Cho A
Science. 2000 Jun 16;288(5473):1954-5. doi: 10.1126/science.288.5473.1954.
Auditory researchers agree that hair cells are the ear's miniature amplifiers. They just don't agree about how the curious devices work. The two most popular ideas--one involving chemically activated trapdoors, the other cells that pump like pistons--both have been boosted by recent research.