Bats

Dynamic, acrobatic, charismatic. This is what you need to know about our favorite winged creature of the night.

Latest in Bats

bats on treadmills

Why scientists made vampire bats run on treadmills Why scientists made vampire bats run on treadmills

By Mack DeGeurin

a small bat glides over water

How these tiny bats use a sound map to navigate How these tiny bats use a sound map to navigate

By Laura Baisas

a bat with brown, black, and white fur and open eyes

Robert Battinson, Batlor Swift, and more face off in Bat Beauty Contest Robert Battinson, Batlor Swift, and more face off in Bat Beauty Contest

By Laura Baisas

Aerobat uses a combination or rigid and soft 3D-printed materials to mimic a bat's malleable wings.

Bats’ weird wings inspired this drone Bats’ weird wings inspired this drone

By Mack DeGeurin

baby sloth poses for the camera on the tree

Which animals can and can’t fart? Which animals can and can’t fart?

By Alex Hazlett

bat in the dark

Can niche lives of bats help them avoid the white-nose syndrome? Can niche lives of bats help them avoid the white-nose syndrome?

By Trina Moyles / Hakai Magazine

Fruit bats hanging on tree branches in daylight in Bangladesh on November 6, 2023.

Why fruit bats can eat tons of sugar without getting diabetes Why fruit bats can eat tons of sugar without getting diabetes

By Laura Baisas

A serotine bat with its mouth open, showing teeth. Serotine bats are widely spread throughout Europe and Asia and have a 15 inch wingspan.

Scientists are confounded by the sex lives of serontine bats Scientists are confounded by the sex lives of serontine bats

By Laura Baisas

Egyptian fruit bats on a fruit feeder at a zoo

How do bats stay cancer-free? The answer could be lifesaving for humans. How do bats stay cancer-free? The answer could be lifesaving for humans.

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

These species were discovered in museum collections. They might already be extinct.

These species were discovered in museum collections. They might already be extinct. These species were discovered in museum collections. They might already be extinct.

By Katarina Zimmer / Undark

Dolphins use echolocation to find fish and navigate in the dark sea.

How echolocation lets bats, dolphins, and even people navigate by sound How echolocation lets bats, dolphins, and even people navigate by sound

Skeleton of paratype of Icaronycteris gunnelli, the oldest bat skeletons ever found.

Oldest bat skeleton ever found by paleontologists finally has a name Oldest bat skeleton ever found by paleontologists finally has a name

By Laura Baisas

Luna moth resting on a tree.

The alluring tail of the Luna moth is surprisingly useless for finding a mate The alluring tail of the Luna moth is surprisingly useless for finding a mate

By Jamie Dickman

A dark wooden bat house high up on the side of a gray two-story house.

DIY

Benefit your neighborhood bats with this DIY bat house Benefit your neighborhood bats with this DIY bat house

By Jean Levasseur

The secrets to fighting the next pandemic could be in fruit bats

The secrets to fighting the next pandemic could be in fruit bats The secrets to fighting the next pandemic could be in fruit bats

By Jim Robbins / KHN

Bat hanging upside down from branch

Bat-like echolocation could help these robots find lost people Bat-like echolocation could help these robots find lost people

Notopteris neocaledonica, the New Caledonia blossom bat, an endangered bat species endemic to New Caledonia.

DIY

How to get a bat out of your house How to get a bat out of your house

By Natalie Wallington

Daubenton's bat is similar to metal singers

What bats and metal vocalists have in common What bats and metal vocalists have in common

By Laura Baisas

bat eating fruit

DIY

Turn your backyard into an awesome hangout for bats Turn your backyard into an awesome hangout for bats

By Helen Bradshaw

People standing on a bridge at sunset while bats fly over.

Climate change could introduce humans to thousands of new viruses Climate change could introduce humans to thousands of new viruses

By Philip Kiefer