The greater wax moth can be highpitched sound better than any known creature in the world. Yet its ears are very simple in structure, each being about the size of a pinhead.
Think about:For years, the greater wax moth's hearing has been a subject of study. More recently, scientists at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, tested the moth's hearing with a wild range of sounds. They measured the vibrations of these tympanal membranes and recorded the activity of their auditory nerves.The "eardrums" still responded when exposed to sounds at a frequency of 300 kilohertz.By comparison, bat echolocation has been recorded at up to 212 kilohertz,the hearing of dolphins peaks at 160 kilohertz, and humans do not hear beyond 20 kilohertz.
Researchers would like to use the superior hearing capability of the greater wax moth as the basis for new technology. How? "To help make better, and smaller microphones,"says Dr . James Windmill of the university of strathclyde."These could be put in a wide range of devices such as mobile phones and hearing aids".
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