Study pinpoints bat origin in Europe 65 million years ago
Largest bat genome-fossil analysis settles decades-old debate about when and where the animals first evolved.
What to know
- Researchers analyzed 103 bat genomes and 44 fossils to conclude bats originated in Europe 65 million years ago, not Asia, Africa, or North America as previously thought.
- The study found echolocation and true flight evolved once, early in bat history around 50 million years ago, resolving debate over whether these traits evolved multiple times independently.
- The research provides the first robust bat family tree spanning all 21 recognized families, settling a decades-long scientific debate and opening new avenues for understanding bat evolution.
“Scientists may have settled a decades-long debate about bat evolution, including controversial questions about when bats began to communicate and fly.”
Sascha Pare, Science journalist, Live Science · Live Science ↗
University of St Andrews Lead research institutionEmma Teeling Study co-author, professor of molecular evolution and mammalian phylogenetics at University College DublinSonja Vernes Study co-author, head of Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Research Group at University of St Andrews
How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts
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University of St Andrews publishes landmark bat evolution study
Researchers released findings from the largest combined analysis of bat genomes and fossils, examining 103 bat genomes across 41 newly sequenced species and 62 existing sequences, plus 44 bat fossils from all 21 recognized bat families.
“The largest analysis of bat genomes and fossils suggests that the first bats emerged in Europe roughly 65 million years ago and that echolocation evolved early.”
— Emily Anthes -
first by WCS Newsroom, 12h ago · also The Guardian, Guardian Science, Guardian Environment, NYT, NYT Climate, NYT Science
3 more headlines
- Bats originated in Europe, rewriting mammals’ family tree, study reveals The Guardian · 7h ago
- What a landmark new study reveals about the origin of bats washingtonpost.com · 5h ago
- New Study Illuminates Bats’ Murky Origins The New York Times · 5h ago
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first by Phys.org, 13h ago
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The very first bats likely emerged 65 million years ago—and now we know where. https:// gizmodo.com/we-finally-know-wh ere-bats-came-from-and-dracula-would-approve-2000816021 # bats # evolution # science
2 more of the top 3 · 3 posts in this stretch
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We Finally Know Where Bats Came From—and Dracula Would Approve https:// gizmodo.com/we-finally-know-wh ere-bats-came-from-and-dracula-would-approve-2000816021 # nature # science # bats
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In a landmark study published today in the journal Nature, a team of more than 130 international researchers combed through ancient bat fossils and genomic data from living species to establish that bats likely originated in Europe about 65m years ago – not in Africa, Asia or North America, as had previously been thought. Rather, it seems that the…
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background
Researchers highlight significance of resolving bat family tree — Study co-authors characterize the findings as transformative for bat evolution research, providing the robust phylogenetic framework that has eluded scientists for decades and enabling deeper understanding of how bat traits developed.
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background
Study contradicts prior theories on bat origin location and timing — The research challenges decades of scientific consensus, finding bats originated in Europe 65 million years ago rather than in Asia, Africa, or North America around 50 million years ago as previously hypothesized. The analysis also shows echolocation and true flight evolved once early in bat evolution, not multiple times.
Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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first by Nature, 7h ago · also Nature News
and 3 smaller pieces