Bats Thrive in a Messy, Noisy World. These Four Discoveries Reveal How They Can Listen and Chatter Through the Din

From eavesdropping to echolocation tricks, science is giving us an inside look into how various bat species weaponize sound

October 27, 2026 8:00 a.m.

Bats navigate in the dark using echolocation. Scientists are piecing together how the animals understand the world through the mix of echoes that bounces back. CreativeNature_nl via Getty Images

Contrary to popular belief, bats aren’t flying blind . But they do rely heavily on sound—rather than vision—to confidently swoop through the night. They use echolocation to map out their immediate environment, sending out signals and waiting for the sound waves to boomerang back after bouncing off background objects and prey.…