Our Explorers
Explorers Who Are Turning Bat Perceptions Upside Down
Learn about the work of five Explorers who want to change the perception of bats from scary creatures to a valuable species worth protecting.
bats
When a Bat Sees Its Shadow: How Winter Length Can Effect Bat Survival
By Catherine Haase This year, Punxsutawney Phil, our favorite groundhog meteorologist, saw his shadow and gave us another six weeks of winter. Though relying on a rodent to determine how long winter will be is a silly concept, it is ...
March 24, 2014: Big Wave Crashes, Haitian Folk-Tunes, Babysitting Gorillas and More
Every week, embark with host Boyd Matson on an exploration of the latest discoveries and interviews with some of the most fascinating people on the planet, on National Geographic Weekend. Please check listings near you to find the best way ...
Your Shot Pictures: More Albino and Oddly White Animals
Readers went wild for our recent post “Special Albinos and Unusually White Animals,” offering more than a hundred comments about their own sightings and interactions. Eric Rose from Kentucky let us know about two albino alligators named Snowball and Snowflake ...
Striking Picture: Bats Hunt Frogs by Detecting Water Ripples
Male túngara frogs (Physalemus pustulosus) are the romantic type. Instead of roaming around looking for mates, these tiny Central and South American rain forest amphibians sit in puddles singing love songs, attracting females that flock to the aquatic crooner’...
Repurposed Private Parts: 5 Unexpected Ways Animals Use Their Genitals
Genitals are useful for transferring sperm, but why stop there? Some animals have evolved unusual and creative ways to use their naughty bits to trick predators or attract mates. Recently, scientists discovered that hawkmoths have an unusual defense against ...
Bats Use Rolled-Up Leaves as “Trumpets”
By Ker Than- A species of tiny bat seems to be using rolled-up leaves like trumpets to amplify calls, a new study says. A few years ago, biologists Gloriana Chaverri and Erin Gillam were in Costa Rica studying Spix’s ...
Bats Use Rolled-Up Leaves as “Trumpets”
By Ker Than- A species of tiny bat seems to be using rolled-up leaves like trumpets to amplify calls, a new study says. A few years ago, biologists Gloriana Chaverri and Erin Gillam were in Costa Rica studying Spix’s ...
Barro Colorado, Island of Magic Diversity in the Middle of Panama Canal
Barro Colorado is a 4,000-acre island in the middle of the Panama Canal. Nearly six times the size of New York’s Central Park, the island is at the heart of a wildlife sanctuary that straddles surrounding peninsulas jutting into ...
Barro Colorado, Island of Magic Diversity in the Middle of Panama Canal
Barro Colorado is a 4,000-acre island in the middle of the Panama Canal. Nearly six times the size of New York’s Central Park, the island is at the heart of a wildlife sanctuary that straddles surrounding peninsulas jutting into ...
Moths Vibrate Genitals to Avoid Bats
In the air wars between bats and moths, the bugs are fighting back—by shaking their privates. It’s no award-winning dance move, but a new study shows that hawkmoths in Borneo (map) jiggle their junk to produce ultrasound. That ...
June 9, 2013: Cooking Cicadas, Colonizing Mars, and More
Every week, embark with host Boyd Matson on an exploration of the latest discoveries and interviews with some of the most fascinating people on the planet, on National Geographic Weekend. Please check listings near you to find the best ...