Scientists find a bat eating a songbird hidden in a 1611 Renaissance painting, and the artwork may have documented a behaviour birds and bat researchers only confirmed in the last year
A 17th-century painting by Jan Brueghel the Elder has revealed a stunning detail: a bat preying on a songbird. This discovery, made by a keen-eyed observer, challenges long-held scientific scepticism about bats hunting migratory birds. Modern technology has only recently confirmed this behaviour, suggesting the Flemish master's dedication to realism captured a rare natural phenomenon centuries ago, highlighting the scientific value hidden within art.
A 17th-century painting by Jan Brueghel the Elder has revealed a stunning detail: a bat preying on a songbird. This discovery, made by a keen-eyed observer, challenges long-held scientific scepticism about bats hunting migratory birds. Modern technology has only recently confirmed this behaviour, suggesting the Flemish master's dedication to realism captured a rare natural phenomenon centuries ago, highlighting the scientific value hidden within art.
