Scientists have found what they describe as a “sixth sense” in geckos which could provide a breakthrough to help humans who have hearing or balance issues.
A study published by a team of University of Maryland (UMD) biologists has found the lizards use the saccule, an inner-ear structure associated with maintaining balance and body positioning, to detect low-frequency vibrations.
This plays a role in how geckos normally hear and how they perceive the world around them and could be present in other species of reptiles too.
Catherine Carr, study co-author and a Distinguished University Professor of Biology at UMD, said: “The ear, as we know it, hears airborne sound. But this ancient inner pathway… helps geckos detect vibrations that travel through mediums like the ground or water.
“This pathway exists in amphibians and fish and now it’s proven to be preserved in lizards as well. Our findings shed light on how the auditory system evolved from what you see in fish to what you see in land animals, including humans.”