Projektnummer

0052095

Zusammenfassung

Ears are prime examples of complex dynamical systems that operate away from thermal equilibrium. Hearing works essentially nonlinear, and relies on intricate interactions between a multitude of macroscopic, cellular, and molecular components. Inside the ear, sound-induced vibrations of nanometer-scale dimension are coupled to dedicated mechanosensory cells and molecules that transduce these vibrations into electrical responses. In addition, biological energy is expended to nonlinearly improve the performance. Identifying the physical principles that shape the ear's performance is essen...