The Truth of Bat Evolution

Bats are one of the most extraordinary groups of mammals alive today. These fantastic flying animals are the second most diverse order of living mammals, beaten only by rodents. Despite their astonishing modern diversity, the origin of bats is still poorly understood. The early evolution of this spectacular group of animals is one of the most intriguing mysteries in palaeontology, and the study of bat evolution and their relationships has resulted in some pretty intense debate among scientists.

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0:00 - Intro
1:34 - The Mystery of Bat Origins
8:41 - The Bats of the Messel Pit
11:13 - How Bats are Classified
16:12 - The Most Up-to-Date Study of Early Bat Evolution
20:32 - A Summary of Bat Evolution
22:32 - Future Bat Evolution?
23:01 - Outro