{"id":265566,"date":"2025-11-02T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horendgoed.nl\/geen-onderdeel-van-een-categorie\/what-if-like-a-meerkat-we-could-close-our-ears\/"},"modified":"2025-11-21T15:06:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T14:06:03","slug":"what-if-like-a-meerkat-we-could-close-our-ears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horendgoed.nl\/en\/news\/what-if-like-a-meerkat-we-could-close-our-ears\/","title":{"rendered":"What if, like a meerkat, we could close our ears?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Imagine this: you walk onto a crowded festival grounds, the music is popping out of the speakers, people are shouting through each other, and you simply presses an imaginary \u201coff\u201d button in your head. Suddenly it\u2019s quiet. No more banging, no more screaming, just peace. Sounds like science fiction, right? But in the animal world, this is not a crazy idea at all. Some animals, like meerkats, have a fascinating trick: they can temporarily plug their ears. And that\u2019s not just handy \u2013 it can be vital. <\/p>\n\n

In this blog, we dive into the question: what if we humans could do the same? How does that work in animals? What would it do for us? And why didn\u2019t our ears ever get such a clever \u201cplugging\u201d function in the first place? <\/p>\n\n

How do meerkats actually do that?<\/h2>\n\n

Let\u2019s start at the beginning: the meerkat. These small, hyper-alert animals live in colonies in the deserts of southern Africa. Their days consist largely of digging, rooting and watchful watching \u2013 always on the lookout for insects and always on their guard against predators. And it is precisely during that digging that their special ear trick comes in handy. <\/p>\n\n

Meerkats can temporarily close<\/strong> their ear canals<\/strong> by tightening a small muscle around their ear opening. This prevents sand and dust from entering when they are digging fanatically. As soon as the digging is finished, they relax the muscle again and can immediately listen again to everything around them. It\u2019s a super simple, but hugely effective adaptation. <\/p>\n\n

Evolutionary logic: why we can\u2019t<\/h2>\n\n

If meerkats can do that, why can\u2019t we? There are several evolutionary explanations for this. For example, we humans have not felt the need to protect our ear canal from sandstorms or soil because our hands do that work for us. In addition, we have a relatively long and curved ear canal that already provides some protection. <\/p>\n\n

Also, our survival strategy is different: instead, we rely heavily on constant auditory vigilance<\/strong>. Sounds warn us of danger, help us communicate and ensure we understand the world around us. A \u201cdisabling\u201d auditory canal could complicate that. Yet there are some subtle mechanisms in us that are somewhat similar to that principle. <\/p>\n\n

People can do it (a little) too<\/h2>\n\n

Although we cannot consciously close our ear canal like a meerkat does, our body has a few built-in ways to protect or muffle our hearing. For example, we have the stapedius reflex<\/strong>: a reflex in which a tiny muscle in the middle ear contracts when sudden loud noises are heard. This slightly dampens the transmission of sound vibrations so that our sensitive inner ears are not immediately damaged. <\/p>\n\n

In addition, some people \u2013 a small minority \u2013 may consciously<\/strong> tighten their tensor tympani muscle<\/strong>. This produces a kind of dull feeling in the ear and temporarily reduces the sound level. It is not the same as plugging your ears, but it does show that our hearing is not entirely \u201cpassive.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

How convenient would it be if we could?<\/h2>\n\n

Let\u2019s fantasize for a moment. Suppose, like meerkats, we could close our ear canals whenever we wanted. What would that mean in everyday life? More than you might think. <\/p>\n\n

1. Festivals and concerts<\/h3>\n\n

No more panicking about hearing damage or tinnitus afterwards. Standing close to the speakers? Click: hearing mode at 50%. Want to talk to someone during a performance? Click: ears open again. <\/p>\n\n

2. Busy workplaces<\/h3>\n\n

Do you work on a noisy construction site or in a factory? No more hassle with earplugs or earmuffs. You simply close your ears as soon as the noise level gets too high \u2013 and open them again as soon as someone talks to you. <\/p>\n\n

3. Sleep and concentration<\/h3>\n\n

Sleepless nights due to street noise or snoring partners would be a thing of the past. Even while studying or working, you could just literally shut out unwanted sounds. <\/p>\n\n

4. Traveling and flying<\/h3>\n\n

One of the most annoying things about flying is pressure on your ears. If we could temporarily close (or just open) our ear canal, we might be able to regulate that pressure better. And consider train travel or crowded airports: one-click silence. <\/p>\n\n

The downside of \u2018switchable ears\u2019<\/h2>\n\n

It all sounds great, but there are drawbacks. Imagine shutting off your ears at a concert and therefore not hearing the fire alarm. Or missing an approaching ambulance in traffic. After all, our hearing is not just a comfort function \u2013 it is a crucial part of our safety. <\/p>\n\n

On top of that, sound plays a major role in our social interaction. Having a conversation, hearing emotion in a voice, enjoying music or simply knowing that someone is calling your name \u2013 all depend on your hearing. If we could just \u201cturn that off,\u201d we might do it too often. <\/p>\n\n

What we can do: hearing control<\/h2>\n\n

Until we biologically evolve into people with \u201cmeerkat ears,\u201d we will have to make do with other solutions to protect and regulate our hearing. And fortunately, there are plenty of those: <\/p>\n\n