The amazing bats

Bats – the subject of legends and mysteries, they often evoke an initial aversion in many of us. But the world of these winged mammals is actually fascinating. Nearly 1,500 species of bats come in various sizes, shapes, and colours, from the tiny Kitti's hog-nosed bat to the massive golden-crowned flying fox. Some feed on fruit and nectar, others on frogs, scorpions, or fish, and vampire bats even on blood. As the only mammals capable of flight, their fingers have elongated over the course of evolution to become wings with a unique, flexible leathery membrane. They are also extremely long-lived, and their immune system has attracted the attention of scientists from all over the world. Join ecologist and neurobiologist Yossi Yovel on a journey to discover this mighty mammal – into muddy rainforests, a starry desert night, guesthouses in Thailand, and museum drawers full of fossils in New York.