Scientists have discovered a mysterious "sixth sense": who is the carrier

Scientists from the University of Maryland have made an important discovery: Tokay geckos, in addition to normal hearing, have the ability to pick up low-frequency vibrations, which is a kind of "sixth sense." Previously, it was believed that only fish and amphibians could use their ears to detect vibrations, but new research has shown that some reptiles also have this ability.

Like other lizards, Tokay geckos are sensitive to high-frequency sounds, but they are also able to perceive low-frequency vibrations in the range of 50 to 200 Hertz. This ability is due to a special structure in their inner ear - a pouch that in many animals is responsible for maintaining balance, writes ScienceAlert.

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The researchers found that the pouch in geckos has a direct connection to a group of neurons in the hindbrain that receive signals only from this structure. Thanks to this mechanism, animals can feel vibrations propagating through the ground or water, which gives them additional opportunities to navigate the environment.

During the experiments, it was found that these neurons are most sensitive to vibrations at frequencies of about 100 Hertz. At the same time, they do not respond to sound stimuli of the same frequency, which confirms that this is a specific mechanism for perceiving vibrations.

Although scientists have not yet determined the exact behavioral reason for this phenomenon, they suggest that geckos may use their "sixth sense" to detect danger, such as predators or adverse weather conditions.

As a reminder, penguins and otters in the Japanese oceanarium went on a protest hunger strike.

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