We all have tiny hairs inside of our ears, and these hairs are doing important work: they convert sounds into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain. If these hairs are not doing what they need to do, deafness is the result, and this problem is behind roughly half of cases of hearing loss in early life. Now, scientific teams in the US and Switzerland have developed a genetically modified virus that could infect these hair cells and correct the error. Their work was tested on deaf mice, and injections of the virus into their ears led to a substantial improvement in hearing. The scientists think that this new therapy to treat hereditary deafness in humans could be available within five years.
Scientists take a significant step towards treating some forms of deafness
More of Today's Solutions
Rooftop rainwater could break cities’ air conditioning trap
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Air conditioning is making cities hotter, and that's not incidental. It's the physics. Every AC unit pulls heat ...
Read More5 phrases to teach kids that will serve them for life
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM You spend the first few years of your kid's life repeating words back to them, hoping one will ...
Read MoreWhy your antiperspirant isn’t working (and how to fix it)
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM If you’ve ever swiped on antiperspirant only to find yourself sweaty and smelly by midday, you’re not alone. ...
Read MoreHow to rediscover intrinsic motivation in the new year
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A new year often comes with new intentions, new goals, and new calendars waiting to be filled. But ...
Read More
