Page 290 - Darwinism Refuted
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Utriculus Vestibular nerve
Sacculus Tympanic canal
Common crus
Superior
semicircular canal Cochlea duct
Vestibule canal
Lateral
semicircular
canal
Cochlea
Ampulla
Vestibular nerve
Oval window
Posterior semicircular canal
The complex structure of the inner ear. Inside this complicated bone structure is found
both the system that maintains our balance, and also a very sensitive hearing system
that turns vibrations into sound.
been unable to determine whether the frequency-distinguishing system
takes place in the inner ear or in the brain.
At this point, there is an interesting fact we have to consider
concerning the motion of the tiny hairs on the cells of the inner ear. Earlier,
we said that the hairs waved back and forth, pushing each other like
dominos. But usually the motion of these tiny hairs is very small. Research
has shown that a hair motion of just by the width of an atom can be
enough to set off the reaction in the cell. Experts who have studied the
matter give a very interesting example to describe this sensitivity of these
hairs: If we imagine a hair as being as tall as the Eiffel Tower, the effect on
the cell attached to it begins with a motion equivalent to just 3 centimeters
of the top of the tower. 351
Just as interesting is the question of how often these tiny hairs can
move in a second. This changes according to the frequency of the sound.
As the frequency gets higher, the number of times these tiny hairs can
move reaches very high levels: for instance, a sound of a frequency of
20,000 causes these tiny hairs to move 20,000 times a second.
Everything we have examined so far has shown us that the ear
possesses an extraordinary structure. On closer examination, it becomes
evident that this structure is irreducibly complex, since, in order for
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