RESEARCH STARTER

Echolocation

Echolocation is a biological and technological process used to determine the location and shape of objects by analyzing echoes. While many animals, including bats and toothed whales, have utilized echolocation for navigation and hunting for millions of years, humans have also developed echolocation techniques using technology like radar and sonar. The history of echolocation dates back to early human observations and inventions, with Leonardo da Vinci's documentation in the 15th century being one of the earliest examples. In modern applications, echolocation is vital in various fields, including military, medical, and scientific domains. For instance, it is employed in ultrasound technology for non-invasive medical diagnostics, as well as in military settings for detecting aircraft and submarines. Additionally, echolocation is used by hunters and fishermen to locate prey and navigate waters. Remarkably, individuals with visual impairments, like Daniel Kish, have learned to use echolocation techniques to navigate their surroundings through sound. This highlights the diverse applications and significance of echolocation across different spheres of life.

Full Article

Echolocation is a process used to determine the location of an object, using echoes to make the determination of how far away an object is, and how the object is shaped. Animals and humans use echolocation. When animals use echolocation, it is also known as biosonar, and they have been using it for some 60 million years. Humans have developed technologies that use reflected sound or electromagnetic waves to detect and locate objects, including sonar and radar. Advances in data processing have expanded the medical, military, and everyday applications of echolocation.

Brief History

While the first scientific studies of animal echolocation were conducted in the 1900s, animals that use echolocation appeared soon after the dinosaurs went extinct. Early fossil records show bats first appearing about 50 to 60 million years ago. Many bats use echolocation for navigation and hunting. A 2021 study found developmental evidence supporting independent origins of laryngeal echolocation in bats. Toothed whales, including dolphins, killer whales, and sperm whales, developed biosonar after toothed whales diverged from baleen whales about 34 million years ago. Much like bats, toothed whales use biosonar for determining location and navigation. Human-made underwater noise from ships, sonar, and drilling can affect how marine mammals hear and navigate.

Human use of echolocation was first documented in 1490 by Leonardo da Vinci in Italy. Da Vinci used a tube placed in water to identify sounds and distances. Radar, the commonly known acronym for radio detection and ranging, was first developed in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Heinrich Hertz demonstrated that radio waves could be reflected by objects, helping establish the scientific foundation for radar. The sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 increased interest in underwater detection technologies, leading to the development of early sonar systems by several researchers.

Radar and sonar were vital to the war effort during the two world wars in the first half of the twentieth century. Radar was used to detect incoming fighters and bombers, while sonar was used for detecting submerged vessels, such as submarines in the oceans. After World War II, radar and sonar technology continued to develop at a rapid pace, with new metals, as well as crystals, used to improve functionality and accuracy.

Echolocation Today

In the twenty-first century, echolocation is still used in many applications. It has military, medical, hunting, fishing, and scientific functions, as well as in methods to help people with disabilities. Militaries around the world use radar and sonar for detection of friendly and hostile aircraft, ships, and missiles. The medical community uses echolocation in the form of ultrasound in determining pregnancy status and as a noninvasive diagnostic tool. Echolocation is used in hunting and fishing to determine the location of prey, and acoustic sensing is also used in scientific research.

Military applications include determining where aircraft and vessels are located and where they are going. Another major military function of sensing systems is to triangulate the location of enemy small arms, mortars, and missiles. Triangulation is the process of determining a location by comparing measurements from multiple receivers. Triangulation uses multiple receivers to pinpoint the location of the source of the noise. As the number of receivers increases, so does the accuracy and certainty of the location.

The medical community uses ultrasounds, also known as diagnostic sonography or ultrasonography, to view internal organs, tendons, muscles, and joints within the body. Ultrasounds have the distinct advantage of being able to view the interior of a person without invasive surgery or long lapses in time. Ultrasound was first used by John Wild in 1949 to determine the thickness of a patient’s bowel tissue, and scientists in France, Scotland, Sweden, and the United States, among other nations, further developed ultrasound technology. The first use of color ultrasound was in 1979, and later developments included the ability to view images in three dimensions. Portable point-of-care ultrasound devices allow trained health care workers to perform imaging near the patient.

People who hunt and fish routinely use echolocation. Hunters use triangulation to find the distance to an animal they are hunting, primarily done with the use of a rangefinder. Rangefinders use a variety of techniques to determine distance, including laser, echolocation, radar, and sonar. Sonar range finders are used by fishing boats to ensure vessels do not run aground in shallow waters. Range finders can determine the depth of the water, as well as any fish in the water. Autonomous underwater vehicles also use sonar to map the seafloor and study the water column.

