hearing: the ear is for water

[meredith101]

is the human ear really designed to resolve sounds underwater?

[Loosehead]

The ear detaects vibrations in the current medium and the brain translates that into sound. Water is a good medium for the transmission of sound but I don't think the ear is designed to work soley in water.

[snowball2]

as we descended from the oceans then in all likelyhood yes. and as an extra fact humans are made up of 80% water, which is salt water hence when we are ill we are put on a saline drip

[wildwood]

No, it is not. Just because a human ear can hear under water, that doesn't mean it is designed for underwater conditions.

If it was so, all fish would have them. Instead, fish have a lateral line on the side of their body that detects vibrations a lot better.

[meredith101]

I asked because it appears that the human ear was designed for hearing under water, the sound resolution to nerve impulse occurs in a water filled chamber, and it appears that adaptations have been added on top of that to overcome the problems of using a water based system in air (adaptations like the 3 bone system and the tympanum ampifier). I dont think some fish not having hearing doesnt mean that humans didnt evolve from an in-water hearing creature.

[Bob A Job]

There is a large belief that alot of our facial features evolved from our early years by the sea, fishing and foraging.
Our downturned nose is a curious feature that prevents water from filling our sinus's whilst swimming. something that other primates lack. it wouldnt surprise me to see similar land/sea quirks in our senses. There is also a belief in some circles that we began to walk on two legs as a result of a more linear bodyline that was more streamlined for swimming. a four legged animal isnt as agile in the water.