Sci Explanation
A Scientific Explanation: Why Do Bats Fly At Night? We have always known bats for being nocturnal, but do we exactly know why? Without the aid of science, our ancestors solved this mystery through means that were available during their time. As they were both artistic and expressive, they spent most of their time coming up with stories, which are now what we know as legends. One of which was the story “Why Bats Fly at Night” which was adapted from Rosario Singh’s story “Bakit sa Gabi Lumilipad ang Paniki”. The legend narrates the story of the first bat that transformed from the body of a man into a bat. The man, who was composed of small organisms, became very ill. Seeing that the human body was weak, the organisms fought each other, which made them grow as they kill. The organism that won against the other organisms turned out to be the bat. The bat then fled but later on found out how the sun temporarily blinds him, which made him remain hidden during daytime and come out only at night. The story explains that, as parasites, bats come out only at night because they’re dazzled by the sunlight. Probably as a punishment, but they never really knew. In today’s time, no one would actually believe that. Science has long proven that due to the bats’ wide hairless wings, they would dry out if they flew during the daytime. It would also be more convenient for the bats to fly at night since they use sound rather than sight to navigate, unlike most of their predators. Noses or mouths are being used to send pulses that echo back outlining the objects in the bat’s flight path. As much as it helps them with predator avoidance, it also helps them hunt for food easier.
Reference:
http://www.pa.msu.edu/sciencet/ask_st/102997.html
Reference:
http://www.pa.msu.edu/sciencet/ask_st/102997.html