Flying Foxes and Vision

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Linnaeus thought that baths were true primates because they had pectoral instead of englinal brests. This is the flying primate hypothesis, and it relates to the flying fox, which is a fruit eating megabat. But revered australian nero scientist and vision researcher, jack pettigrew, who sadly passed away earlier this year, had made an interesting discovery about mega bat brains and vision. He discovered that all flying foxes have crossing over neurons between the eyes and the mid brain. And in no other mammal do they. So understood the whole puzzle. And so every piece in a puzzle becomes really interesting and vital. Yeh. Merlin, come for

“People fear most what they understand least." Words of wisdom from explorer/American treasure/bat expert, Dr. Merlin Tuttle. As your internet dad/host takes care of her surgically recuperating husband this week, we revisit her visit to Austin. In 2019, Alie headed to the bat capital and sat down with the legendary chiropterologist to discuss wild field stories and close calls and caves and comebacks and bat chatter and what a bat actually is and how big they get and what's up with their smushy noses, why folks are so frightened by them, the evolution of flight, echolocation, getting a bat out of your house, how they sleep upside down, which ones guzzle blood, and the latest on white nose syndrome -- which is not a drug problem. Sit back with a cup of tea or something stronger and get ready for adventure. Indiana Jones can get bent because Dr. Merlin Tuttle is the hero this nation needs.

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