“Finish your yogurt, sweetheart, it’s good for your bones. And take a few almonds, so you’ll stay healthy.” You may have heard this before, and rightly so. Minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, are vital to our functioning as they ensure that our bones, muscles, heart and brain work properly. And the same holds for […]
Tag: bats
Researchers discover how nerve cells in bat brains respond to their environment and social interactions with other bats
Researchers have found that nerve cells in the hippocampus region of the brain encode complex information on numerous characteristics of other individuals in the same social group. The work, which is being carried out in bats, is the first to show this in a large, mixed-sex group of wild, social animals, and is important because […]
How Much is a Bat Worth? This Economist Puts a Price Tag on Wild Animals
Bats play a crucial role in ecosystems, particularly through their dietary habits. In North America, bats primarily feast on insects, including mosquitos, moths, and leafhoppers. Astonishingly, a single bat can consume up to 1,000 insects per hour. This natural pest control is not only beneficial for reducing the number of disease-carrying mosquitos but also for […]
If You Like Rice or Avocado, You Should Want to Save the Bats
Bats: the nocturnal creatures that often evoke images of darkness, are rarely celebrated for their contributions to our ecosystems. Yet, if you’ve ever savored a cup of coffee, indulged in a juicy mango, or sipped on a margarita, you might owe a debt of gratitude to these winged mammals. Despite their ominous reputation, bats play […]
Despite Weather Extremes, Australia’s Grey-Headed Flying Fox ‘Is Doing OK’
The grey-headed and spectacled species of mainland flying fox — common in Australia, also known as “fruit bats” — have historically experienced such low numbers that they faced the possibility of extinction, reported The Conversation. But after a decade-long survey by the National Flying-fox Monitoring Program (NFFMP) — coordinated by CSIRO, along with state and […]
Bats are in trouble. That’s not good for anyone who likes mezcal, rice or avocado
If you’ve ever enjoyed coffee, tomatoes, corn, bananas, mangoes, walnuts, chocolate, tequila or mezcal, you may just owe bats a thank-you. While bats are often the subject of fear and scorn – they’re fixtures in Halloween decor and haunted-house imagery, and are frequently portrayed as harbingers of doom – their presence is often a sign […]
Most male mammals are not bigger than females: New analysis of more than 400 species
New research is cutting male mammals down to size. While we may think of hulking elephant seal bulls or huge stags, these males appear to be the exception, rather than the rule. A new analysis of more than 400 species suggests that there are more mammals where the females are actually the same size as, […]
Bats ‘leapfrog’ back to roost to stay safe from predators, study finds
Bats fly back to their roosts after a night of hunting in a “leapfrogging” pattern that allows them to maximise their time out and stay safe from predators, researchers have found. A team from Cardiff University and the University of Sussex developed a mathematical model using “trajectory data” that tracked the flight of greater horseshoe […]