Can Spiders Hear You?
WouterResearchers from Cornell University recently discovered that spiders can hear. The scientists were studying jumping spiders, and found that the creatures had better hearing capabilities than they thought.
The spiders’ ability to hear sounds was based on a combination of leg hairs and the way they convert vibrations into neural activity. These spiders are sensitive to low-volume noise, like a hum, and also to a variety of different frequencies. The sounds the spiders responded to ranged from 150 to 750 hertz, which is similar to the sounds of wing beats from insects, such as flies and mosquitoes.
The researchers decided to investigate whether other spider species have the same ability. They found that a group of small North American jumping spiders responded to various sounds. In response to one sound, the spiders backflipped as if they were pursuing a predator.
Another study, conducted by a team of researchers at Binghamton University, revealed that spiders have a sense of sound. They can detect vibrations in their web. They also listen to human voices and music.
The researchers injected electrodes into the spider’s brain and placed it in a booth. The spiders then reacted to various sounds at varying distances, which was then recorded.
The team played five sounds to the spiders. Each sound was played at different angles, so they could see if the spiders reacted to it. Some of the sounds were low, like a hum, and others were more powerful, like a high-pitched whine. The spiders reacted with 100% accuracy to each of the sounds.
