Hearing Explorer
Explore how hearing works.
Explore the human ear from the eardrum to the organ of Corti. An interactive tour of how sound becomes hearing, and why hearing changes.
Understanding starts with curiosity.Three chapters, from the ear to the living cell.
Chapter 1 of 3
Ear anatomy
See the system that makes hearing possible.
Outer ear
Pinna, the Outer Ear
The visible part of your ear. Its curved cartilage shape collects and funnels sound waves into the ear canal.
Why it matters
In addition to collecting sound, the pinna helps you locate where sounds come from. Its unique folds create subtle timing and frequency differences that your brain uses to determine if a sound is in front, behind, above, or below you.
Hearing biology education
Watch the five-session series.
One of our main goals is to help people learn about the biological origins of hearing loss and its cellular biochemistry.