New Books in Science Yossi Yovel, "The Genius Bat: The Secret Life of the Only Flying Mammal" (St. Martin's Press, 2025)
Dec 16, 2025
Yossi Yovel, a Professor of Zoology and neurobiologist, dives into the fascinating world of bats in his latest book. He explores the social structures of vampire bats and their surprising altruism, revealing how they share food and form bonds. Yovel also discusses bat communication, from echolocation to local dialects, and the role of machine learning in decoding their calls. Additionally, he highlights the evolutionary journey of bats, examining their unique adaptations and the challenges they face from human impact and environmental changes.
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Vampire Bats Reveal Long-Term Reciprocity
- Yossi opens the book with vampire bats to show extreme mammal sociality and reciprocal blood-sharing.
- He frames researchers like Jerry Carter who tested how cooperation resists cheaters in long-term social bonds.
Hammerheaded Bats Lek And Honk For Mates
- Jack Bradbury discovered lekking behavior in hammerheaded bats where males aggregate and honk to attract females.
- Bradbury used the lek analogy to explain why males cluster like market stalls to help females compare suitors.
Communication Evolves Beyond Echolocation
- Social vocalizations evolve with diverse functions and lack the strict physical constraints of echolocation.
- Vocal learning in bats is subtle but enables dialects and richer social communication.