Infographic: Animal Embryos Coopt Sound to Survive and Thrive

Across the tree of life, animals use sound and other vibrations to glean valuable sensory information about their environments even before they are born.

Amanda Heidt

Nov 1, 2021 | 1 min read

Although scientists have long described embryos—whether ensconced in an egg or a womb—as passive agents, new research shows that they are in fact capable of sensing conditions in their external environments. By eavesdropping on the sounds of family members or sensing the quakes of an approaching predator, for example, developing young can alter their development or modify their behavior–a phenomenon known as acoustic developmental programming. In some cases, these prebirth adaptations affect lifelong fitness.