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Wing hairs help to keep bats in the air

Nature (2011)Cite this article

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Receptors in the wing membrane sense aerodynamic conditions.

Bats use tiny hairs to sense the speed and direction of air flowing over their wings. This may alert them to the danger of stalling and enable them to perform impressive aerobatic tricks, according to a report published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences1.

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References

  1. Sterbing-D’Angelo, S. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA doi:10.1073/pnas.1018740108 (2011).

  2. Galambos, R. & Griffin, D. R. J. Exp. Zool. 86, 481-506 (1941).

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  1. Marian Turner
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Susanne Sterbing-D’Angelo

Geoffrey Spedding

Belinda Batten

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Turner, M. Wing hairs help to keep bats in the air. Nature (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/news.2011.376

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/news.2011.376

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