Researchers have discovered that humans still exhibit ear movement when listening hard, despite the ear’s inability to move like other animals. The study found that the neural circuits for ear movement remain present in the brain, but they are not useful anymore.
The lead author of the research, Andreas Schröer from Saarland University in Germany, explained that humans lost their ability to move their ears about 25 million years ago. However, the brain retained some structures to move the ears, even if they are no longer necessary.
In a recent study, Schröer and his team asked 20 adults without hearing problems to listen to audiobooks played through speakers with varying levels of difficulty. The participants were then tested in different scenarios where one podcast was louder or softer than the other audiobook.
The results showed that as the listening conditions became more difficult, the perceived effort required to listen increased, and focus on the audiobook decreased. The team found activity in the superior auricular muscles, which lift the ear upwards and outwards, during the most challenging conditions.
While the study is small and needs further repetition with a larger group, it provides insights into the brain’s attempts to maintain an ear-orienting system that is no longer useful. Schröer concluded that the vestigial auriculomotor system “tries its best” but likely doesn’t achieve much due to the minimal movement of the ears.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/jan/31/neural-fossil-human-ears-move-when-listening-scientists-say