5 Things to Know About the New Phoenix Bat Species That Glows in the Dark
- A newly discovered species of phoenix bat in the Philippines emits a fluorescent green glow when exposed to UV light, a rare trait that scientists believe helps it communicate in dense rainforests.
- Unlike the mythical bird, this bat is small—weighing about 10 grams—but its name was chosen after researchers saw its glowing wings as a "rebirth" of bio-luminescence research in Southeast Asia.
- The glow comes from a unique structural protein in its wing membranes, not bioluminescence, which means it requires an external light source to activate.
- Locals reported seeing "flying embers" at dusk along a phoenix-shaped canopy clearing for decades, finally confirmed by a night-vision camera trap.
- Conservationists are already warning that deforestation in the region could make this phoenix bat the first fluorescent species to vanish before its glow is fully understood.