The Spiral in our Ears - Maths solves inner ear mystery

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    Mystery Spiral
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the shape of the cochlea in the inner ear and its implications for sensitivity to low-frequency sounds. Participants explore the scientific claims regarding the cochlea's spiral shape and its effects on wave mechanics, while also addressing issues related to the availability of a referenced article.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express curiosity about the mystery of the cochlea's spiral shape and its significance.
  • One participant mentions research suggesting that the spiral shape enhances sensitivity to low-frequency sounds, citing work by scientists from Vanderbilt University and the National Institutes of Health.
  • There are repeated mentions of a link to an article that discusses the cochlea, which some participants find inaccessible or missing.
  • Another participant humorously notes the transient nature of the article's availability, suggesting it may disappear again.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the interest in the cochlea's spiral shape and its potential implications, but there is disagreement regarding the accessibility of the referenced article, with some claiming it is missing while others assert it has resurfaced.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the uncertainty surrounding the referenced article's availability and the implications of the cochlea's shape, but does not resolve the underlying scientific claims or the mystery itself.

neutrino
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The link doesn't work. It says the article does not exist.
 
That's strange. It was there yesterday when I posted the link and now it's missing from the PhysicsWeb page!
 
neutrino said:
That's strange. It was there yesterday when I posted the link and now it's missing from the PhysicsWeb page!
The inner ear mystery, I guess, refuses to be solved so easily.
 
So what is the mystery of the Cochlea?
 
FredGarvin said:
So what is the mystery of the Cochlea?
I managed to save the abstract...

Why is the cochlea in our ears shaped like a spiral? According to new work by scientists in the US, the spiral shape makes us more sensitive to low frequency sounds. Daphne Manoussaki of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, together with Emilios Dimitriadis and Richard Chadwick at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, have calculated that the spiral shape can affect the wave mechanics that take place inside the cochlea. It increases the strength of vibrations produced by sound waves, especially at low pitch.

And this is the homepage of one of the scientists involved ...
http://www.math.vanderbilt.edu/~daphne/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
That article does not exist.

I wasen't fast enough
 

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