Swamp lights and bat sight

Science Sessions are brief conversations with cutting-edge researchers, National Academy members, and policymakers as they discuss topics relevant to today's scientific community. Learn the behind-the-scenes story of work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), plus a broad range of scientific news about discoveries that affect the world around us.

In this episode, researchers explore two spooky mysteries: the source of will-o'-the-wisps and how bats integrate vision with echolocation.

In this episode, we cover: •[00:00] Introduction •[00:58] Richard Zare's background and expertise. •[01:26] Richard, have you ever seen will-o'-the-wisps in the wild? •[01:31] What did we already know about will-o'-the-wisps before your study? •[02:42] How could water droplets ignite methane? •[03:24] Tell us about the methods of your study. How did you explore this phenomenon? •[04:17] What are the broader implications of your findings, beyond just will-o'-the-wisps? •[05:20] What are the caveats or the limitations of the study? •[05:40] Laura Stidsholt's background and expertise. •[06:06] Laura, what can you tell us about the species you studied? •[06:25] What instruments did you attach to the bats? •[07:03] How did the bats' echolocation behavior compare in dark versus lit environments? •[08:14] What do the results suggest about the benefits of integrating information from multiple senses while hunting prey? •[08:58] What do the results imply about the potential impact of artificial light on bats? •[09:43] Final thoughts and conclusion.

About Our Guests: Richard Zare Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor of Natural Science Stanford University

Laura Stidsholt Assistant Professor Aarhus University

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