ear

Gruesome Skull Discovery Contains The Earliest Evidence of Ear Surgery

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An ancient skull uncovered at a 6,000-year-old megalithic monument in Spain still holds signs of what would have been a brutal ear surgery. Archaeologists suspect the patient probably had a double-sided acute middle ear infection, which can cause earaches and fevers.    Without treatment, fluid can gather behind the eardrum, possibly causing a visible lump … Read more

Bat evolution: Subtle change to inner ear bone distinguishes two major groups

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The two major groups of bats diverged tens of millions of years ago, and the main difference between them lies in a tiny inner ear bone Life 26 January 2022 By Michael Marshall The common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) belongs to the Yangochiroptera group of bats David Cole/Alamy Stock Photo A single bone in the inner … Read more

How a disappearing ear bone turned bats into masters of echolocation | Science

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Bats use sound to hunt a dizzying array of prey. Some zero in on flowers to sip nectar, whereas others find cattle and suck their blood. Many nab insects midflight. One species of bat senses small fish beneath the water and snatches them as osprey do. Now, scientists have discovered an anatomical quirk in the … Read more

Fossil Analysis Reveals This Well-Armored Dinosaur Was Probably Sluggish And Deaf

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Reanalyzing fossils can often lead to new discoveries, as has been the case with a study of an 80 million-year-old Late Cretaceous Struthiosaurus austriacus skull. A new analysis reveals the dinosaur was likely sluggish in its movements and was probably largely deaf as well.   Researchers used a high-resolution 3D scan of a partial braincase section … Read more