Chapter 1
The physics of the floppy-winged flyer
Chapter 2
Super-hearing and the art of shouting in the dark
Chapter 3
The wildest dinner parties in the animal kingdom
Chapter 4
Cozy nurseries and ancient global legends
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret lives and goofy truths of bats
Ch 1 · The physics of the floppy-winged flyer
futura Bat Flight Aerodynamics
Tucking my wings on the upstroke saves thirty-five percent.
futura Unlike birds, bats cannot run to build lift, so they roost high and drop into the air to
Fun Fact
Upside-down dead bats: Because gravity locks their toe tendons, bats can remain hanging upside down even after they pass away.
Glossary
patagium (noun)
A membranous fold of skin that stretches between the limbs of a gliding or flying animal. In 2014, Brown University scientists discovered that bats use microscopic muscles to dynamically stiffen this wing membrane.
A membranous fold of skin that stretches between the limbs of a gliding or flying animal. In 2014, Brown University scientists discovered that bats use microscopic muscles to dynamically stiffen this wing membrane.