Most sounds of interest consist of complex, time-dependent admixtures of tones of diverse
frequencies and variable amplitudes. To detect and process these signals, the ear employs …

Fabrics, by virtue of their composition and structure, have traditionally been used as acoustic
absorbers,. Here, inspired by the auditory system, we introduce a fabric that operates as a …

In the inner ear, the deflection of hair bundles, the sensory organelles of hair cells, activates
mechanically-gated channels (MGCs). Hair bundles monitor orientation of the head, its …

To enhance weak sounds while compressing the dynamic intensity range, auditory sensory
cells amplify sound-induced vibrations in a nonlinear, intensity-dependent manner. In the …

Any macroscopic deformation of a filamentous bundle is necessarily accompanied by local
sliding and/or stretching of the constituent filaments,. Yet the nature of the sliding friction …

Sound analysis by the cochlea relies on frequency tuning of mechanosensory hair cells
along a tonotopic axis. To clarify the underlying biophysical mechanism, we have …

Cilia and flagella in biological systems often show large scale cooperative behaviors such
as the synchronization of their beats in “metachronal waves.” These are beautiful examples …

The evolution of hearing in terrestrial animals has resulted in remarkable adaptations
enabling exquisitely sensitive sound detection by the ear and sophisticated sound analysis …

Mechanosensation is a primitive and somewhat ubiquitous sense. At the inner ear, sensory
hair cells are refined to enhance sensitivity, dynamic range and frequency selectivity. Thirty …

Non-nervous auxiliary structures play a significant role in sensory biology. They filter the
stimulus and transform it in a way that fits the animal's needs, thereby contributing to the …