In a quiet summer garden, a caterpillar perches on a branch, munching serenely on leaves. A moment later it freezes. It senses danger—and just in time. From behind, a wasp approaches, sizing up its prey.
\n\nTobacco hornworm caterpillars don’t look like they have ears, and yet they’re able to sense predators such as wasps. How does the caterpillar know a wasp is approaching?
\n\nScientists do not fully understand how this caterpillar’s senses work, but we are part of a team of biologists and engineers who want to figure it out. Our ongoing research suggests that tobacco hornworms can hear using tiny, supersensitive hairs on their body.
\n\nUnderstanding the intricate biological mechanisms that allow this organism to perceive and interact with its environment would help solve a mystery of the natural world. It could also help scientists design new, cheaper microphone technology.
\n\nBecause the hornworms’ hairs are so sensitive, we have to study them in complete silence. And where better to study hearing than in the complete silence of an anechoic chamber?
\n\nWhat happens outside the anechoic chamber stays outside the anechoic chamber, because it is meticulously built that way. Anechoic chambers are some of the quietest places in the world.
Original source: https://www.wired.com/