New Study Reveals How and When Bats Evolved Flight and Echolocation

Landmark Genome Dataset Resolves Decades of Bat Evolution Debate

An international team of 137 scientists affiliated with the Bat1K project analyzed 103 bat genomes—comprising 41 newly sequenced top-quality genome assemblies and 62 existing sequences—alongside 44 bat fossils. The dataset includes representatives from all 21 recognized bat families, capturing extremes such as the bumblebee bat, which is thought to be the smallest mammal on Earth at roughly 1 inch long, and Madagascar’s sucker-footed bat, which clings to smooth surfaces using specialized wrist and ankle cups.

According to study co-author Emma Teeling, a professor of molecular evolution and mammalian phylogenetics at University College Dublin, after decades of research and conflicting findings, we finally have uncovered how and when bats evolved. The analysis indicates that bats arose in Europe around 65 million years ago, contradicting previous hypotheses that pointed toward Asian, African, or North American origins around 50 million years ago.

Early Evolution of Echolocation and True Flight

The researchers determined that true flight and echolocation evolved early in the bat lineage, roughly 50 million years ago, rather than emerging multiple times as modern bats diversified. This early development explains why bats became so successful, expanding into more than 1,500 species worldwide.

This conclusion is reinforced by the positioning of a 50 million-year-old fossil of the extinct species Vielasia sigei from southern France. Showing signs of advanced echolocation, the fossil sits within the oldest branch of the bat family tree. This study transforms bat evolution research because it finally gives us a robust, resolved family tree and biogeography, something that’s eluded scientists for decades, said study co-author Sonja Vernes, a professor and head of the Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Research Group at the University of St Andrews in the U.K. Get the tree right, and everything else about bat evolution starts to fall into place.

Dispersal and Exceptional Biological Traits

After emerging in Europe, bats dispersed rapidly into Africa, establishing a Europe-Africa hub before expanding into Asia, the Americas, and Australia. As the only mammals capable of true flight—meaning they flap their wings rather than simply gliding—bats also evolved extraordinary physiological traits. They live eight to 10 times longer than similar-sized mammals and show few signs of aging and cancer.

Some bat species live remarkably long lives for their size, and can shrug off diseases that would make us seriously ill, Vernes noted, adding that researchers previously lacked a solid foundation to understand these traits. Liliana Dávalos, a professor of phylogenetics and tropical deforestation at Stony Brook University in New York, emphasized the methodological contribution: The value we bring is in innovative methods and unparalleled data that together yield an evolutionary tree that includes all these key fossils.

Implications for Human Health and Conservation

Researchers state that understanding bat genetics at this level could eventually inform human health research. By examining how bats tolerate diseases and extend longevity, scientists hope to design bat-inspired approaches to improve human health.

Additionally, the genomic framework supports ongoing conservation efforts. Protecting bat populations helps maintain healthy ecosystems through plant pollination, seed dispersal, and the consumption of large volumes of insect pests. Investigators emphasize that reconstructing the genome is only the first step toward mapping the complete evolutionary history of all living bats.