BAT Flight vs BIRDS, with SLOWMO, robots, swimming and treadmills - Smarter Every Day 87

Bird flight deep dive: bit.ly/BirdFlightDeepDive
FB: bit.ly/FB-BATWING Tweet: bit.ly/BATPhysics
Download HYDROPHILE: bit.ly/GETSONG ⇊ Click ⇊
Check out the high speed camera I used:
bit.ly/MiroLC320S
It's a pretty big deal to shoot high speed footage from a boat in the middle of the amazon jungle. Revolutionary stuff for scientists!
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GET SMARTER SECTION:
Thanks to Rainforest Expeditions for inviting me down, if you'd like to go down to the Amazon Rainforest and see a strangler fig and the log with bats on it for yourself, check them out at www.perunature.com
A sincere thank you to Dr. Kenny Breuer and Dr. Sharon Swartz. They never hesitated to help me, even skyping with me after hours.
You absolutely must check out the amazing work
brown.edu/Research/Breuer-Lab/research/batflight.html
Since you're smart, read their publications!
brown.edu/Research/Breuer-Lab/publications/index.html
I may upload some of that on the skype conversation on the second channel, FunnerEveryDay.
Dr. Swartz Identified the bats me and Jeff filmed: "The species is Rhynchonycteris naso, which I guess is called the Proboscis bat! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proboscis_bat"
Outlines of the anatomically correct bird and the bat were drawn up by Larom for free because he likes to get Smarter Every Day, and help you do the same. He does a project like that every day.
www.theLarom.com
I purchased a license to show the two flying fox images in the video from Peter Chorley
www.flickr.com/photos/61173877@N08/
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GET STUFF SECTION:
(If I did this right these should be working Amazon affiliate links to purchase the stuff I like to use. When people purchase from these links it will support Smarter Every Day.)
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My Multi-tool: amzn.to/2zGm5Pz
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💾How I get footage off my phone: amzn.to/2KMem4K
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Tweet ideas to me @SmarterKZbin
Instead of saving for my kids' college, I make videos using the money I would have saved.
The thought is it will help educate the world as a whole, and one day generate enough revenue to pay for their education. Until then if you appreciate what you've learned in this video and the effort that went in to it, please SHARE THE VIDEO!
If you REALLY liked it, feel free to pitch a few dollars towards their college fund by clicking here:
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Warm Regards,
Destin

[@TheBrokensaintvxvx]

If you watch the bats wings as it flaps, you can see the "fingers" in the wing moving independently. I thought about this for some time and wondered why this was. This independent motion of the flapping of its wings created a very interesting affect: it causes the top most portions of the wings to fill up with air. This seems silly right? Watch the wings closely and in its flight motion, it appears as if it is scooping air into the upper portion of its wings with its fingers, creating a sort of billowing parachute effect on the wing. It is generating its own lift! By simply flapping its muscled appendages, it is generating enough lift to suspend itself in the air, similarly to how a swimmer suspends themselves in a stationary spot in a pool.

[@smartereveryday]

Ok, we're getting closer. Polish captions are up, but they aren't perfect yet. Thanks to a guy named Kacper from your country who is working it.

[@paulypaul3255]

Am I the only one that wants to learn more about a strangler fig tree?

[@ulisesdimopulos4376]

no you're not

[@RoflZack]

nope

[@thegenericnerd6832]

i live near something very similar

[@jiniacosta8293]

Paulito no I am

[@museluvr]

Nope. How dare those vines!

[@wilz9388]

These creatures are a great idea for a super hero

[@lagunarealestate100]

so cool ;)

[@WirelikeGR]

Batman

[@BatmanProject777]

Can bats glide ? I wouldn't guess their wings to have the curved leading edge that birds winga use to create the lift under the wing.

[@Vincent-ce9ks]

That's stupid, why would we have a superhero based on a bat. What a random idea

[@roistin3944]

Ha. Ha. Ha. You mean a villain because i am pretty sure spreading a virus doesnt make you a hero.

[@Tbrekke]

Holy crud, this gave me tons of inspiration for how an eventual dragon would fly.

[@alpha4935]

This is precisely why I'm here XD

[@epr8974]

Interesting. Bats swim butterfly.

[@Greyhamaphone]

You'd think they'd do bat stroke....But no. Butterlfly it is.

