Archive for July 2022

THE SO-CALLED CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE in downtown Tulsa Oklohoma is marked by a small concrete circle in the middle of a larger circle of bricks. It’s not much to look at, but looking isn’t really the point. The “Center of the Universe” is a little-known mysterious acoustic phenomenon. If you stand in the middle of the circle and make a noise, the sound is echoed back several…

Exposure to loud noise is the most common preventable cause of hearing loss. Earplugs or earmuffs can protect your hearing, but sometimes loud noises happen too quickly to prevent damage. Scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health might be on their way to finding a solution. University of Southern California professor John S. Oghalai,…

Frog-eating bats could recognize ringtones indicating a food reward up to four years later. There are certain skills that once we acquire them, we rarely have to relearn them, like riding a bike or looking both ways before crossing a street. Most studies on learning and long-term memory in the wild focus on a handful…

By Hana Levi Julian Photo Credit: Stefan Schran / Pixabay Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that the brain continues to react to sound, even when asleep but is unable to focus on the auditory input or identify it, according to a study led by Dr. Hanna Hayat. The scientists say they are hoping…

Source:NIH/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Summary:Scientists have identified the neural mechanisms through which sound blunts pain in mice. The findings could inform development of safer methods to treat pain An international team of scientists has identified the neural mechanisms through which sound blunts pain in mice. The findings, which could inform development of…