Bionic Hearing: Hearing Through the Buzz

The term "bionic" is defined by Oxford Languages as "having artificial body parts, especially electromechanical ones." In today's episode, we learn about a new type of hearing aid that converts everyday sounds into a series of unique vibrations. Our guest, neuroscientist Dr. David Eagleman, explains how our brains begin to "hear" these vibrations through a process called "sensory substitution". We also talk to cochlear implant wearer Richard Pocker, to learn about challenges of understanding sound again after a prolonged period of near-total deafness.