Bats Likely Originated in Europe About 65 Million Years Ago, Largest Bat Genome and Fossil Study Suggests
Nature World News | 02.10.2026 21:00
Bats most likely first evolved in Europe roughly 65 to 60 million years ago, according to a study published Sept. 23 in the journal Nature that combined the largest set of bat genome assemblies gathered to date with evidence from dozens of fossil species. The finding challenges earlier proposals that the world's only flying mammals arose in Asia, Africa or North America.
