Could barn owls be key to cure for deafness?

From NetDoctor

There would be no need for hearing aids if only humans had ears more like those of barn owls, suggests new research published in the Royal Society Proceedings B.

This is because barn owls suffer no hearing loss as they age because (unlike humans) they are able to regenerate cells in their inner ears. Owls use this sensitivity to help them locate prey.

While other birds experience minimal hearing loss when they get older, new research has revealed that barn owls suffer no hearing loss at all. Humans, on the other hand, will have lost more than 30 decibels of sensitivity to high-sound frequencies by the age of 65.

Georg Klump of the University of Oldenburg, Germany, a researcher on the study,told the BBC:

Further research into understanding how hearing is preserved in barn owls could lead to new treatment options for deaf humans, the experts said.

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