image: Cartoon of the convergent evolution of the hearing mechanism in humans and katydids. It has long been known that in humans, airborne sound stimulates the tympanum (eardrum), which drives an energy transfer mechanism that efficiently transfers and amplifies vibrational energy from air to fluid. Montealegre-Z. et al. now show that an equivalent mechanism operates in katydids. The discovery is a triumph of the power of micromechanics and nano-optics technology applied to minute biological specimens. This image is related to a Perspective that appeared in the November 16, 2012, issue of Science, published by AAAS. The Perspective, by Ronald Hoy at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, was titled, “Convergent Evolution of Hearing.” For more information, please see the figure in the Perspective. view more
Credit: [Image courtesy of <i>Science</i>/AAAS]