[@jamesbraby2813]

I was thinking the same thing. The bag must be Michael Felps or whatever his name is

[@jamesbraby2813]

Bat

[@lydiazhu326]

@Tron Nort *Snort snort*

[@lydiazhu326]

XD

[@johnquincy2992]

Note to self: Always bring a mustache when approaching hollow bat inhabited trees.

[@blixxae967]

The larger, the better protection

[@smartereveryday]

The stretchiness is different along the wing compared to along the chord of the wing. Almost 200% strain is possible along the wing! There are muscles running along the chord, so very little in that direction. Cool huh?

[@smartereveryday]

I hear what you're saying and I'm working on getting a Polish translation of the captions up for you within a day.

[@Dontworryboutit247]

my salute to the creator of everything!!!!

[@3Nick3Carson3]

I love chuck Darwin too :-)

[@frostbitetheannunakiiceind6574]

@@3Nick3Carson3 LOL

[@TheTigero]

Destin! You have no idea how happy I get when a Smarter Every Day video hits my watch list!

[@solielj]

I just found your channel a few days ago and I've watched every single video from the beginning up to this one. I have to say, this is my favorite so far. I've always liked bats but now I realize just how cool they really are. The ability to flip upside down in mid-air and grab onto something. It's almost like that awesome RC helicopter pilot but better because they're born like this.

[@AzoteGamer]

I get so excited every time i see a new "Smarter Every Day." Thanks for all you put into these videos!

[@SpecificLove7]

Very cool. The only thing I can guess about the tail flap is that those with the extra might be able to have a little more control in flight and/or be more stable

[@smartereveryday]

I'm grateful for your gratitude.

[@keif9447]

Yeah and so am i?

[@cubiusblockus3973]

Moustaches and beards are a necessary peice of survival gear.

[@AdamRhein]

your channel is awesome!!!!

[@senorderp1221]

"music reminds me of Castlevainia" song gets used in a MetroidVainia game a year later

[@hakujouryu]

+SeñorDerp Rogue Legacy?

[@senorderp1221]

+hakujouryu indeed

[@SplashyTurnip]

never stop making these videos destin, so many things i never would have even thought to look up without them

[@craniumbear]

ty for putting the work in to make this vid. i love bats and find them very fascinating

[@Nighthawkinlight]

Very nice video.

[@keif9447]

Very nice

[@keif9447]

Are you still alive?

[@epicsauce7619]

@@keif9447 Hello in 8 yrs

[@epicsauce7619]

@@keif9447 Ye dude they are alive they still uploading

[@shobhitkaul8076]

hey Destin. a video and description of insect flight and flying fish/flying squirrel glide would be good

[@someotherdude]

There are gliding snakes as well.

[@DuesEstNonsanus]

Destin, I just discovered your channel a few months ago and I have to say this is easily one of the best channels on youtube. Your commitment to teaching things in an easily understandable way to us laymen is wonderful, and your passion is contagious! I used to love watching things like this on the Discovery Channel, and then the Science Channel when Discovery became all about Aliens and "reality" shows. I just wanted to say thanks and keep it up!

[@DSB42]

The only problem I have with your videos Destin is that I NEED MORE. I have watched every video you have uploaded multiple times. I honestly think I could build a helicopter after watching that amazing series so many times. Keep 'em coming sir. You keep me inspired.

[@AcLiberti]

That song was used in the game Rogue Legacy! Very Castlevania-like

[@kylewarner2828]

seeing a bat run is the creepiest thing ever, imagine a dog sized bat run at you

[@supermanboy1255]

Mightyimpact I would be excited

[@supermanboy1255]

Mightyimpact And a dog sized bat already exist it's the Fruit Bat, Mega Bat, or Flying Fox

[@trvth1s]

pterosaurs likely walked the same way

[@jeebersjumpincryst]

this vid was simply superb, in every aspect i can think of! better than anything comparable that Ive seen on the tv, easily. awesome work destin!!!

[@smartereveryday]

Thanks dude. I appreciate it.

[@janadriaanjansenvanvuuren6502]

I shall never understand why people equate bats with nightmare fuel, most bats are exceptionally cute. And yeah, I know it's subjective.

[@FangyDoesArt]

Bats were associated with evil around the time people believed in witches. During their huge bonfires or witch burning, several insects, such as mosquitoes, were attracted to the the fire, and so bats were attracted by the mosquitoes, causing people to believe that bats were associated with witches and evil. Hope that helps a bit.

