BBC: What causes hearing loss?-2

We're already on a downward spiral, but we've got a lot of redundancy in the system. And the speed at which our hearing declines is partly based on the genetics that you're born with and then partly based on the environment that you're exposed to. So, someone who has really strong genetics to protec them from hearing, but spends their life on a pneumatic drill, may have a much faster decline than someone on the other side. You can imagine that your brain is doing so much computation behind the scenes just to listen to someone speaking and understand the words they are saying. So, while hearing is going, the brain tends to increase its listening effort, and so often it's a very slow process for you to realize that you're struggling with hearing. 

Wear and tear of our hearing starts as young as eight. Wear and tear means the damage that comes from ordinary, everyday use. 

When Nish says this, James exclaims, "We're doomed!"- an informal way of saying we're destined to fail. From the age of eight our hearing is on a downward spiral- a situation which gets worse and worse. 

But don't worry just yet! Human hearing has evolved with redundancy in the system- a technical phrase meaning that there are many ways to achieve the same outcome so that a backp system can take over if other systems fail. Here, for example, the brain works harder to compensate for a weaker sound signal reaching the inner ear. 

And there are other ways hearing loss can be helped as well, including hearing aids, surgery or even just removing extra ear wax- not a job I would like very much! After that fascinating journey into the world of hearing, I think it's time to reveal the answer to your question, Neil. 

I asked you, "Which is the smallest bone in the body?" and they are all in the ear. Is it a) the hammer, b) the anvil, or  c) the stirrup bone?

I said the anvil, didn't I?

You did, but I'm afraid you obviously weren't listening in Biology class because you are wrong. It is, in fact, the stirrup bone. 

OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learnt, starting with sense organs- specific parts of the body, like your ears and eyes, which allow you to experience the world. 

To funnel imeans to move or direct something through a narrow space, and a funnel, the noun, is a cone-shaped tool which does this. 

Wear and tear refers to the damage that comes from using something every day. 

If you say, "We're doomed" you mean we're going to be defeated or fail. 

And a downward spiral is a situation which constinously gets worse and worse. 

And finally, redundancy in the system refers to having more than one way to achieve an objective so that a back up can take over if other methods fail. You'll be sad to hear that, once again, our six minutes are up, but why not head over to our website.