Science

Tricks and Treats: 12 Amazing Things About Bats

Bats are among the world's most successful mammals. Found on six continents, they do at night what birds do in daytime. But other than a bit of Halloween lip service, they go largely unnoticed, and are appreciated mostly for being scary and carrying disease. We at Wired, however, are big fans of bats, and on the following pages we take a closer look at these amazing creatures.
  • Even Bats Have Friends
  • On Our Radar
  • Baby Bats in Blankets
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Bats are among the world's most successful mammals. Found on six continents, they do at night what birds do in daytime. But other than a bit of Halloween lip service, they go largely unnoticed, and are appreciated mostly for being scary and carrying disease. We at Wired, however, are big fans of bats, and on the following pages we take a closer look at these amazing creatures. Above:

Even Bats Have Friends

Because bats live in colonies and look alike to human eyes, it's odd to imagine them having friends. Yet researchers say they're smart, highly social, and hang out with the same group year after year. Some even mate for life. Image: Little brown bats in Laurel Caverns, Pennsylvania. (Brandon Keim/Wired)