Feature

Evolution’s Ear

Recent changes in hearing-related genes may have influenced language development

By Bruce Bower

- More than 2 years ago

Imagine, for a moment, that you are smaller than a speck of dust and in the mood for some teeny-tiny sightseeing. It’s a perfect opportunity to take a scenic trip to the inner ear.

HAIRY HEARING | This scanning electron micrograph shows sensory hair cells in the cochlea of the inner ear. As sound enters the ear, waves cause the stereocilia (orange) on the hair cells to move.