In seismic science, networks of instruments are used to determine the epicenter of earthquakes. Echolocation is used by people with disabilities to orient themselves and function in everyday life. Daniel Kish, an expert in human echolocation, is a blind man who uses his tongue to make a clicking noise using a technique similar to biological echolocation, and he judges the length of time it takes for the clicking noise to bounce back to him from objects in his immediate environment. With this noise, Kish is able to navigate around obstacles and build a mental representation of what is around him. World Access for the Blind, an organization Kish founded, teaches human echolocation and mobility skills.


Bibliography

Alexander, David E. On the Wing: Insects, Pterosaurs, Birds, Bats, and the Evolution of Animal Flight. Oxford UP, 2015.

“Autonomous Underwater Vehicles.” NOAA Ocean Exploration, oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/subs-auvs/. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Fenton, M. Brock, and John M. Ratcliffe. “Sensory Biology: Echolocation from Click to Call, Mouth to Wing.” Current Biology, vol. 24, no. 24, 2014, pp. R1160–62, doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.10.073. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Guarino, Ben. “How Echolocation Lets Bats, Dolphins, and Even People Navigate by Sound.” Popular Science, 15 May 2023, www.popsci.com/science/what-is-echolocation/. Accessed 6 June 2026.

“Home.” World Access for the Blind, www.worldaccessfortheblind.net/. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Jones, Gareth, and Emma C. Teeling. “The Evolution of Echolocation in Bats.” Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 21, no. 3, 2006, pp. 149–56, doi:10.1016/j.tree.2006.01.001. Accessed 6 June 2026.

“Marine Mammals: Underwater Noise.” NOAA, www.noaa.gov/marine-mammals-underwater-noise. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Martocchia, Antonio, et al. “The Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) by the Handheld Ultrasound Devices (HUDs) in the COVID-19 Scenario: A Review of the Literature.” SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine, vol. 5, article 1, 2023, doi:10.1007/s42399-022-01316-9. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Merzendorfer, Hans. “Bat’s Jamming Sonar Tricks Echolocation in Rivals.” Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 218, no. 3, 2015, p. 332, doi:10.1242/jeb.112052. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Nojiri, Taro, et al. “Embryonic Evidence Uncovers Convergent Origins of Laryngeal Echolocation in Bats.” Current Biology, vol. 31, no. 7, 2021, pp. 1353–65.e3, www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(20)31895-9. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Reynolds III, J. E., and S. A. Rommel. Biology of Marine Mammals. Smithsonian Institution P, 1999.

Thomas, Jeanette, et al. editors. Echolocation in Bats and Dolphins. U of Chicago P, 2002.

Tuttle, Merlin. The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World’s Most Misunderstood Mammals. Houghton, 2015.

Wikinson, Michael G. T., et al. “Echolocating Bats Adjust Sonar Call Features and Head/Ear Position as They Track Moving Targets in the Presence of Clutter.” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 157, no. 3, 2025, pp. 2236–47, doi:10.1121/10.0036252. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Zupanc, G. K. H. Behavioral Neurobiology: An Integrative Approach. Oxford UP, 2004.

Full Article

Echolocation is a process used to determine the location of an object, using echoes to make the determination of how far away an object is, and how the object is shaped. Animals and humans use echolocation. When animals use echolocation, it is also known as biosonar, and they have been using it for some 60 million years. Humans have developed technologies that use reflected sound or electromagnetic waves to detect and locate objects, including sonar and radar. Advances in data processing have expanded the medical, military, and everyday applications of echolocation.

Brief History

While the first scientific studies of animal echolocation were conducted in the 1900s, animals that use echolocation appeared soon after the dinosaurs went extinct. Early fossil records show bats first appearing about 50 to 60 million years ago. Many bats use echolocation for navigation and hunting. A 2021 study found developmental evidence supporting independent origins of laryngeal echolocation in bats. Toothed whales, including dolphins, killer whales, and sperm whales, developed biosonar after toothed whales diverged from baleen whales about 34 million years ago. Much like bats, toothed whales use biosonar for determining location and navigation. Human-made underwater noise from ships, sonar, and drilling can affect how marine mammals hear and navigate.

Human use of echolocation was first documented in 1490 by Leonardo da Vinci in Italy. Da Vinci used a tube placed in water to identify sounds and distances. Radar, the commonly known acronym for radio detection and ranging, was first developed in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Heinrich Hertz demonstrated that radio waves could be reflected by objects, helping establish the scientific foundation for radar. The sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 increased interest in underwater detection technologies, leading to the development of early sonar systems by several researchers.

Radar and sonar were vital to the war effort during the two world wars in the first half of the twentieth century. Radar was used to detect incoming fighters and bombers, while sonar was used for detecting submerged vessels, such as submarines in the oceans. After World War II, radar and sonar technology continued to develop at a rapid pace, with new metals, as well as crystals, used to improve functionality and accuracy.

