So, what's it really like to be bat?
August 12, 2023 10:11 AM Subscribe
Over a decade ago, I read Nagel's "What Is It Like to Be A Bat?", followed by another author's paper in response that went into great detail about bat sensory perception. Help me find that second paper!
I remember the paper was critical of Nagel and argued that there were, in fact, important things we could understand about what it would be like to be a bat. I believe it was written by an ethologist. The part that really stuck with me was the description of the details of sonar. The author discussed two different variations of sonar that bats use: one for measuring distance and detecting more information about relative speed and location for objects that were further away (I believe this used constant frequency pings), and one for detecting more fine textural details about closer-up objects (I believe this variant used a variable-frequency pings). The author pointed out that bats were not able to see objects flying faster than they were/moving away from them, and gave specific info about sonar to support this.
Please help me find this slightly snarky bat ethology paper, I very much need to re-read it for um, a personal project. Not shapeshifting. Promise.
I remember the paper was critical of Nagel and argued that there were, in fact, important things we could understand about what it would be like to be a bat. I believe it was written by an ethologist. The part that really stuck with me was the description of the details of sonar. The author discussed two different variations of sonar that bats use: one for measuring distance and detecting more information about relative speed and location for objects that were further away (I believe this used constant frequency pings), and one for detecting more fine textural details about closer-up objects (I believe this variant used a variable-frequency pings). The author pointed out that bats were not able to see objects flying faster than they were/moving away from them, and gave specific info about sonar to support this.
Please help me find this slightly snarky bat ethology paper, I very much need to re-read it for um, a personal project. Not shapeshifting. Promise.
Best answer: That is a boss title! You may be interested in Ed Yong's excellent An Immense World, which is a great read and goes into some detail about a universe of animal sensory perception. (Including sonar for the species that have it - including H. Sapiens, as well as IIRC cnidarian vision.)
posted by Superilla at 10:33 AM on August 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Superilla at 10:33 AM on August 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Superilla, oh my gosh, mind meld! It was actually listening to an episode of This Podcast Will Kill You yesterday where they were talking with Ed Yong about his new book that made me want to re-read this paper! (And re-listen / dig deeper into the human echolocation abilities I've heard about in the past. <3)
posted by cnidaria at 12:33 PM on August 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by cnidaria at 12:33 PM on August 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Ha - I *just* listened to exactly that episode yesterday and came charging in here to recommend Yong's book AND the podcast.
posted by gingerbeer at 2:51 PM on August 12, 2023
posted by gingerbeer at 2:51 PM on August 12, 2023
Best answer: ... among cnidarian species...researchers were able to determine that eyes originated at least eight separate times within this group.
Not a shapeshifter? Ha!
You are so busted, jellyfish boya.
posted by BlueHorse at 5:45 PM on August 13, 2023
Not a shapeshifter? Ha!
You are so busted, jellyfish boya.
posted by BlueHorse at 5:45 PM on August 13, 2023
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"What is it like to be boring and myopic?" by Kathleen Atkins. (I'd forgotten what an amazing title it has!)
posted by cnidaria at 10:19 AM on August 12, 2023 [1 favorite]