Elephants may close their ear canals at will to hear vibrations miles away

Elephants can close their ear canals to enhance their ability to detect seismic vibrations from over six miles away, according to a study in Frontiers in Audiology and Otology. Researchers found elephant middle ear bones and eardrums are significantly larger than humans', enabling superior low-frequency hearing through bone conduction. This adaptation aids in long-distance communication, mate-finding, and detecting threats like predators or vehicles.