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SURPRISE! It's A...Babbling Baby Bat?

SURPRISE! It's A...Babbling Baby Bat?

FromShort Wave


SURPRISE! It's A...Babbling Baby Bat?

FromShort Wave

ratings:
Length:
8 minutes
Released:
Oct 1, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

A paper published recently in the journal Science finds similarities between the babbling of human infants and the babbling of the greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata) — a small species of bat that lives in Central and South America. As science correspondent Geoff Brumfiel reports, the researchers believe both bats and humans evolved babbling as a precursor to more complex vocal behavior like singing, or, in the case of people, talking.Wondering what similarities humans have to other animals? Email the human animals at shortwave@npr.org. We might dig up some answers.
Released:
Oct 1, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines — all in about 10 minutes, every weekday. It's science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join host Maddie Sofia for science on a different wavelength.