Good to Hear

摘要

At first glance that might sound like a preposterous question. But to a consortium of some of the nation's most renowned scientists, the possibility holds out hope and promise for the estimated 50 million Americans affected by hearing loss and tinnitus, the sensation of ringing in the ears. Chickens and all other animals, with the exception of mammals, have an almost magical way of restoring their hearing by regenerating sensory hair cells in the inner ear. Research with chicks reveals that by regenerating these cells, chickens can actually restore their hearing in a matter of days. Humans can't regenerate hair cells, but the Hearing Restoration Project, funded by the Hearing Health Foundation (HHF), aims to translate what we are learning about birds into a cure for humans.