Echolocation

/ˌɛkoʊloʊˈkeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

A natural sonar system used by some animals to navigate and hunt by producing sounds and interpreting the echoes that bounce back from objects. This biological radar helps animals 'see' with sound.

Etymology

A compound word combining 'echo' (from Greek 'ekho') and 'location'. The term was coined in the 1940s when scientists discovered how bats and dolphins use sound waves to navigate.

Kelly Says

Echolocation is so precise that dolphins can 'see' inside objects and detect a fish's swim bladder, while bats can distinguish wires as thin as human hair in complete darkness! This biological sonar is millions of years more advanced than any human technology.

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