NPR All Things Considered host shares personal story of hearing loss. Challenges of managing hearing loss and the role of hair cells in hearing. Rebecca Knill's journey with a cochlear implant. Assumptions about people with hearing impairments. Appreciating the beauty of surrounding sounds and human ears.
Living with hearing loss can have a significant impact on one's ability to engage in conversations and do their job effectively.
Cochlear implants offer a potential solution to restore hearing in individuals with severe hearing loss, but the preference for silence and the need to turn off the implant should also be recognized and respected.
Deep dives
The Impact of Hearing Loss on Daily Life
Mary Louise Kelly, a host of NPR's All Things Considered, shares her experience of living with hearing loss. She recounts how she began to realize her declining hearing during book tours and the impact it had on her ability to engage in conversations and do her job effectively. Kelly explains the humbling experience of getting her hearing checked and receiving hearing aids, which helped her rediscover the joy of hearing her children's voices. However, she discusses the challenges she now faces due to social distancing and mask-wearing, which make it difficult for her to rely on lip-reading and hear clearly in various situations.
Understanding Hearing Loss and Hair Cells
Neuroscience researcher Jim Hudspeth explains how hearing loss occurs and introduces the intricate mechanism of the ear. He describes the role of hair cells in the cochlea, which amplify sound and transmit electrical responses to the brain. Hudspeth highlights the vulnerability of these hair cells to damage from loud noises and aging, which leads to a decline in hearing sensitivity. He also discusses the potential for cochlear implants as a solution to replace damaged hair cells and restore hearing.
Becoming a Cyborg: Cochlear Implants and Sound Perception
Rebecca Nill, who is deaf, shares her experience of living with a cochlear implant and becoming a "cyborg." She explains the technology behind cochlear implants, which use computer chips to stimulate the auditory nerve and rebuild a sense of hearing in individuals with severe hearing loss. Nill discusses the benefits of her implant, such as the ability to stream music directly into her head, but also expresses her preference for silence and the occasional need to turn off the implant. She advocates for better understanding and acceptance of different hearing experiences in society.
The Power of Sound Design and the Beauty of Silence
Dallas Taylor, a sound designer and host of the podcast 20,000 Hertz, discusses the role of sound design in media and how it can elicit emotions and enhance storytelling. He emphasizes the importance of paying attention to sound in everyday life and curating our sonic environment, just as we curate other aspects of our senses. Taylor explores the concept of silence, noting that true silence is rarely experienced by humans and highlighting how John Cage's composition "4'33" challenges our perception of sound and encourages us to listen more closely to the world around us.
Original broadcast date: October 16, 2020. Sound surrounds us, from cacophony even to silence. But depending on how we hear, the world can be a different auditory experience for each of us. This hour, TED speakers explore the science of sound. Guests on the show include NPR All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly, neuroscientist Jim Hudspeth, writer Rebecca Knill, and sound designer Dallas Taylor.
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