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Related Concept Videos

Anatomy of the Ear01:16

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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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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.
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Auditory Perception01:17

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The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the...
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Auditory Pathway01:15

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Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
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The Auditory Ossicles01:11

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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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 26, 2025

Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention
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Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention

Published on: December 20, 2024

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Is human underwater hearing mediated by bone conduction?

K Sørensen1, J Christensen-Dalsgaard1, M Wahlberg1

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M Denmark.

Hearing Research
|April 16, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Human underwater hearing is more sensitive than previously thought, especially at lower frequencies. However, directional hearing underwater remains poor, indicating no special adaptations for sound localization in water.

Keywords:
Sound conductionSound localizationUnderwater hearing

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Area of Science:

  • Auditory Science
  • Human Physiology
  • Acoustics

Background:

  • Understanding human hearing in different media is crucial for audiology and underwater acoustics.
  • Previous research suggested significantly higher underwater hearing thresholds compared to airborne sound.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure human hearing thresholds and directional hearing abilities underwater.
  • To investigate the mechanisms underlying underwater hearing and compare them to in-air hearing.

Main Methods:

  • Audiograms and directional hearing were measured in human participants in both air and water.
  • Underwater hearing thresholds were analyzed in intensity, pressure, and particle velocity units.

Main Results:

  • Lowest underwater hearing thresholds were 2.8 µW/m² (3.6 mPa) at 500 Hz.
  • Underwater thresholds were 4-26 dB (intensity) and 40-62 dB (pressure) higher than in-air thresholds.
  • Below 1 kHz, underwater thresholds in particle velocity were lower than bone conduction thresholds, suggesting non-bone conduction pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Human underwater hearing is more acute than previously reported, particularly below 1 kHz, likely due to middle ear air resonance.
  • Poor underwater directional hearing suggests a lack of adaptation for sound localization in aquatic environments despite improved sensitivity.