hearing

In the spring of 1876, just before the centennial of the United States, the Scottish-born Alexander Graham Bell patented an apparatus for “transmitting vocal or other sounds telegraphically … causing electrical undulations”. A century and a half later, there is an argument to be made that Bell’s device is one of the most transformative inventions in human history.Yet the 29-year-old Bell we meet in Sarah Marsh’s engaging first novel is a man whose passion for invention was very much secondary to his other great project:…

A study from the University of Southern Denmark involving 573,088 participants over 50 years old found that hearing loss is linked to an increased risk of developing dementia, with severe hearing loss individuals facing up to a 20% higher risk. However, using hearing aids can reduce this risk, suggesting a potential preventative measure against dementia.A recent study by the University of Southern Denmark has found a correlation between the loss of hearing and an increased risk of dementia.Individuals with hearing…

We know that blasting tunes at volume, working in excessively noisy environments, and even gaming can damage our hearing, but how exactly does this happen?Scientists now have a better idea about that, and have also discovered a potential way to prevent it.A team from the University of Pittsburgh used tests on mice to establish that loud noises were linked to spikes in zinc levels in the inner ear, both in terms of quantity and how widely it was spread. It's that spread of zinc that appears to harm ear cells and disrupt…

A bipartisan kids online safety bill making its way through the Senate is under fire from a coalition of tech advocacy and human rights groups that argue the legislation could limit access to critical information for children and teens online.    A heated hearing with the CEOs of major social media companies last week reinvigorated the debate over the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). The measure would regulate the type of content companies can show minors online and grant the Federal Trade Commission and state…

Sen. Bernie Sanders, left, appears at a news conference with Sen. Ed Markey on issuing subpoenas for pharmaceutical company CEOs to testify regarding drug prices, in the Capitol, Jan. 25, 2024.Bill Clark | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty ImagesSenators will question the CEOs of Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb on U.S. drug prices at a hearing Thursday, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle work to rein in high health-care costs for Americans. The push to cut drug prices is one of those rare hot-button…

In December, Cruise announced it was cutting 24% of its workforce. GM said last week it was cutting spending by about USD 1 billion at Cruise in 2024.The California Public Utilities Commission will hold a hearing Tuesday on a bid by General Motors' Cruise unit to resolve the agency's investigation into the robotaxi company's failure to disclose details of a pedestrian crash involving a self-driving car.In December, the commission (CPUC) ordered Cruise to appear, citing…

If you're spending hours with your headphones blasting attack sounds, theme songs, and your friend's weird battle cries into your ears, you might be at risk of permanent hearing damage.Sound is a major part of the video game experience for many, but we don't know much about what gaming does to our hearing. Studies into this are few and far between, but a team of researchers has rounded them up to see what we know so far.Their systematic review identified 14 unique papers, which together involved over 50,000 people from…

Senators grilled the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, Snap, Discord and X Wednesday in a heated hearing about harm posed to teens and kids online.   Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew faced most of the pressure from the panel, which focused primarily on the ways teens and children can experience harm through Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. But each CEO faced questions about the policies they have in place to mitigate the risks of online sexual exploitation, as well as the spread of harmful content…

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg issued an apology to families for the adverse effects of social media on the mental health of children. Zuckerberg, and other tech CEOs were accused of having "blood on their hands," for failing to stop their platforms become a playground for sexual predators…

Sexual predators. Addictive features. Suicide and eating disorders. Unrealistic beauty standards. Bullying. These are just some of the issues young people are dealing with on social media — and children's advocates and lawmakers say companies are not doing enough to protect them.On Wednesday, the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify as lawmakers and parents grow increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people's lives. We…