Alonso, R. G. and Gianoli, F., Fabella, B. & Hudspeth, A. J. Amplification through local critical behavior in the mammalian cochlea. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 122, e2503389122, 2025.

Your ear has an in-built amplifier to detect sounds, whose workings are still unknown. We developed a new method that, for the first time, overcomes a long-lasting experimental barrier and allows us to study this elusive process outside of the living organism.

A laser-based technique delivers photonic force fast enough to move inner-ear hair bundles.