Echolocation Today

In the twenty-first century, echolocation is still used in many applications. It has military, medical, hunting, fishing, and scientific functions, as well as in methods to help people with disabilities. Militaries around the world use radar and sonar for detection of friendly and hostile aircraft, ships, and missiles. The medical community uses echolocation in the form of ultrasound in determining pregnancy status and as a noninvasive diagnostic tool. Echolocation is used in hunting and fishing to determine the location of prey, and acoustic sensing is also used in scientific research.

Military applications include determining where aircraft and vessels are located and where they are going. Another major military function of sensing systems is to triangulate the location of enemy small arms, mortars, and missiles. Triangulation is the process of determining a location by comparing measurements from multiple receivers. Triangulation uses multiple receivers to pinpoint the location of the source of the noise. As the number of receivers increases, so does the accuracy and certainty of the location.

The medical community uses ultrasounds, also known as diagnostic sonography or ultrasonography, to view internal organs, tendons, muscles, and joints within the body. Ultrasounds have the distinct advantage of being able to view the interior of a person without invasive surgery or long lapses in time. Ultrasound was first used by John Wild in 1949 to determine the thickness of a patient’s bowel tissue, and scientists in France, Scotland, Sweden, and the United States, among other nations, further developed ultrasound technology. The first use of color ultrasound was in 1979, and later developments included the ability to view images in three dimensions. Portable point-of-care ultrasound devices allow trained health care workers to perform imaging near the patient.

People who hunt and fish routinely use echolocation. Hunters use triangulation to find the distance to an animal they are hunting, primarily done with the use of a rangefinder. Rangefinders use a variety of techniques to determine distance, including laser, echolocation, radar, and sonar. Sonar range finders are used by fishing boats to ensure vessels do not run aground in shallow waters. Range finders can determine the depth of the water, as well as any fish in the water. Autonomous underwater vehicles also use sonar to map the seafloor and study the water column.

In seismic science, networks of instruments are used to determine the epicenter of earthquakes. Echolocation is used by people with disabilities to orient themselves and function in everyday life. Daniel Kish, an expert in human echolocation, is a blind man who uses his tongue to make a clicking noise using a technique similar to biological echolocation, and he judges the length of time it takes for the clicking noise to bounce back to him from objects in his immediate environment. With this noise, Kish is able to navigate around obstacles and build a mental representation of what is around him. World Access for the Blind, an organization Kish founded, teaches human echolocation and mobility skills.


Bibliography

Alexander, David E. On the Wing: Insects, Pterosaurs, Birds, Bats, and the Evolution of Animal Flight. Oxford UP, 2015.

“Autonomous Underwater Vehicles.” NOAA Ocean Exploration, oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/subs-auvs/. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Fenton, M. Brock, and John M. Ratcliffe. “Sensory Biology: Echolocation from Click to Call, Mouth to Wing.” Current Biology, vol. 24, no. 24, 2014, pp. R1160–62, doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.10.073. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Guarino, Ben. “How Echolocation Lets Bats, Dolphins, and Even People Navigate by Sound.” Popular Science, 15 May 2023, www.popsci.com/science/what-is-echolocation/. Accessed 6 June 2026.

“Home.” World Access for the Blind, www.worldaccessfortheblind.net/. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Jones, Gareth, and Emma C. Teeling. “The Evolution of Echolocation in Bats.” Trends in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 21, no. 3, 2006, pp. 149–56, doi:10.1016/j.tree.2006.01.001. Accessed 6 June 2026.

“Marine Mammals: Underwater Noise.” NOAA, www.noaa.gov/marine-mammals-underwater-noise. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Martocchia, Antonio, et al. “The Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) by the Handheld Ultrasound Devices (HUDs) in the COVID-19 Scenario: A Review of the Literature.” SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine, vol. 5, article 1, 2023, doi:10.1007/s42399-022-01316-9. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Merzendorfer, Hans. “Bat’s Jamming Sonar Tricks Echolocation in Rivals.” Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 218, no. 3, 2015, p. 332, doi:10.1242/jeb.112052. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Nojiri, Taro, et al. “Embryonic Evidence Uncovers Convergent Origins of Laryngeal Echolocation in Bats.” Current Biology, vol. 31, no. 7, 2021, pp. 1353–65.e3, www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(20)31895-9. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Reynolds III, J. E., and S. A. Rommel. Biology of Marine Mammals. Smithsonian Institution P, 1999.

Thomas, Jeanette, et al. editors. Echolocation in Bats and Dolphins. U of Chicago P, 2002.

Tuttle, Merlin. The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World’s Most Misunderstood Mammals. Houghton, 2015.

Wikinson, Michael G. T., et al. “Echolocating Bats Adjust Sonar Call Features and Head/Ear Position as They Track Moving Targets in the Presence of Clutter.” Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 157, no. 3, 2025, pp. 2236–47, doi:10.1121/10.0036252. Accessed 6 June 2026.

Zupanc, G. K. H. Behavioral Neurobiology: An Integrative Approach. Oxford UP, 2004.

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