Short-Tailed Fruit Bat Skull (IMAGE) University of Massachusetts Amherst Caption The glowing structures are bones that house the inner ear. The rounded, coiled structure is the cochlea, for hearing. The arch is one of three semicircular canals on each side. These contain balance-related structures that sense roll, pitch and yaw. Elizabeth Dumont at UMass Amherst and colleagues have launched a large study of the genetic, molecular and anatomical bases of how bats sense their environment and other bats to ensure survival and reproduction. Credit UMass Amherst Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.