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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