The pinna and external auditory canal of the mammalian outer ear, as well as the eustachian tube and epiglottis, are supported by specialized elastic cartilage, which is distinct from the hyaline ...

The outer ear is unique to mammals, but its evolutionary origin has remained a mystery. According to a new study published in Nature from the USC Stem Cell lab of Gage Crump, this intricate coil of ...

LOS ANGELES — Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery about the origins of the human outer ear, revealing that this distinctive mammalian feature evolved from an unexpected source: fish gills.

Evolution is a master recycler. It often uses old structures (or ancient genes) for new jobs. The mammalian ear is a perfect example. Over the eons, the jawbones of our fish ancestors became three ...

The anatomy of the auditory region of fossil hominins may shed light on the emergence of human spoken language. Humans differ from other great apes in several features of the external, middle and ...

The vagus nerve is called the "wandering nerve" because it's the longest nerve in the human body and travels from the base of the brain up into the ears and down into the lower intestines. In recent ...