logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2021
12m 47s

FACT SMACK: Bats! They're Cooler Than Bi...

NPR
About this episode
With the help of ecologist Rodrigo Medellín, the "Bat Man of Mexico," Rasha Aridi (former Short Waver) presents the case for why bats are the best and coolest flying creatures out there!

Are you a scientist who thinks Rodrigo is wrong and that the animal you study is superior? Let us know! You can email us at shortwave@npr.org. We'd love to hear the case for your critter.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Today
NASA is practicing moonwalks. When are we going back?
After the success of Artemis II, we at Short Wave definitely have moon fever. So, we brought NPR science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce onto the show to talk about where we’re headed. What will future Artemis missions look like and what needs to happen next for people to be a ... Show More
9m 59s
Yesterday
Set up solar, or save a tree? It’s complicated
To solar or not to solar? That is the question for this latest episode of our monthly series Nature Quest. For listener Darcey Hughes, installing solar panels isn’t just about keeping her utilities free of fossil fuels – it’s also a way to become fully self-reliant and save some ... Show More
12m 26s
Apr 27
The mystery that led this family to get their stomachs removed
When Karyn Paringatai learned about a pattern among her family members, it changed the course of her life: A lot of people died young. As Karyn dug into her family history, she learned many Maori families, like her own, suffered from a rare form of stomach cancer called diffuse g ... Show More
13m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2023
Playback: A Skeptic's Guide to Loving Bats
Blood-sucking villains. Spooky specters of the night. Our views of bats are often based more on fiction than fact. Enter National Geographic Explorer at Large Rodrigo Medellín, aka the Bat Man of Mexico. For decades, he’s waged a charm offensive to show the world how much we need ... Show More
26m 24s
Oct 2021
A Skeptic's Guide to Loving Bats
Blood-sucking villains. Spooky specters of the night. Our views of bats are often based more on fiction than fact. Enter National Geographic Explorer at Large Rodrigo Medellín, aka the Bat Man of Mexico. For decades he’s waged a charm offensive to show the world how much we need ... Show More
28m 52s
Jul 2022
Bats v Flies
Brian Cox and Robin Ince kick off the new series by tackling one of the greatest questions ever posed by science: which are better, bats or flies?Joining them for this unusual version of animal Top Trumps are a bat expert (Prof Kate Jones), a fly expert (Dr Erica McAlister) and D ... Show More
42m 49s
Sep 2012
The Wild World of Bats
<p>Is the bat the most successful mammal on the planet? Quite possibly! In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Julie and Robert explore the insect-munching, fruit-drinking, blood-lapping world of these amazing winged sound warriors.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choic ... Show More
46m 39s
Oct 2012
The Song of the Bat
<p>Bats live in a sonic universe. They call out into the night and construct the world from their song. They listen to the sounds of prey, predator and the social squeaking of other bats. In this episode, Robert and Julie listen in on the song of the bat.</p><p> </p> Learn more a ... Show More
30m 59s
Dec 2023
Do Animals have Feelings?
Have you ever wondered if your pets or animals have feelings?  Dr. Carl Safina, best-selling author, a TED speaker, and a leader in the field of conservation biology. He is on our show to give his expert insight into just what our animals might be thinking. Don't miss this fun an ... Show More
31m 14s
Feb 2024
G: The World's Smartest Animal
<p>This episode begins with a rant. This rant, in particular, comes from Dan Engber - a science writer who loves animals but despises animal intelligence research. Dan told us that so much of the way we study animals involves tests that we think show a human is smart ... not the ... Show More
50m 20s
Sep 2023
Can AI help us speak to animals? Part one
<p>A hardware revolution in recording devices and a software revolution in artificial intelligence is enabling researchers to listen in to all kinds of conversations outside the human hearing range, a field known as bioacoustics. Some scientists now believe these developments wil ... Show More
29m 12s
Oct 2024
Tiere verstehen? - Zwischen Deutung und Forschung
Können wir Tiere verstehen? Die Verhaltensbiologie sucht nach wissenschaftlichen Antworten, Tierfreunde ziehen ihre Erkenntnisse aus dem Zusammenleben mit dem Vierbeiner. Und Philosophen haben dazu ihre eigenen Meinungen. (BR 2019) Autorin: Christiane Seiler 
22m 45s