[@FangyDoesArt]

I personally LOVE bats myself ^^

[@janadriaanjansenvanvuuren6502]

I get that, but what about other countries ? People still dislike bats even though the witchcraft shenanigans never even occurred. Sweden for example, during the witch hunts and whatnot they didn't join in, because they held the belief that magic was a "guy thing" to do. And yet people are still squeamish about bats. I think it might be more along the lines of people believing bats are absolutely riddled with diseases and parasites, which isn't exactly a non-truth. But still condemning a species simply because they have the potential to be a vector for disease still doesn't entirely sit well with me. Dogs and cats also have that potential so meh. It's all just negative association passed on through the generations.

[@FangyDoesArt]

Yeah, the rabies thing is something that makes all wild things that crawl in the alleys or in the backyard seem hostile. Although bats ARE the #1 animal to give humans rabies, less than 1% actually GET rabies. And bats being tidy animals, when they do get it, it's not like they seek out humans. They look for a secluded quiet spot to die. Huff, until the dog bites the intruder and gets the rabies, then everyone points at the bat, though all he really wanted was to stay AWAY from them... Anyways, are you aware that people in areas around Asia and the central and southern Americas actually EAT bats as bushmeat? Like, hey, maybe that's why you get the rabies in the first place? Not to mention making them endangered and now giving them a reason to be much more afraid of us than we are of them? Ok, I'm starting to bring opinions in this. Anyways, I was just agreeing to your statement and maybe tweaking it a bit. So yeah. (But bats are still in Halloween decor because of the witchcraft thing. I mean, you don't put dogs or skunks in there, do you? And they're both those "Ahh, rabies!" stereotypes.)

[@janadriaanjansenvanvuuren6502]

Well I don't know about the Halloween stuff, I'm not American or of a country that celebrates it. But as far as I know the Americans were the ones that brought bats into the Halloween thing, not the country of Halloween's origin. So that superstitious association I think is more American.

[@tomek1678]

BATS ARE SOO CUTE

[@erodict5840]

Until they bite you

[@Kari_512]

+Erodict There's only one blood-thirsty species of bat. The rest feed off insects, fruit, nectar, etc.

[@erodict5840]

TP•Сallie The Twilit Squiddo If they panic they'll still bite you

[@Kari_512]

Erodict True. But they won't suck your blood or anything..

[@erodict5840]

TP•Сallie The Twilit Squiddo They have infectious diseases

[@SomeOnlinePerson]

Fantastic! I'm actually working on a project for school, about various ways bats use their wings, and this is very helpful. Actually, until seeing this, I'd never once thought about a bat swimming!

[@smartereveryday]

Thanks man, I really appreciate it.

[@kangdaconquerer3978]

1:33 Bat 1 : Squeak squeak, we’ve got company! I guess he’s come to eat us or else why would he climb 30 feet? Bat2 : well lemme give em a sweet taste of Justice!

[@iilikecereal]

Bats are adorable :3

[@CaptianSwan]

Awesome video, and the music at the end has some old metroid feel to it too.

[@billyzekid]

Awsome, thanks for all this science. And I didn't expected that bat could fly!

[@MrRoboskippy]

Bats are awesome!

[@PepeUrueta]

what's the name of the last song? it sounds awesome, I wanna download it

[@enriquemaestas2896]

play a game called Rogue Legacy. It's one of the main theme songs

[@SuperKratosgamer]

The song is called "Narwhal"

[@RevlisGT]

Cool, I was thinking about this awhile back when I was watching bats catch bugs in my backyard. It really is amazing to watch them fly, they're just so fast.

[@VideoSouls]

The music at the end with the bat footage was combined perfect. Really creepy and cool.

[@AnnoyingSquib]

Nightmare fuel nothing. This is reference GOLD for an animator! Thank you so much! I had no idea Vampire Bats ran and swam like that!

[@susannahayres-thomas7185]

Destin, I think they're beautifully and wondrously made. God doesn't make junk!

[@logan2669]

+Susannah Ayres-Thomas ^ true^

[@joshstarkey8883]

Tell that to the globfish

[@21ozmar]

Nice, you always explain things so easily and simple.

