Hearing: The Cochlea
Published: 23.10.2025
The Cochlea is part of the inner ear. There, sound waves trigger electrical impulses that are transmitted to the brain via the auditory nerve.
Find out more about how a ▸ simple wiggle can produce a wonderful variety of sounds in our article by Dr. Christian Wolf.
The cochlea is the part of the inner ear that contains the organ of Corti, which is responsible for converting acoustic signals into nerve impulses.
ear
auris
The ear is not only the organ of hearing, but also of balance. A distinction is made between the outer ear with the auricle and external auditory canal, the Middle ear with the eardrum and ossicles, and the actual hearing and balance organ, the inner ear with the cochlea and semicircular canals.
Cochlea
The cochlea is the part of the inner ear that contains the organ of Corti, which is responsible for converting acoustic signals into nerve impulses.
ear
auris
The ear is not only the organ of hearing, but also of balance. A distinction is made between the outer ear with the auricle and external auditory canal, the middle ear with the eardrum and ossicles, and the actual hearing and balance organ, the inner ear with the cochlea and semicircular canals.
Middle ear
auris media
The eardrum forms the boundary between the outer ear and the middle ear. The ossicles – the malleus, incus, and stapes – transmit the vibration of the eardrum to the inner ear via the oval window. The middle ear is filled with air.
