For a long time, scientists have know about a bat, Glossophaga soricina, whose tongue is filled with tiny hairs called papillae. These hairs were thought to only increase the surface area of the bat's tongue as they get nectar. After hummingbirds were found to have dynamic structures of their tongues, these bats were brought back into suspicion. After experimentation, it is found that the bats pump blood into the hairs to make them stick up. The observation only happened after the team recorded high-speed videos of the tongues because the tongue became filled with blood in only .04 seconds. The hairs not only add surface area, but also width. This could help initiate the development of shape-shifting medical instruments.
NOS themes:
- Science is collaborative
- Science is based on evidence
- Role of chance
- Role of motivation and curiosity
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