A comprehensive visual reference offering facts from all major fields of science is organized into six sections--the universe, planet Earth, biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics--and includes timelines, sidebars, and cross-references.

Discusses myths about bats, how bats travel and where they live, their food, migration, and life cycle, and the dangers they face

Provides an introduction to bats, covering their physical characteristics, habits, food, prey, and relationship to humans.

Natural phenomena, revolutionary inventions, scientific facts, and the most up-to-date questions are all explained in detailed text that is complemented by visually arresting graphics. Six major sections are further broken down into subsections that encompass everything from microscopic life to nuclear power.

Bats play an essential role in the balance of nature-eating millions of insect pests nightly and pollinating hundreds of different types of plants. Yet unfounded superstitions and fear, plus the destruction of their habitats, are endangering many species of bats the world over. The clear text and forty up-close full-color photographs highlight bats' unusual physical characteristics and present a fascinating view of their day-to-day life and behavior.

There are more than 1,300 species of bats—or almost a quarter of the world’s mammal species. But before you shrink in fear from these furry “creatures of the night,” consider the bat’s fundamental role in our ecosystem. A single brown bat can eat several thousand insects in a night. Bats also pollinate and disperse the seeds for many of the plants we love, from bananas to mangoes and figs. Bats: A World of Science and Mystery presents these fascinating nocturnal creatures in a new light. Lush, full-color photographs portray bats in flight, feeding, and mating in views that show them in exceptional detail. The photos also take the reader into the roosts of bats, from caves and mines to the tents some bats build out of leaves. A comprehensive guide to what scientists know about the world of bats, the book begins with a look at bats’ origins and evolution. The book goes on to address a host of questions related to flight, diet, habitat, reproduction, and social structure: Why do some bats live alone and others in large colonies? When do bats reproduce and care for their young? How has the ability to fly—unique among mammals—influenced bats’ mating behavior? A chapter on biosonar, or echolocation, takes readers through the system of high-pitched calls bats emit to navigate and catch prey. More than half of the world’s bat species are either in decline or already considered endangered, and the book concludes with suggestions for what we can do to protect these species for future generations to benefit from and enjoy. From the tiny “bumblebee bat”—the world’s smallest mammal—to the Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox, whose wingspan exceeds five feet, A Battery of Bats presents a panoramic view of one of the world’s most fascinating yet least-understood species.

There are many amazing animals in the world. Some are funny and some are strange. This book will tell you about seven interesting, but amazing animals. Each book covers six subjects: What is it, where does it live, what does it eat, who are its enemies, how are babies born and raised, and some fun facts about the animal. This is a compilation of seven of our popular 15-Minute Books. It contains the full text and pictures from the following individual books: Giant Pandas: Cuddly Bamboo Lovers Gorillas: Men of the African Forest Zebras: Striped Horses of Africa Bats: Fliers of the Night Armadillos: Animals That Wear Armor Manatees: Mermaids of the Sea Horses: Tame and Wild Ages 7 to 10 Reading level: 3.8 All measurements in American and metric. Educational Versions include exercises designed to meet Common Core Standards. LearningIsland.com believes in the value of children practicing reading for 15 minutes every day. Our 15-Minute Books give children lots of fun, exciting choices to read, from classic stories, to mysteries, to books of knowledge. Many books are appropriate for hi-lo readers. Open the world of reading to a child by having them read for 15 minutes a day.

Bats are mysterious creatures that gracefully cruise through the night sky. How Do Bats Fly in the Dark? reveals how they use echolocation to find their way and hunt for dinner. Book jacket.

Simple text and full-color photos explain the habitat, life cycle, range, and behavior of bats.

In 1861, just a few years after the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, a scientist named Hermann von Meyer made an amazing discovery. Hidden in the Bavarian region of Germany was a fossil skeleton so exquisitely preserved that its wings and feathers were as obvious as its reptilian jaws and tail. This transitional creature offered tangible proof of Darwin's theory of evolution. Hailed as the First Bird, Archaeopteryx has remained the subject of heated debates for the last 140 years. Are birds actually living dinosaurs? Where does the fossil record really lead? Did flight originate from the "ground up" or "trees down"? Pat Shipman traces the age-old human desire to soar above the earth and to understand what has come before us. Taking Wing is science as adventure story, told with all the drama by which scientific understanding unfolds.