Moth ears are activated by movement the size of an atom
Thursday, October 20, 2011 - 04:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- Moths are so finely tuned to the ultrasonic calls of predatory bats that the nerve cells in their ears are activated by displacements of the eardrum the size of a small atom, according to new research from the University of Bristol. This means that if a moths eardrum was scaled up to the thickness of a brick wall, a displacement of that wall equivalent to the diameter of a hair would be detectable to the moth.