The Truth about Hearing

Abstract The paper discusses the direct path of sound waves to the receptor, especially high frequencies. Attention was drawn to inertia in the middle and inner ear. The significance of the resonance of the longitudinal wave in the fluid with the transverse wave of the basilar membrane's natural vibrations was critically assessed. Problems related to the rocking movements of the stapes and the difference in the speed of the sound wave in the fluid and the traveling wave on the basilar membrane were pointed out. Comments are presented on the traveling wave and the amplification of soft sounds. A new molecular mechanism has been proposed for the simultaneous reception and transmission of very large amounts of information encoded in sound waves. The mechanism of energy and information transmission via sound waves to the receptor is briefly presented. The mechanism for intracellular amplification of received information that is too weak to reach the CNS has been described.