Slideshow: How Animal Embryos Eavesdrop on the Outside World

Watch and listen to reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds respond to sound from inside their eggs.

Written byAmanda Heidt

| 4 min read

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ABOVE: Glass frog embryos (family Centrolenidae) inside their eggs
JESSE DELIA

Scientists have been studying how animals perceive and respond to sound for decades, but it’s only recently that they’ve started applying that research to individuals still in the egg or womb. Now, researchers are finding that embryos are able to use sounds and other vibrations to glean information on their postnatal environment and influence their own development. In addition to abiotic factors, such cues can tell embryos about the presence of predators or competitors, sometimes leading to lifelong changes in the animals’ physiology and behavior. This phenomenon has been documented across the animal kingdom, from insects to mammals, and new research on premature babies suggests that humans are no exception.

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Meet the Author

Amanda Heidt
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Amanda first began dabbling in scicom as a master’s student studying marine science at Moss Landing Marine Labs, where she edited the student blog and interned at a local NPR station. She enjoyed that process of demystifying science so much that after receiving her degree in 2019, she went straight into a second master’s program in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Formerly an intern at The Scientist, Amanda joined the team as a staff reporter and editor in 2021 and oversaw the publication’s internship program, assigned and edited the Foundations, Scientist to Watch, and Short Lit columns, and contributed original reporting across the publication. Amanda’s stories often focus on issues of equity and representation in academia, and she brings this same commitment to DEI to the Science Writers Association of the Rocky Mountains and to the board of the National Association of Science Writers, which she has served on since 2022. She is currently based in the outdoor playground that is Moab, Utah. Read more of her work at www.amandaheidt.com.
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