How Baby Bats Learn To Eavesdrop On Dinner
Most bats use echolocation to navigate and hunt, but some use their ears for another trick: eavesdropping.
"And then these frog-eating bats, for example, they are actually listening in on the mating calls of frogs that are much, much lower in frequency," says behavioral ecologist Rachel Page.
But how the bats knew this eavesdropping trick was a mystery. So she set up and experiment with baby bats and a speaker.
Have a question about the animals all around us? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy
"And then these frog-eating bats, for example, they are actually listening in on the mating calls of frogs that are much, much lower in frequency," says behavioral ecologist Rachel Page.
But how the bats knew this eavesdropping trick was a mystery. So she set up and experiment with baby bats and a speaker.
Have a question about the animals all around us? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy
- Datum:
- Duur:
Gerelateerde podcastafleveringen
/https%3A//media.npr.org/assets/img/2025/06/02/6.3.25-ep_sq-4a1cae8703c3fd1b8fb75b622fcebfa746efa728.jpg%3Fs%3D3000%26c%3D66%26f%3Djpg)
/https%3A//media.npr.org/assets/img/2025/05/29/6.2.25-ep_sq-55a986293e2d21903b4754ee803b06db31542f46.jpg%3Fs%3D3000%26c%3D66%26f%3Djpg)
/https%3A//media.npr.org/assets/img/2025/05/29/5.30.25-ep_sq-ab45b3958ca410558d896a96e3993a4c9044d2e1.jpg%3Fs%3D3000%26c%3D66%26f%3Djpg)
/https%3A//media.npr.org/assets/img/2025/05/27/5.28.25-ep_sq-dc6917b644c76c8f6f61c6e81da1ba97e4e4fd23.jpg%3Fs%3D3000%26c%3D66%26f%3Djpg)
/https%3A//media.npr.org/assets/img/2025/05/23/5.26.25_sq-bbdd72278addeee8fc328dd4280aa9877b5aa0b6.jpg%3Fs%3D3000%26c%3D66%26f%3Djpg)
Meer afleveringen van Short Wave
-
Can AI Crack The Biology Code?
As artificial intelligence seeps into some realms of society, it rushes into others. One area it's making a big difference is protein science — as in the "building blocks of life," proteins! Producer Berly McCoy talks to host Emily... -
Solving A Centuries Old Maritime Mystery
For hundreds of years sailors have told stories about miles of glowing ocean during moonless nights. This phenomenon is known as "milky seas," but the only scientific sample was collected in 1985. So atmospheric scientist Justin... -
Why Daylight Boosts Immunity
Depending on what time it is, your body responds differently to an injury or infection. During the day, you're likely to heal faster and fight infection better than at night. And historically, scientists weren't entirely sure why. That...