Lend me your ears -- and the world will sound very different
Recognising people, objects or animals by the sound they make is an important survival skill and something most of us take for granted. But very similar objects can physically make very dissimilar sounds and we are able to pick up subtle clues about the identity and source of the sound. view more (2008-01-14)
Auditory neurons in humans far more sensitive to fine sound frequencies than most mammals
The human ear is exquisitely tuned to discern different sound frequencies, whether such tones are high or low, near or far. But the ability of our ears pales in comparison to the remarkable knack of single neurons in the brain to distinguish between the very subtlest of sound frequencies. view more (2008-01-11)
'Invisibility cloaks' could break sound barriers
Contrary to earlier predictions, Duke University engineers have found that a three-dimensional sound cloak is possible, at least in theory. view more (2008-01-10)
Mathematicians find way to improve medical scans
Mathematicians at the University of Liverpool have found that it is possible to gain full control of sound waves which could lead to improved medical scans, for technology such as ultra sound machines. view more (2008-01-08)
Earthquake 'memory' could spur aftershocks
Using a novel device that simulates earthquakes in a laboratory setting, a Los Alamos researcher and his colleagues have shown that seismic waves-the sounds radiated from earthquakes-can induce earthquake aftershocks, often long after a quake has subsided. view more (2008-01-04)
Light and sound -- the way forward for better medical imaging
Detection and treatment of tumours, diseased blood vessels and other soft-tissue conditions could be significantly improved, thanks to an innovative imaging system being developed that uses both light and sound. view more (2007-12-13)
Greater parental guidance suggested for noisy toy use
The High School Musical Rockerz Jammin Guitar and the Cheetah Girls In Concert Collection Doll may be what kids want most this holiday season, but if parents aren't careful about how these and other popular toys are used, a season of joy might turn into a lifetime of hearing loss for their children. view more (2007-12-05)
ANDRILL's 2nd Antarctic drilling season exceeds all expectations
A second season in Antarctica for the Antarctic Geological Drilling (ANDRILL) Program has exceeded all expectations, according to the co-chief scientists of the program's Southern McMurdo Sound Project. view more (2007-11-28)
Older adults not more distractible, research shows
Despite previous research suggesting that older adults are more distractible, new research shows they are no more distractible than younger adults when asked to focus their attention on their sense of sight or sound, or when asked to switch their attention from one sense to the other. view more (2007-11-05)
Sound training rewires dyslexic children's brains for reading
Some children with dyslexia struggle to read because their brains aren't properly wired to process fast-changing sounds, according to a brain-imaging study published this month in the journal Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience (online October 16). view more (2007-10-31)
Researchers studying how singing bats communicate
Bats are the most vocal mammals other than humans, and understanding how they communicate during their nocturnal outings could lead to better treatments for human speech disorders, say researchers at Texas A&M University. view more (2007-10-19)
Toward world's smallest radio: nano-sized detector turns radio waves into music
Researchers report development of the world's first working radio system that receives radio waves wirelessly and converts them to sound signals through a nano-sized detector made of carbon nanotubes. view more (2007-10-18)
Babies raised in bilingual homes learn new words differently than infants learning one language
Infants who are raised in bilingual homes learned two similar-sounding words in a laboratory task at a later age than babies who are raised in homes where only one language is spoken. view more (2007-09-28)
Research at Rice may help explain aspects of synesthesia
A research team led by Rice University Psychology Professor Tony Ro has published its findings that may help to explain the phenomenon known as synesthesia, in which stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory pathway. view more (2007-09-26)
New cell culturing method pumps up the volume
In a breakthrough that will likely accelerate research aimed at cures for hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance problems, scientists have perfected a laboratory culturing technique that provides a reliable new source of cells critical to understanding certain inner-ear disorders. view more (2007-09-25)
Rare albino ratfish has eerie, silvery sheen
A ghostly, mutant ratfish caught off Whidbey Island in Washington state is the only completely albino fish ever seen by both the curator of the University of Washington's 7.2 million-specimen fish collection and a fish and wildlife biologist with more than 20 years of sampling fish in Puget Sound. view more (2007-09-25)
Sensitivity of brain center for 'sound space' defined
While the visual regions of the brain have been intensively mapped, many important regions for auditory processing remain "uncharted territory." Now, researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and elsewhere have identified a region responsible for a key auditory process - perceiving "sound space," the location of sounds,... view more... (2007-09-21)
Brain center for 'sound space' identified
While the visual regions of the brain have been intensively mapped, many important regions for auditory processing remain terra incognita. Now, researchers have identified the region responsible for a key auditory process-perceiving "sound space," the location of sounds. view more (2007-09-20)
Oohs and aahs: Vowel sounds affect our perceptions of products
Would you drive a SUV called a Himmer" Phonetic symbolism refers to the notion that the sounds of words, apart from their assigned definition, convey meaning. view more (2007-09-13)
Researcher developing new method for hearing loss assessment
A Purdue University researcher is working on a new technique to diagnose hearing loss in a way that more accurately reflects real-world situations. view more (2007-09-07)
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