Prof. Dr. Jörg Albert
Distortion of signals occurs as a disturbance in most human-made electronics, or human communication at large. At least so goes the general view. Accordingly, human engineers usually take a great effort – and a great pride – in reducing distortions to minimal levels. However, the engineers of evolution may beg to differ. Distortions in the auditory system are essential (that means inevitable) consequences of vital system parameters. In a nutshell, distortions are direct results of the most elementary process of hearing, i.e. of auditory transduction, which comprises the conversion of sound into neural signals. Our ears, one might say, generate distortions as cryptic ‘phantom tones’ of the hearing process. Mathematically speaking, those distortion tones are highly periodic, highly predictable and as I will suggest, highly precise. Using hearing in male malaria mosquitoes, I will try to show the inevitability, and the benefits, of essential distortions not only for mosquito hearing but possibly for neural function at large. Maybe, it turns out that in the end our brain is just a large swarm of mosquitoes, maybe the largest of them all.
