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Demystifying sounds from bats and mice

A U of A talk features two enigmatic night roving creatures
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Little brown bat. ROYAL ALBERTA MUSEUM/Photo

Have you ever heard the sounds a bat makes? Few have. That’s because the communication sounds they make are higher in frequency than what the human ear can hear.

Bats make echolocation (reflected) sounds that travel from their mouth and nose. The sound bounces around, creating an echo that helps the night creatures orient and find food.

The University of Alberta’s weekly Sound Studies online series seeks to demystify these mysterious night time creatures in Listening to the Night: Eavesdropping on Communication in Wild Bats and Mice.

Dr. Matina Kalcounis-Rueppell, Dean of Science and an international expert on characterizing calls made by bats and mice, will share her field of research in a talk on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m.

Sharing research about these two night-roving creatures is important since changes to human habitation and noises can decrease biodiversity and natural ecosystems.

The one-hour free event is available through the U of A's live stream or by joining in on Zoom.

 

 

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