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back to article You must be croaking! Boffins reveal sound-gobbling frog's secret

Bioboffins have figured out how one of the world's smallest amphibians, the centimetre-long Gardiner's frog, can hear other frogs croak despite not having any ears. Gardiner's frog Toad you so ... A Gardiner's frog. Credit: R. Boistel/CNRS Using X-rays, an international team of scientists have discovered that the frog …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Shut your mouth and listen closely

    Oh wait, nevermind.

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    1. Lars Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Unhappy

      Re: Shut your mouth and listen closely

      On the other hand I suppose some people are like that too as they open their mouth as soon as you speak.

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      1. Don Jefe
        Reply Icon

        Re: Shut your mouth and listen closely

        Agreed, and those same people can't hear the noises coming out of their own mouths.

        Ha! Maybe mouth-breathing Humans are on an evolutionary side road are developing enhanced auditory and comprehension abilities. I find that highly unlikely however.

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  2. Martin
    Happy

    Orgel's Second Rule

    Evolution is smarter than you are.

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  3. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Boffin

    X ray with micrometre resolution?

    Well certainly possible in theory buy I suspect they had to crank the output to "11."

    Good news for science, perhaps not so good news for frogs?

    Toasted frog anyone?

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    1. Don Jefe
      Reply Icon
      Happy

      Re: X ray with micrometre resolution?

      Well, it was painless. They never heard it coming.

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  4. Neil Barnes Silver badge

    reflects 99.9% of incoming sound waves?

    That's only 20dB loss - about a quarter perceived volume, for humans. Can't see it being that much different for frogs.

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    1. scruncher
      Reply Icon

      Re: reflects 99.9% of incoming sound waves?

      Wouldn't a reduction to a thousandth be 60dB loss? - dunno what times perceived volume reduction that would be though.

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  5. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    No outer ears, eh ?

    So they never get earaches then, the lucky buggers.

    Nature's ingenuity is truly a marvelous thing.

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    1. Don Jefe
      Reply Icon

      Re: No outer ears, eh ?

      Thats a good point. I wonder how they know when they're upside down?

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  6. James 51
    Joke

    It's all gone Pete Frog

    The post is required, and must contain letters.

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