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Human Ears Make Noise

Posted by timothy on from the buzz-more-when-nibbled dept.

KeelSpawn points to this article at Discover, which begins: "Until recently, scientists thought human ears were passive devices that detected and processed sounds, but new findings suggest that ears are like perpetually turned on stereo receivers that quiver spontaneously and sing along with incoming sounds."

6 of 34 comments (clear)

  1. Take that, iPod by realgone · · Score: 3, Funny
    Two scientifically verified speakers? Connected to gobs of organic RAM? I think I'm one quick hack away from turning my skull into a portable MP3 player.

    Quick, hand me that screwdriver!

    1. Re:Take that, iPod by 3waygeek · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's all well and good, until the RIAA/MPAA come to install their DRM hardware. Of course, they'll have to wipe your memory to remove all vestiges of non-DRM music/films/etc.

  2. No wonder by hij · · Score: 4, Funny
    ears are like perpetually turned on stereo receivers that quiver spontaneously and sing along with incoming sounds.

    No wonder I can't get Santana's Smooth out of my head. My damn ears are singling along!

    --
    Believe nothing -- Buddha
  3. NEWS FLASH! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    When making sounds, the materials near the sounds resonate in tune with the sound!

  4. Does long ear hair enhance hearing? by eugene+ts+wong · · Score: 2, Funny
    "We know very little about the development of hair cells," Duke said. "Most hearing loss in old age is caused by the death of hair cells, which are not regenerated."
    So then, people with long ear hair must hear very well? Do people with long nose hair smell very well? If a person goes blind and his hearing becomes enhanced, then does that mean blindness stimulates ear hair growth? My, oh my. The body is just so fascinating!
    If we understood the development process, there might be some hope of using gene therapy to stimulate the growth of new hair cells.
    There are plenty of people with too much hair in their noses and ears! We just need to study them!

    On a serious note, does this all mean that those who use cotton swabs to clean out the ear canal are actually damaging their hearing because they may be damaging the hairs?
    --
    testing out my trending skills
  5. Re:Well, duh.... by jo42 · · Score: 2, Funny
    > Human Ears Make Noise

    My butt makes noise too. So what?