The malleus, incus, and stapes—three small bones in the middle ear commonly referred to as the hammer, anvil, and stirrup—help make mammals more sensitive to sound. The bones started out as part of ...

The three bones of the middle ear are called the ossicles. These include the hammer, anvil, and stirrup. The eardrum and the ossicles work together to increase the vibrations as the sound waves ...

The eardrum then starts vibrating and these vibrations are passed to three small ear bones – called the hammer, anvil and stirrup. Many animals have ears that are able to detect ultrasound.

When the eardrum vibrates the hammer hits the anvil, the anvil hits the stirrup and sends those vibrations on into your inner ear. This is a very special part of the inner ear called the cochlea.