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Show 'Natural Radar' Guides Flight of Bats in Dark SCHENECTADY, N. Y. It isn't keen eyesight but "natural radar" that enables bats to avoid tree branches and other obstacles while flying in the dark. The "radar" system of the bats, which follows many principles of the electronics device used in aircraft air-craft detection, was described recently re-cently by Dr. Robert Galambos of the University of Rochester medical school, in an address broadcast over WGY. Dr. Galambos said bats cannot depend de-pend on their eyes alone to avoid many obstacles. In flight they emit a constant stream of high-pitched "supersonic" cries, too shrill for the human ear to detect. When a bat approaches an obstacle the sound is reflected back. The bat hears the echo and changes its course. |