Earvangelism

How could looking at someone's earlobe tell you more about their heart than a conversation ever could? The answer emerging from research is... a crease. In this episode, I break down Frank's sign: the diagonal fold in the earlobe first documented in 1973 and now statistically linked to coronary artery disease, present in 64% of cardiovascular deaths versus 36% of others, and up to 8x more...

Why does the same dose of a hearing-damaging drug destroy one person's hearing and leave another's intact? The answer emerging from research is... the gut. In this episode, I break down the gut-mito-ear axis: the newly proposed framework connecting your microbiome, your blood-labyrinth barrier, and the vulnerability of your cochlea. It turns out the gut-brain axis has a sibling nobody'...

A sound lands in your body before you've understood what it was. A creak in the night. A two-note film score. A tone of voice that tells you something is wrong before the sentence is finished. That sequence: feel first, think second is your auditory system doing something extraordinary. Your ears have two routes to the brain. One goes to the conscious, reasoning mind. The other goes straight t...

Vertigo usually originates in our ears. But what happens when the original balance problem has resolved and you still don't feel steady? In this episode of Earvangelism , I explore Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD), a fascinating condition that sits at the intersection of the vestibular system, vision, and the brain. Discover how the brain can remain stuck in "protection mod...

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 ba...

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 ear’s balance system, disturbs your eye movements, and tricks your brain into thinking you’re moving when you’re not. A fascinating look at the hidden sensory system keeping you upright... until alcohol inte...

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 r...

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.

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.

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 what’s possible in audiology and ENT surgery.

AI-generated podcasts are getting harder to detect, but your brain still picks up subtle clues. In this episode, we explore how the brain’s 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.

He said he couldn’t hear...the hearing test said otherwise. In this episode, a real patient case reveals what happens when hearing results don’t match human physiology, and why audiology sometimes requires a bit of detective work. 🕵️‍♀️

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.

Did you know your brain doesn’t 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?

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 “choose” 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 res...

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 “microsystem” of...

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...

We all know that loud noise can damage hearing. But what if noise isn’t 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 brain’s auditory pathways. This results in people with “normal” hearing tests who still struggle to understand spe...

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 — from high-pitched ringing to Morse-code rhythms — what triggers it, and what she wishes healthcare professionals had told her sooner. This episode sheds light on the lived experience of tinnitus and highli...

Can a bass really trigger diarrhoea? In this episode of Earvangelism , I explore a patient’s startling experience of needing to rush to the loo every time a specific low-frequency bass played, and nowhere else. We unpack the “brown note,” the science of low-frequency sound, and the powerful connection between the ear, the vagus nerve, and the gut. Sound doesn’t just enter your ears but with your b...

Alzheimer’s 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 Alzheimer’s disease. I break down what focused ultrasound is, why it’s different fr...

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 press...

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: it’s 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 i...

In this episode of Earvangelism , Priscilla explores echoic memory — the brief but brilliant auditory system that holds sound just long enough for meaning to emerge. Through everyday moments like multitasking conversations, hearing your name called, or processing fast speech, this episode reveals why listening isn’t as instantaneous as we think. Echoic memory sits quietly between sound and underst...