Scientists have discovered we learn to listen by unconsciously tuning into the sound of the spaces we’re in. And it turns out, a little bit of echo is exactly what our brains need to perform at their best.

Why it matters

This research ...

Ready to turn your ears into superhuman listening devices? Just start walking. A study from Zhejiang University and the University of Würzburg discovered that your hearing upgrades when you walk. Researchers found that movement acts like a neurological ...

Ranking the animal with the best hearing is surprisingly complex. While some creatures push auditory limits far beyond human capabilities, "best" depends entirely on what aspect of hearing you're measuring. The animal kingdom showcases remarkable ...

Earwax isn't just a waxy buildup in your ear. Scientists are discovering it could be a powerful diagnostic tool for detecting serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's. This humble substance might transform medical screening.

Why ...

Motion sickness affects millions, turning travel into a miserable experience. That feeling of nausea, dizziness, or unsteadiness when reading in a car or riding on a swing is unfortunately all too familiar. Now, researchers in Japan have discovered ...

Researchers from Sweden's Chalmers University of Technology investigated how effectively people can locate warning sounds (AVAS - Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System) from electric and hybrid vehicles at low speeds, finding significant safety concerns.

For ...

Hearing loss affects millions, but diagnosing its root causes often requires invasive methods. Now, researchers have developed a new way to see deep inside the ear. Using terahertz (THz) waves, scientists can now map the delicate structures of the ...

Hearing aids have advanced significantly and are equipped with impressive technology. However, many users still encounter a major challenge: comprehending conversations amidst background noise. This is frustrating, common, and often the greatest difficulty ...

The cacophony of a crowded party turns every word into a battle. Neuroscientists at the University of Rochester decoded this perceptual puzzle, revealing that our auditory struggles originate deeper than our ears—the brain itself (subcortical processing) ...

New MIT research uncovers a secret superpower in your ears: split-second timing. Using AI, scientists discovered that your auditory neurons sync with sound waves down to the millisecond, letting you pick out voices in a crowd, find a buzzing ...

Research from Apple and the University of Michigan reveals that Super Bowl celebrations create measurable noise increases nationwide, not just in stadiums. Using data from over 115,000 Apple Watch users, researchers tracked noise levels during four ...

An engineering team at the University of Washington has developed a groundbreaking solution that could change how we communicate in noisy environments. Their "sound bubble" headphones promise to revolutionize personal audio technology.

The ...

For millions of people with hyperacusis, ordinary sounds feel like an assault on their ears. This is not a metaphor, but their daily reality. Hyperacusis causes intense discomfort, anxiety, and even pain from common, humdrum noises.

Why it ...

Common sounds like a dog barking or a refrigerator humming can be excruciating for 8 to 17% of Americans. This hearing sensitivity, known as hyperacusis, can dramatically impact daily living.

Why it matters

Hyperacusis can cause significant ...

Scientists from the University of Washington have discovered a relationship between hearing and mating in mosquitos. The findings could lead to new ways to control mosquito populations and the fight against malaria.

For starters, that distinct ...

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell Engineering have achieved a remarkable feat: They have made a replica of an adult human ear using state-of-the-art tissue engineering and a 3D printer.

This groundbreaking study offers hope ...

Unwanted noise disrupts thought, increases stress hormones and blood pressure, and causes inflammation. Even noise you may want—like loud music—can still damage hearing over time.

Background: The International Commission on ...

A new MIT study analyzed how modern deep neural networks compare to the human auditory system when processing sounds.

The researchers looked at 23 different computational models that had been trained on auditory tasks like speech and sound ...

Researchers at the University of Washington have developed "semantic hearing" technology that blends noise cancellation with customizable sound filtering.

The experimental technology uses deep-learning algorithms on a connected smartphone ...

Astrophysicist Jason Nordhaus of the Rochester Institute of Technology has secured a $313,000 National Science Foundation grant to boost underrepresented groups in physics research.

His initiative connects promising deaf, hard-of-hearing, and ...

Untreated hearing loss contributes to an increased risk of dementia, though the link between the two is still unclear. Recent studies, however, suggest a likely cause.

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have discovered that ...

Do vision and hearing operate independently? New research reveals an intriguing connection: Your ears make faint, inaudible sounds when your eyes move.

• The sounds were recorded by a highly sensitive microphone placed in the ear canal. ...

If you have hearing loss, you have questions — and our audiologists are here to answer them.

Here are four they often hear.

1. Will my hearing loss get worse if I don’t treat it?

Yes, hearing loss increases if left untreated. ...

Columbia University scientists discovered the brain manages speech differently based on its clarity and our focus on it. They investigated how the brain processes “glimpsed” and “masked” speech. Their results could improve future hearing-aid designs.

We’ve ...

Research conducted at King’s College London shows nearly 1 in 5 adults in the United Kingdom experience significant adverse reactions to simple sounds from a condition called misophonia.

• The researchers ...

Ever had a catchy tune linger in your head for hours or sometimes days? Of course, you have. Earworms are common. Almost everyone has experienced them. Also known as song syndrome, sticky music, or the posh term, involuntary musical imagery, ...

Hearing is a vital component of a sensory-cognitive system and not an isolated sensory experience.

• When you improve hearing, you improve hearing-and-brain health.
• Likewise, when hearing deteriorates, so does the brain’s health.

As ...

Hearing is a life-enhancing sense so ingrained into our daily experience that it's easy to undervalue its many benefits. But we shouldn't. We hear to communicate, experience music and nature, educate ourselves and others, work, preserve our mental ...

Your ears must convert energy five times to create neural signals your brain interprets as sound. This fantastic sequence makes your hearing possible.

The sequence

1. 💥 Sound energy: Invisible sound waves travel ...

Scientists at the LIVElab at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, wanted to find out what musical ingredients make us want to dance. They found that people danced 12% more when a low-frequency bass was played.

We look at things ...

Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear and ear canal that usually occurs after water has gotten stuck in the ear canal. It can be painful.

The medical term for swimmer’s ear is otitis externa. Swimmer’s ear is different than middle ...