How the Ear Works

👂 Hearing seems so natural that we never really think about it. So let’s take a look at how the ear works. Thanks to its shape, the outer ear catches sounds from the environment, which then strike the eardrum. The vibrations of the eardrum are transmitted to the cochlea via three tiny bones: the malleus, incus, and stapes. Inside the cochlea is a special canal filled with fluid. The vibrations transmitted to the cochlea cause the fluid to move, which in turn sets special sensory hair cells in motion. These cells convert the vibrations into an electrical impulse, which is then sent to the brain for perception and processing.