Strong Auricle Muscles

 Prepare for a very brief biology lesson as I begin this blog about family traits - an inherited characteristic. For example

• Tongue rolling
• Earlobe attachment
• Freckles
• Handedness
• Hairline shape

Sara has the red hair of my grandmother. My brothers have my Dad’s hairline. Freckles abound. George is left-handed and so are Jennette and Geordan.

But, there is a trait that has been passed down to only four members of my immediate family in the last four generations - strong auricle muscles.

The auricle is the outer ear. It has muscles which once allowed our ancestors to pivot their ears. For most of us, that is a vestigial muscle – one that no longer serves any purpose.

If this biology lesson has confused you, let me make it simple. Those people with strong auricle muscles can wiggle their ears.

My dad was special in many ways but none so entertaining as his ability to make his rather large ears go up and down. I heard of cousins who would stand in front of a fan and scrunch their faces in an attempt to wiggle their ears and fly away. (Dumbo was very popular at the time.) One regret… I never asked Daddy when he knew he had the gift. Today's photo shows his ears as well as his t-shirt as he participated in a cancer survivor fundraiser.

In 5^th grade I was passing papers to the person behind me. I could hear shuffling, and my ears involuntarily pulled back as though I was a wolf listening closely to my surroundings. I learned to control it and performed for anyone interested in a girl who could wiggle her ears. This was not a trait that attracted boys.

When Benjamin was about seven years old, he became part of the small group of ear performers. But his muscles were honed so that he could wiggle up and down (like my Daddy), back and forth (like me) and could even wiggle one at a time. It may be that only someone with the gift can understand how impressive this is.

Ryan was in elementary school when a bug was flying around his face and he moved his ears to shoo it away. That was when he knew. And that is probably the most practical use of ear wiggling. I do not know if he has used this during his time in the Navy.

In a family of people who are certainly more educated, successful and talented than me, God has made me part of a unique group. 

PS

I read about another interesting trait, Achoo Syndrome, also called the photo sneeze reflex. It is manifested by sneezing two or three times if you are suddenly exposed to light. One way to see it in action is to wait outside a movie theater as people come out.                                                                      

 

 

SORT OF A BIBLIOGRAPHY (in case you are wondering how I knew this stuff)

Stephanie Pappas, October 21, 2015 article in LIVE SCIENCE

Encyclopedia Brittanica on line

“10 Human Genetic Traits of Simple Inheritance” from SPO VIRTUAL CLASS