ScienceBats may have originated in Europe during the Paleocene
A science roundup describes an analysis combining genomes from 103 bat species across all 21 living families with 44 fossil taxa. The proposed timing and location of bats’ origin remain model-based inferences.
TLDR
A science roundup shared on September 25, 2026, says a genomic and fossil analysis strongly favored Europe as bats’ ancestral region during the Paleocene. The analysis also suggests powered flight and laryngeal echolocation appeared early in bat evolution. The roundup notes that the earliest direct fossils come millions of years later, so future fossil discoveries could refine the inferred timing and geography.
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Bats may have originated in Europe during the Paleocene
A science roundup describes an analysis combining genomes from 103 bat species across all 21 living families with 44 fossil taxa. The proposed timing and location of bats’ origin remain model-based inferences.