[@HobbyBots]

Great video Destin. Thank God you and high-speed photography have crossed paths. :)

[@adrianehren]

They can swim¿¡!? Sure they mammals but still thats awesome

[@godexists2177]

bats are like monsters when they walk 😟

[@juanbecerra5233]

Just be glad they have that skin for their wings, they would look really scary walking without it

[@i_like_memes6957]

Juan Becerra eww that img wont get out of my head

[@HenriqueLSilva]

Well that's what happens when you evolve the limbs you used to walk to be able to fly, and then try to use them again to walk (check out the common vampire bats though, they """kinda""" "stayed in the middle" so they could sorta keep the ability to walk, run, jump etc)

[@bradchambers5886]

@@HenriqueLSilva That was a video of a vampire bat running.

[@kylepeterson]

this one is fantastic man ! the pollen vortexes on the driveway are a great teaching tool. i'm going to show my kids - thanks for all of this !

[@etterthe1st]

These videos are deeply cool. I seriously appreciate the work you put into making them.

[@The0007rishabh]

batman > birdman

[@robinsonray6766]

birds are still superior to bats

[@HenriqueLSilva]

@@robinsonray6766 it kinda depends on the parameters you're judging them for

[@hydrolito]

Michael Keaton played Batman, Birdman and The Vulture so is Michael Keaton greater than Michael Keaton?

[@PrimalRenegade17]

Those "flaps" (if me sorry severs correctly) have nothing to do with flight. Insectivorous species use them as a catch net. Look up bat catches moth in flight and you should be able to see that the bat garbs the month or bug and throws the flap over the bug before it eats.

[@raven7146]

PrimalRenegade17 Bats can’t glide though. If they glide, they fall. That’s why they continuously flap

[@ashwith]

Wish you ran a channel with tutorials in mechanical engineering. Love this kinda stuff!

[@jetpetty1613]

Excellent video on bat flight!

[@DaniAzakura]

This whole video was just a click bat video.

[@sebastiant.416]

If we don't kill everything maybe in 30 million years bats could evolve to eventually take over most bird niches the same way birds replaced pterosaurs. Would be cool to see a video on how pterosaurs flew wish they were still around today.

[@trvth1s]

Anything can happen but i doubt it. Bats have been around for almost 60 million years, almost as long as birds, ironically they emerged a few million years after pterosaurs went extinct. Mechanically they are almost identical to pterosaurs. Birds have numerous advantages over bats. From hollow bones, to feathers which increase their diversity in wing design thus flight. Birds also have a faster and more advanced metabolism than mammals. Theropods, dinosaurs overall, also have a more advanced respiratory system than mammals which allows unidirectional air flow [look up avian respiratory system]. Interesting fact; birds came AFTER mammals. Birds are the 2nd most common vertebrates on earth second only to fish. On land they are the most numerous and diverse. And here is an interesting fact; we don't have anymore large terrestrial bird herbivores and carnivores because of humans. Who knows what will happen in 30 million years but my bet is large theropods make a comeback.

[@HenriqueLSilva]

Kind of unlikely, unless some disease suddenly wiped out most bird populations, leaving said niches vacant. Otherwise bats would likely stay where they are (there are a few documentaries on KZbin including one about the evolution of flight)

[@kreeepyk0]

I'm really enjoying the videos focusing on biology. The music you choose along with the high speed of these amazing critters is beautiful together. I really dug the 'music video' at the end. And no, I don't think I've ever thought about swimming bats. That's what you're here for! Thanks for quality stuff!

[@smartereveryday]

Thank you sir.

[@tolotonga69]

just shows how an intelligent designer is needed

[@Garfield100]

Nope. Evolution :)

[@RoflZack]

no. it doesn't

[@malekzalfana9940]

Evolution is a process, it doesn't explain the creation of life. It just explains how living things adapt.

[@Garfield100]

Malek Zalfana Actually, evolution applies to many things, not just life.

[@malekzalfana9940]

GarfieldGaming I know, I'm saying evolution is just result of some programming that makes things change to survive

[@IainMcClatchie]

Destin, Incredibly awesome.... but too short! We need a side by side of birds and bats, and play it slow enough so we can actually understand what we're looking at. Great stuff. Thanks!

[@alejandraleon3129]

This was phenomenal! Thank you for the video!

[@museluvr]

Bats are adorable. Interesting piece.. thanks!

[@spades498]

! this was rlly rlly helpful for visualizing how bat wings fold and is gonna help me a lot with drawing them, so thank you for making this video!!

