Moth ears have two or four vibration sensitive cells attached to
a small eardrum, and are regarded as among the simplest in the
insect world. However, in a recent paper, research findings are
said to reveal “unexpected sophistication in one of the simplest
ears known”. The complexity comes in the way audio signals are
processed so as to enhance the sensitivity of certain
frequencies. The language of purpose comes naturally: “the moth
cleverly tunes its ear to enhance its detection of bats”. These
findings are suggested to impact thinking on the co-evolution of
bats and moths, but there is no reason why they should not also
impact thinking on design in the natural world. Design-oriented
biologists have long abandoned the idea that anything is
“primitive”. Wherever we look, the reality is always more than
first meets the eye! Keeping up with Bats: Dynamic Auditory
Tuning in a MothJames Frederick Charles Windmill, Joseph Curt
Jackson, Elizabeth Jane Tuck, and Daniel Robert Current Biology,
Vol 16, 2418-2423, 19