Larry writes:
I always enjoy listening to top scientists let their hair down and talk seriously but informally, which is the allure of TWiX for me, and Professors Racaniello and Elde do an outstanding job of that.
The February episode with Nathan Clarke, and the kind of analysis he and his team do was especially interesting — indeed, finer than a frog’s hair split three ways.
Anyway, I was hoping the topic of hair-as-sensor would come up, particularly the tiny hairs inside the cochlea, but I don’t think it was mentioned.
In digging further (Britannica articles on Sound Reception), I was surprised to learn that some non-mammals also use hairs (“hair sensilla” in arthropods) for hearing, including in the cochleas of crocodiles and birds.
I don’t want to get into anyone’s hair, but do you happen to know whether these are examples of convergent evolution, or is there a common ancestor that produced hair, which we’ve since adapted and put to a multitude of uses?
Thanks as always,
Larry West
software developer/fanboy from San Diego
PS: perhaps hearing loss organizations would be interested in funding related research by Doctors Kowalczyk, Chikina, and Clark.
Walter writes:
Hi Nels and Vincent,
love your podcast!
Wouldn‘t Oded Rechavi be a cool guest?!?
https://en-lifesci.m.tau.ac.il/profile/odedrech_66
seen here: https://hubermanlab.com/dr-oded-rechavi-genes-and-the-inheritance-of-memories-across-generations/
Fascinating overlap of Virology, Genetics, and Neuroscience.
Thanks for considering.
(alternatively as a pick…)
Regards, Wale