Hearing theory music to MP3 generation ears

The revival of a 150-year-old theory on how the human ear protects itself from damage caused by loud sounds could lead to better noise protection says a researcher from The Australian National University. In a paper published in the Journal of Hearing Science, Andrew Bell of the Research School of Biology at ANU urges reconsideration of the long-discarded 'pressure theory' that explains inconsistencies that have long puzzled hearing researchers. "Hearing loss used to be called 'blacksmith's disease'. In the modern age, it might come to be called MP3 disease," Bell said. "The pressure theory has the potential to lead to better measures to protect people from damagingly loud sound levels." - The middle ear consists of three tiny bones and two miniature muscles which tense up to protect the ear from loud sounds. Bell said that these bones and muscles work together as a tiny pump, raising the pressure of the fluid in the inner ear - like pushing a cork into a bottle of water. According to Bell, it is the increased pressure that softens the impact of loud noises on the delicate cells that process sound.