Chapter 713: Just Like Us?

Listening to the examples given by Fang Ye and Wang Yan, Liu Xueqing realized that while they hadn't yet discussed bats directly, exterminating and driving away bats could ultimately end in failure and might even bring about negative consequences if done aggressively.

She was curious about the role bats play in the ecosystem.

Fang Ye didn't address this question directly.

When the zoo staff went to drive away bats, he had accompanied them a few times and asked citizens why they were afraid of bats.

A significant reason was the bats' poor image!

They resemble mice to some extent, have a frightening appearance with sharp teeth, and can fly.

People instinctively associate them with dirt and disease.

Judging animals' danger based on their appearance is a common human trait.

Fluffy and chubby animals like giant pandas and red pandas are seen as cute and harmless, while animals like snakes, bats, and spiders, which don't conform to popular aesthetics, are perceived as scary, even if they aren't dangerous.

So Fang Ye decided to start with their appearance to help the audience understand and reduce their fear.

"Bats are often misunderstood animals. It's no wonder people are afraid of them, given their unattractive appearance," Fang Ye joked lightly, making the host and Wang Yan laugh.

Wang Yan added, "I've never been afraid of bats. As a child, I found them mysterious. They only came out at dusk, and as the evening twilight lingered, they would appear in flocks, flying around.

It felt like a fairy tale, like Cinderella being enchanted, wearing her glass slippers, and everyone dancing together. Then, as dawn broke, they would magically disappear."

The host shared, "I have a deep impression of bats too. When I was a child, I watched 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber,' where the Green Winged Bat King Wei Yixiao kidnapped people and sucked their blood, giving me a creepy feeling and making me somewhat afraid of bats.

When night fell, they would come out in large numbers, flying fast and low, making me afraid to go out, fearing they would suck my blood. But my mother told me not to worry; they wouldn't bite. As I grew up, I rarely saw bats anymore."

Fang Ye said, "People's fear of bats comes from various sources. Many might have been influenced by TV shows, novels, and movies, where vampires have sharp fangs and a sinister appearance, drinking human blood under the cover of night.

Their unattractive appearance is indeed a major reason. During our communication with citizens, a frequently asked question was why bats look so ugly and disgusting.

Their wrinkled faces, layered and folded, are hard to understand and accept.

But bats' faces are like our flexible fingers, pandas' black and white fur, or red-crowned cranes' long, pointed beaks—evolved to better adapt to their environment, which is perfectly normal.

Imagine standing in front of a deep, dark cave. We don't know how deep it is. What would we do?"

The host thought for a moment and said, "Pick up a stone and throw it in, listening for how long it takes to hear the echo?"

Fang Ye replied, "Exactly. We would throw a stone or shout into the cave, using the echo to gauge its depth and size, whether it's open or narrow, and assess any dangers.

This is similar to the ability bats have."

The host said, "Echo-location."

Wang Yan smiled, "Like those blind martial artists who can fight effectively by listening to the sound of their opponents' movements."

Fang Ye continued, "When humans can't use vision to determine location, using sound for orientation is an instinct embedded in our genes.

For example, when we talk face-to-face, we use normal volume. But if we see a friend across a busy street, we instinctively raise our voice to call their name. If it's noisy, we might cup our hands around our mouth to amplify the sound.

By doing this, we turn low-frequency sounds into high-frequency ones, increasing their penetration, directionality, and distance.

Similarly, when a bat spots a mosquito or fly, it raises its frequency for precise targeting and hunting. So, in this sense, humans and bats share the same ability."

Humans and bats share the same ability?

Many viewers were momentarily stunned by this statement!

Listening to Fang Ye's vivid examples, the mystery surrounding bats seemed to dissipate, making them less intimidating.

This newfound connection subtly reduced their fear.

Fang Ye continued, "During evolution, bats needed to solve a problem.

While flying, if they catch a fly and start chewing, they can't continue emitting sound waves.

This is dangerous; they might crash into walls, trees, or water, dying not from being hunted but from a collision.

So bats came up with a solution: using their noses.

Although they still use their vocal cords to produce sound waves, they emit them through their noses, which have evolved complex structures for better directional transmission. Their ears have also become larger to distinguish these sounds and identify their own echoes among many others."

Liu Xueqing, watching TV, suddenly understood, "Oh~ that's why bats' noses are wrinkled like that!"

Ying Ying's father added, "So you can't judge by appearance alone!"

It's like seeing a person with a scarred face on the street and instinctively feeling fear. But learning that the scars were from rescuing a child from a fire would replace fear with respect and admiration.

TV viewers now had a new understanding of bats.

They no longer seemed so ugly, and the fear diminished, replaced by amazement at the wonders of evolution!

Using their noses to emit ultrasound is indeed a fascinating ability.