Why being “blind as a bat” is a myth

You’ve probably heard the expression “blind as a bat” used to describe someone who has trouble seeing. These winged creatures may drink blood, hang upside down, and sleep during the day. But are bats really blind? Here’s the short answer: no. This misconception likely started because most bats hunt by way of echolocation. This physiological process allows animals to emit sound waves that “bounce” off of prey or other objects and reflect back to them, providing information about the object’s size and location. Other animals that use echolocation include dolphins, oilbirds, and some shrews. But bats don’t rely on echolocation because they’re blind. Bats evolved to echolocate because they’re nocturnal and hunt in the dark without much natural light. At 2 AM, even someone with 20/20 vision would struggle to see an insect fluttering in front of them. And we’re not saying we gave a bat an eye exam, but bats are actually believed to have sharper eyesight than most humans. This is because their eyes are attuned to the low-light conditions they hunt in, meaning they need less light than humans do to see clearly. Combined with their power of echolocation, bats’ strong eyesight makes them powerful nocturnal predators—worthy of having a superhero named in their honor.