Figure 4: Unique expression of Fgf10 at the domain where future wing membranes develop. For the evolution of the flight apparatus in bats, we suppose that a two-step developmental mechanism was ...

For example, Bahlman told NBC News he wanted to compare a stretchy membrane like a live bat wing with a non-stretchy material. He suspects the stretchy skin of bat wings enhances flight performance.

Graduate student Joseph Bahlman built a 3-D printed robotic bat wing based on the lesser dog-faced fruit bat, and tested it last year. This wing included an elastic membrane stretched over plastic ...