Study reveals evolutionary history of bats, dating back 65 million years

Bats have a long evolutionary history dating back 65 million years, according to a study that examined the largest collection of bat genomes and fossils to date. The findings indicate that bats first appeared in Europe after the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs, before spreading across the globe. The study also revealed that both flight and echolocation, the biological sonar system used by bats, evolved near the beginning of bat evolution.

Bats are the only mammals capable of powered flight and the only vertebrates to have evolved this ability. They are found on all continents except Antarctica and account for more than a fifth of the world's mammal species. The study also sheds light on the genetic basis of bats' resistance to disease and their long lifespans, which could have implications for human health research.