bat tourism might sound creepy, but it may be the best way to help bat conservation around the world

This bat gleans insects from leaves. A team of researchers discovered that by approaching a leaf at an oblique angle, it can use its echolocation system to detect stationary insects in the dark.

Bats Use Leaves as Mirrors to Locate and Catch Their Prey

The latest discovery in the arms race between bats and insects reveals that even silent, motionless dragonflies aren't safe

Life reconstruction of the bizarre membranous-winged Ambopteryx longibrachium.

Newly Discovered Bat-Like Dinosaur Reveals the Intricacies of Prehistoric Flight

Though <i>Ambopteryx longibrachium</i> was likely a glider, the fossil is helping scientists discover how dinosaurs first took to the skies

A new study has found that moths like the Antherina suraka, pictured here, may use their scales to avoid detection by bats.

Deaf Moths May Use Their ‘Fur’ To Avoid Hungry Bats

Fur-like scales on the insects’ thoraxes absorb the echoes of bat calls, according to new research

An African yellow house bat.

Two New Yellow-Bellied Bats May Have Been Found in Kenya

Genetic analysis of 100 bats revealed two previously unknown lineages

Scientists with Smithsonian’s Global Health Program examine a wrinkle-lipped bat, which can harbor a never-before-seen virus.

A Never-Before-Seen Virus Has Been Detected in Myanmar’s Bats

The discovery of two new viruses related to those that cause SARS and MERS marks PREDICT's first milestone in the region

A wildlife biologist checks a big brown bat for signs of white nose syndrome, which can cause tears or even dime-sized holes in their delicate wings.

Three Ways Bats Could Bounce Back From Devastating White Nose Syndrome

Scientists are testing light therapy, a fungus-killing fungus—and maybe, doing nothing

Don't judge a bat by its cover ... of Barry White.

Like Birds, Some Bats Warble to Woo Their Mates

They join an elite club of mammals—including mice, whales and humans—whose melodies convey complex information

These Portuguese Libraries Are Infested With Bats—and They Like It That Way

They actually serve a very specific purpose

Long-eared Myotis bat (Myotis septentrionalis), photographed in Arizona.

Where Clean Drinking Water Is Hard To Find, Bats Could Lead the Way

A wildlife biologist argues that tracking bats, which cover wide areas and need clean water, could be useful in locating potable sources

Once Rare Nectar-Feeding Bat Removed From U.S. Endangered Species List

The move is a first for bat species

How Vampire Bats Can Survive on a Diet of Blood

Their diet may seem unusual, but a unique genome and gut bacteria help the critters get the nutrients they need

Heatwave Kills Hundreds of Flying Fox Pups in Australia

With temperatures hot enough to melt asphalt, the searing heat "boiled" the tiny creatures

A bat undergoing a UV light treatment

UV Light Could Help Stop the Bat-Killing White Nose Syndrome

Research shows the fungus is susceptible to UV light. The problem is getting bats into the tanning beds

“And bats with baby faces in the violet light / Whistled, and beat their wings”—T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land

How a Deadly Flesh-Eating Fungus Helped Make Bats Cute Again

A silver lining to the worldwide epidemic of white nose syndrome: People like bats more now

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