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Related Concept Videos

Hearing01:31

Hearing

When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
Unrenewable Cells00:50

Unrenewable Cells

In humans, the photoreceptor cells of the eye and sensory hair cells of the ear lack stem cells. These cells are thus unrenewable and cannot be replaced when they are damaged or destroyed.
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of their outer...
The Auditory Ossicles01:11

The Auditory Ossicles

The auditory ossicles of the middle ear transmit sounds from the air as vibrations to the fluid-filled cochlea. The auditory ossicles consist of two malleus (hammer) bones, two incus (anvil) bones, and two stapes (stirrups), one on each side. These bones develop during the fetal stage and are the ones to ossify first. They are fully mature at birth and do not grow afterward.
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...
Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age01:09

Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age

The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
Anatomy of the Ear01:16

Anatomy of the Ear

Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...

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Auditory perception and neural representation of temporal features are altered by age but not by cochlear synaptopathy.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis
07:40

Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis

Published on: January 4, 2017

Barn owls have ageless ears.

Bianca Krumm1, Georg Klump1, Christine Köppl1

  • 1Cluster of Excellence 'Hearing4all', Animal Physiology and Behaviour Group, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|September 22, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Barn owls exhibit exceptional auditory sensitivity, with hearing thresholds below 0 dB sound pressure level (SPL) across a wide frequency range. Age did not significantly impact their hearing, suggesting natural protection against age-related hearing loss.

Keywords:
Tyto albaage-related hearing losspresbycusispure tone auditory thresholds

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis
07:40

Dissection of the Auditory Bulla in Postnatal Mice: Isolation of the Middle Ear Bones and Histological Analysis

Published on: January 4, 2017

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09:32

Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings

Published on: April 1, 2022

In Ovo and Ex Ovo Methods to Study Avian Inner Ear Development
10:09

In Ovo and Ex Ovo Methods to Study Avian Inner Ear Development

Published on: June 16, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Auditory Neuroscience
  • Animal Bioacoustics
  • Comparative Physiology

Background:

  • The auditory sensitivity of barn owls (Tyto alba) is crucial for their predatory success.
  • Understanding age-related hearing changes (presbycusis) in birds is important, given their hair cell regeneration capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure the auditory sensitivity across different frequencies in barn owls.
  • To investigate the effect of age on auditory thresholds in barn owls.
  • To compare the hearing capabilities of barn owls with other species.

Main Methods:

  • A behavioral Go/NoGo paradigm was used to assess auditory thresholds.
  • Two age groups were tested: younger than 2 years and older than 13 years.
  • Audiograms were generated for frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 12 kHz.

Main Results:

  • Average thresholds in quiet were below 0 dB SPL between 1 and 10 kHz.
  • The lowest mean threshold was -12.6 dB SPL at 8 kHz.
  • Auditory thresholds were significantly affected by test frequency, but not by age group.

Conclusions:

  • Barn owls possess acute hearing, particularly in the mid-to-high frequency range.
  • The lack of significant age-related decline suggests birds may be protected from presbycusis due to hair cell regeneration.
  • Further research into avian auditory systems can inform human hearing loss treatments.