Posted by Once when i was in a taxi, the driver was attempting to make conversation and asked what I did. I usually try to avoid the subject with some people, because when i say “I study the inner ear” a lot of people feel the need to unload their medical problems regarding earwax upon me. Only half-way through their offering a sample (ugh) can I correct them. Anyway, this cabbie did just that–asking me this and that about earwax. After I said I had no idea, he seemed rather like “Well then what DO you know!” Its even worse when i try to reply that I study hair cells in the ears—invariably this results in ear-hair queries. Its usually pretty amusing, but I’ve found that trying to explain the inner workings of the cochlea to a Detroit cabbie at 2am is an exercise in futility.
There’s a great description of the genetics of earwax over at Discovering Biology today. Did you know that Asians have “hard ear wax” and Europeans have “wet ear wax”? Well there is a genetic reason for this which is quite fascinating (go check it out). This actually confirms an observation I made while in China last year: most of the spas there offer an “ear candle” therapy which involves, well, a waxy candle in the ear which removes built up ear wax. I always thought, ‘Ew, who needs that?’ but obviously, there’s a good scientific reason why some people might.
I’m still not going to try to explain it to cabbies though.
August 10, 2006
August 10, 2006
August 10, 2006
August 10, 2006
August 10, 2006
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