Episode guide
Bats: Masters of the Dark
Bats fly through total darkness by singing into it and listening for the shape of the echo. This episode flies the night shift, gently. Nothing scary, promise.
The science, gently
- Bats find their way by echolocation: calls too high for us to hear, whose echoes draw a map.
- Most bats eat insects or fruit; a single bat can catch thousands of insects in one night.
- Bats hang upside down to rest because their relaxed feet grip all by themselves.
Wonder together
- What would you find, if you could hear the shape of your room?
- Why is upside down restful for a bat and silly for us?
- What good work happens in your neighborhood at night?
Tonight's calm-down
A bat's grip holds tightest when it is fully relaxed. Try it: the more you let go, the better the night holds you. Hang up the day. Rest is a grip you do not have to squeeze.