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Harvard Study Finds Elephant Ears Amplify Infrasound 30-Fold

7/15/2026

Summary

Story summary

Harvard researchers in the U.S. published a Frontiers in Audiology and Otology paper measuring vibrations in temporal bones from deceased elephants and humans.
Elephant middle-ear bones resonated near 400 Hz, with the stapes moving three to four times more than in humans whose peak is 1.2 kHz.
Heavier middle-ear bones may boost sensitivity up to 30-fold for infrasonic calls, though a small sample and drained cochlear fluids could underestimate performance.

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Story summary

Harvard researchers in the U.S. published a Frontiers in Audiology and Otology paper measuring vibrations in temporal bones from deceased elephants and humans.
Elephant middle-ear bones resonated near 400 Hz, with the stapes moving three to four times more than in humans whose peak is 1.2 kHz.
Heavier middle-ear bones may boost sensitivity up to 30-fold for infrasonic calls, though a small sample and drained cochlear fluids could underestimate performance.