Scientists in the US have used X-rays to produce remarkable videos of bats in flight that reveal the movement of their skeletons.
Analysing this footage has revealed how the bats store and recycle energy in their tendons.
The tiny fruit bats the team studied have very stretchy tendons that connect their upper arm muscles to their bones.
This, say the scientists, make them very efficient fliers.
The research was presented at the Society for Experimental Biology's annual meeting in Valencia, Spain.
Since bats are also unique among mammals in their ability to fly, the scientists say the animals could inspire the design of the search-and-rescue robots.
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