[@LaughingGenius]

I think this is my new favorite Smarter Every Day video! : )

[@ryukanliminar]

I'm writing a children's book about a bat raised by birds and I needed to know how they fly differently. Thank you for making this video, you've helped immensely. :)

[@AlkisGD]

Physics of bat flight, Castlevania shout out and TV Tropes reference? This video satiated all my nerdy sides, thank you very much :D

[@OldFriendEr]

This is quite old, but I think that is my favorite video, from Smarter Every Day, really good quality and has interesting science material. Thumbs up! :)

[@loginlover]

I hadn't thought about it in that way, but that makes sense. Thanks!

[@Cdeep04]

Way awesome, Thanks Destin!

[@Truthiness231]

Proud to be a subscriber of this channel.

[@CptBongbreaker]

Wow that's totally awesome!! Never really put much thought into bats. But with how much attention to detail in all of your videos I love it!! Bats r quite fascinating! Also did anyone else notice how much leg movement is happening as they flap wings?

[@chuckyj7697]

Way cool!!!!!! This is the kind of teaching we need in schools. A person who can explain the practical application of flight in a way that is not only interesting but entertaining as well. I also enjoyed the Prince Rupert's Drop experiment as well.

[@petedykstra8581]

destin... what can i say, this guys is my role model, and inspiration

[@eRose220]

I love your stuff. you just reminded me why I loved bats as a child and stumped my first grade teacher with questions.

[@ElKuku9999]

This is so awesome. The creepiest part (IMO) was watching the bat run.

[@fornamnefternamn1532]

I came here to learn about bat flight. I've learnt a lot - even more than I expected. Amazing!

[@eyrene10]

I never thought of bats swimming before! That was really interesting

[@michaelhockus8208]

This is an amazing video, thanks!

[@EwenSinky]

I've been watching KZbin for this update. Keep going Destin!

[@furushokun]

awesome, amazing production, editing, filming, reliable and interesting content!

[@jamesnicholson8719]

Dude! Awesome. You should make a longer version of the music+bat clips at the end. Perfect playback for a Halloween party.

[@knifetoucher]

Wow, those are such great beats that I bought your digital album! Keep up the awesome work!

[@specliac]

I love the end of this video so much!

[@fenrirgg]

this is exactly what I was looking for, God bless youtube and people that upload videos xD

[@hujiko44745278184]

your super hd causes so much lag for me i cant even watch your videos without waiting a few houra to let it buffer AND THEYRE SO GOOD

[@D15557]

Creepy on the ground,good swimmers,great video!

[@ismaelpr]

Crazy footage a the end!!

[@PeppyTheCrawdad]

You make some of my favorite KZbin content of all. I looove your videos! Thank you. God bless you and your family.

[@menacer26]

Nicely done

[@Reinier020]

Destin you show us that research is awsome!

[@tnapeepeelu]

6:03 the amazing montage

[@lambofsquirrel]

i like how sweet calm music is playing while you're pestering bats lol

[@lalolalo07]

I've noticed these differences in wing structures between birds and bats when I was a kid and I thought I was weird because I had nobody to talk to about it. your videos are amazing and besides making me smarter every day, they're also making me realize that there are other weirdos out there that think the same way as me.

[@thatguy928]

whoa...instead of taking the oars out of the stream, so to speak, in the case of the birds flipping their primaries, the bats seem to have fingers that lock on the down stroke, but can make a fist, in a way, on the upstroke thanks for the vid...awesome stuff!

[@Commandelicious]

Destin you are just amazing!

[@sciencedada]

Outstanding presentation!

[@funjumprvr3588]

Does anyone else now think bats are some of the coolest animals out there?! I want to know more!

[@GetOutsideYourself]

Cool video, and cool to see the same lake we visited at Posada Amazonas, where we saw the river otters. At the TRC, our room got invaded by bats feeding on bugs one morning. There were dozens of them zooming in and out of our room. I thought it was awesome, but my wife was freaked out. Just another day in the Amazon.

[@calebkuric5260]

I want more slow motion bat action. I can't believe I've never seen this before!

[@BigAirWindJam]

I've seen bats with tail membranes that use them to "scoop up" prey. That changes flying dynamics of hunting. For other times I'd figure the membrane acts like elevators on a plane with the ability to change angle relative to stable flight to double as a rudder. This may allow a change in yaw and pitch. Great Videos!

[@DanielC01000100]

Excellent!!!! Amazed!!

[@aido179]

Awesome, Thanks Destin!