Afleveringen
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Why does birdsong make us feel peaceful while a bear's roar sends a chill down our spine?
In this episode of Earvangelism, we explore the hidden patterns our brains learn from sound. Without ever studying acoustics, we instinctively associate high-pitched sounds with small, safe things and low-pitched sounds with larger, potentially threatening ones.
From birds and bears to violins, double basses, and even the soundtrack of Jaws, discover how pitch shapes our emotions, influences our expectations, and subtly changes the way we experience the world.
You may never hear birdsong quite the same way again!
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Why do drunk people stagger, or feel like the room is spinning? The answer may surprise you: your ears.
In this episode of Earvangelism, Priscilla Leigh explores how alcohol affects the inner earâs balance system, disturbs your eye movements, and tricks your brain into thinking youâre moving when youâre not.
A fascinating look at the hidden sensory system keeping you upright... until alcohol interferes with it.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Most people think only of hearing when it comes to the ear. But hidden inside your inner ear is another sensory system entirely. It's one that stabilises your vision, keeps text from blurring while you move, and helps your brain understand where your body is in space.
In this episode, we explore the vestibular system and one of its most astonishing functions: the vestibulo-ocular reflex: the reason your eyes stay stable even while your head moves.
When this system isnât functioning properly, it affects everything about everything.
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We spend years learning to read, write, and speak. Nobody intentionally teaches us how to listen.
In this episode, we get into what effective listening actually involves, why your brain wanders when someone is talking, what the Reticular Activating System has to do with it, and four practical things you can do to genuinely hear more of what's in front of you.
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How does your brain turn a chaotic overlap of sound into a world that makes sense?
In this episode, we explore polyphonic perception, the remarkable ability of the auditory brain to track multiple sound streams at once. We get into how your brain groups sounds, maps them in space, and never quite switches off, even when you think you're not listening.
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What if hearing could be restored⊠by printing new ear bones?
In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking work of Dr. Mashudu Tshifularo, who pioneered 3D-printed titanium middle ear bones to restore hearing, reshaping whatâs possible in audiology and ENT surgery.
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AI-generated podcasts are getting harder to detect, but your brain still picks up subtle clues.
In this episode, we explore how the brainâs Temporal Voice Area recognises human voices, how AI recreates them using sound decomposition, and why some episodes sound like real humans⊠yet still feel off.
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He said he couldnât hear...the hearing test said otherwise.
In this episode, a real patient case reveals what happens when hearing results donât match human physiology, and why audiology sometimes requires a bit of detective work. đ”ïžââïž
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Why does birdsong feel like everything is right with the world and low, bass tones signal danger?
This episode explores the emotional power of pitch, how it shapes our perception, and what it means for those who can no longer hear the high-frequency sounds that bring lightness and joy.
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Did you know your brain doesnât just hear sound but creates it? In this episode, we dive into binaural beats: a fascinating auditory phenomenon that sits at the intersection of perception, brainwaves, and behaviour. Real effect or overstated claim?
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Hearing aids have always amplified sound but what if they could decide what you hear?
This episode explores why background noise is such a challenge, and how AI is beginning to change the game by helping hearing aids âchooseâ what matters. -
Pregnancy changes many parts of the body, but few people realize it can affect the ears too.
From blocked ears and tinnitus to dizziness and temporary hearing changes, hormonal shifts during pregnancy can influence the delicate fluid systems that control hearing and balance.
In this episode of Earvangelism, Priscilla explores why these symptoms occur, how common they are, and why most of them resolve after delivery, revealing yet another way the ear is deeply connected to the rest of the body.
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Ear seeds are tiny seeds placed on specific points of the ear and used as a form of gentle acupressure. People use them for everything from stress and sleep to pain and migraines.
But how could something placed on the ear influence the rest of the body? In this episode of Earvangelism, Priscilla explores the origins of ear seeds in auricular acupuncture, the idea of the ear as a âmicrosystemâ of the body, and the fascinating nerve connections that link the ear to the brain and autonomic nervous system.
Whether ear seeds work for everyone is still an open question, but they highlight this: that the ear is far more connected to the rest of the body than most people realise.
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Many people living with chronic migraines try everything from medication to lifestyle changes in search of relief. One surprising option that has gained attention is the daith piercing, a cartilage piercing deep inside the ear that some claim dramatically reduces migraine frequency.
In this episode of Earvangelism, I explore where this idea comes from, including its roots in auricular acupuncture and the earâs connection to the vagus nerve, a key regulator of pain and autonomic function. I share real comments from people who swear by the piercing, alongside others who report no change.
Is it a pressure point effect, vagus nerve stimulation, placebo, or something else entirely? While large clinical trials are still lacking, the biological plausibility and growing number of reports make this an intriguing topic worth exploring.
If youâve had a daith piercing for migraines, whether it helped or not, this episode invites you into the conversation.
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We all know that loud noise can damage hearing. But what if noise isnât the only workplace risk?
In this episode of Earvangelism, I speak with Associate Professor Adrian Fuente about how organic solvents, i.e. common workplace chemicals, can affect not only the inner ear but also the brainâs auditory pathways. This results in people with ânormalâ hearing tests who still struggle to understand speech in noise.
An eye-opening look at the hidden connection between the air we breathe and the way we hear.
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During Tinnitus Awareness Week, I sat down with a patient who has lived with bilateral tinnitus for 17 years. In this excerpt from our conversation, she shares what tinnitus really sounds like â from high-pitched ringing to Morse-code rhythms â what triggers it, and what she wishes healthcare professionals had told her sooner.
This episode sheds light on the lived experience of tinnitus and highlights the importance of early support, counselling, sound therapy, and informed choices.
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Can a bass really trigger diarrhoea?
In this episode of Earvangelism, I explore a patientâs startling experience of needing to rush to the loo every time a specific low-frequency bass played, and nowhere else. We unpack the âbrown note,â the science of low-frequency sound, and the powerful connection between the ear, the vagus nerve, and the gut.
Sound doesnât just enter your ears but with your body too.
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Alzheimerâs disease remains one of the hardest conditions to treat, with most therapies offering only modest benefit. In this episode, I explore a fascinating new study published in Brain Communications that investigates whether ultrasound (sound beyond human hearing) can safely change brain activity in people with Alzheimerâs disease.
I break down what focused ultrasound is, why itâs different from drug-based treatments, what the researchers found in humans, and why subtle changes in behaviour and brain dynamics may matter more than headline cognitive scores. This episode highlights sound as not just something we perceive but as a tool to actively shape the brain.
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Can blocked ears really cause fainting?
This episode explores a striking clinical case involving recurrent fainting, dizziness, and long-standing earwax impaction (blocked ears). While fainting is usually linked to the heart or brain, this episode sheds light on two lesser-known ear-related mechanisms that could play a role: vestibular disruption and auricular (vagal) syncope.
We unpack how pressure changes in the ear can affect balance, how a branch of the vagus nerve runs through the ear canal, and why chronic stimulation of this pathway may trigger light-headedness or loss of consciousness in some individuals.
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In this episode, Priscilla explores the auditory setup behind Meta AI glasses, unpacking how you can hear an AI voice clearly without anything being in your ears. Spoiler: itâs not bone conduction, but near-field, directional air-conducted sound aimed straight at the ear canal.
Beyond the tech, this episode asks a bigger question:What happens when external voices begin to sound as close as our internal dialogue?
We explore how Meta AI glasses blur the line between inner voice and external input, and what that means for attention, silence, and auditory load.
A short, accessible look at hearing, technology, and what it means to live in an increasingly 'audibly integrated' world.
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