Ivanna's Cast - The Larynx

The speaker introduces themselves as a student and explains that they will talk about the larynx. They discuss what the larynx is, how it works, and its importance in voice production and preventing choking. They also mention how animals like crocodiles, parrots, whales, and elephants use their larynx or similar organs. The speaker highlights ongoing research on larynx transplants and synthetic vocal cords, as well as the treatment of vocal cord disorders. They emphasize the importance of drinking water for maintaining a healthy larynx and dispel myths about cold water damaging the voice. The speaker advises vocal rest when necessary and mentions the risk of vocal nodules. They encourage listeners to appreciate and take care of their larynx. Hello everyone, I'm Ivana, a student at Hunter College, and I wanted to talk to you a little bit about what the larynx is. So, have you ever thought about how your voice works, or what keeps you from choking every time you eat? Well, that's your larynx. And it's an organ that's small, powerful, and it's surprisingly underappreciated. So, today we're going to uncover some fascinating truths about this organ, and you'll never take it for granted again. So, here's what we'll cover. First, we'll talk about what your larynx is and how it works. Then we'll dive into how other animals use their versions of their larynx, or something similar to it. And then we'll talk about some of the latest scientific facts about your larynx and how you should take care of it. So, first things first, your larynx is basically the boss of your throat. So, even if it's small, it's really flexible, and the structure sits at the middle of your neck, or throat. And it's probably bigger than you realize. So, one of the jobs is that it creates your, or it produces your voice. So, inside of your larynx, there's stretchy little bands of tissue, and these are called vocal cords. So, every time you breathe, these stay open and the air passes through them. But when you talk, sing, or even laugh, they come together and vibrate because air pushes past them. So, the vibration that that creates is called a sound. So, the tighter that your vocal cords stretch, the higher pitch, and when you loosen them, you get a deeper sound. So, it's like tuning a guitar, but the guitar is basically, like, you're an instrument in this case. Your larynx also serves as a safety guard. So, every time that you swallow, your larynx pulls up and it closes tight to keep your food or drinks from going on your windpipe. So, if you didn't do this, you'd be choking all the time. And that's why, like, when something sneaks past, it feels so awful, and your larynx is really trying to save your life. So, your larynx also helps air move into your lungs. So, the larynx is always making sure that your airway stays clear, and it also allows you to breathe easily. As ponders, we will be talking about some animals' larynx or some other organ that replaces it. So, for example, crocodiles also have a larynx, and crocodiles use it to make deep growls or roars, which you've probably seen in nature documentaries. And you know what's cooler is that scientists think that their larynx helps them communicate underwater, and this is perfect for swampy habitats. On the other hand, parrots don't have a larynx. They have something that's called a pharynx, and it's a special organ lower in their throat. So, this one is super flexible, and it allows the parrot to copy everything from human words to car alarms or anything you can think of, really. And, like, imagine if we could do this with our voice boxes, which is also referred to as our larynx. Whales don't have vocal cords like ours, but they still make some of the loudest sounds on Earth. So, basically, they push air through different chambers near their blowholes, and this creates the famous sound that can travel miles underwater. It's like the ocean's version of a microphone. Did you know that elephants make sounds that humans can't even hear? Like, yes, it's a pretty big animal, but they also have low-frequency rumbles, and these travel miles underground. But their larynx plays a role, and it's that they use parts of their lungs and throats that humans don't even have. Now, let's go back to humans again. The larynx has been a big focus on the medical field right now, and here's why. So, there's groundbreaking research on larynx transplants. So, like, imagine losing your ability to speak because of an accident or a disease. Well, scientists are working on ways to get people their voices back, literally, through transplants. And it's so experimental, but the idea that someone could regain their voice is incredible. Scientists are also developing synthetic vocal cords for people that have damaged vocal cords. And what they're looking at is for real materials that are designed to vibrate exactly like natural vocal cords. So, it's a mix of biology and engineering, and it could really transform medicine. Now, there's been a lot of focus on vocal cord disorders, one of which is vocal cord dysfunction. And this makes it hard for people to breathe because their vocal cords don't open properly. And this is very scary, but researchers are figuring out new ways to treat it. In order to avoid damage to your larynx, it's very simple, and it is to drink water. So, your larynx works better when you drink enough water because your vocal cords remain flexible, and that means that they vibrate more smoothly. So, when you want to sound your best, like, if you're singing or you're going to give a speech or, I don't know, just hanging out, you should really drink water because it's very important for your health and to maintain your larynx working properly. Some people are scared of drinking cold water because they say that it damages your voice, and that is false. Like, what would happen is that your vocal cords could become a little bit stiff, but if you drink warm water or tea, it's going to smooth it out a little bit. Also, have you noticed that when you go to a concert or you scream a lot for a long period of time, you get a sore throat or your voice becomes raspy? Well, that's totally normal, and sometimes you just need vocal rest, but it's not going to stay there permanently. It's not going to damage your vocal cords, but you do have to be a little bit careful of not doing it every single day or very, very often. Talking about vocal rest, I did have a friend that had a sore throat for a week, and she couldn't really use her voice a lot, so she had to go through with vocal rest because it turns out that she actually had a vocal nodule, which is like a tiny bump that developed on their vocal cords, and it's probably dangerous, so it could be gone when you use your vocal rest. I also wanted to mention that whispering is actually worse than talking normally, especially if you're trying to rest your voice. Make sure you don't whisper because it's not that good for you, even though it seems like it. Now, we can do a fun activity, and we can put our fingers near or in front of our throat, and if you hum or something, you're going to feel your throat vibrate, and that is actually your larynx, so if you try speaking with a high-pitched voice and a low-pitched voice, you'll feel like different vibrations, and these are basically your vocal cords adjusting to the tension that basically create different sounds. And also, when you breathe and you swallow, do you notice how your throat moves? That's because your larynx is working through protective airway, and it's actually really cool when you pay attention to what it's actually doing. I really hope that you use this podcast to take care of your larynx and to appreciate it, and also connect to other animals, because although we don't even know it, our larynx is so similar. Like, for example, scientists used a pig's larynx to study their vocal cords because it's so similar to ours, and I just wanted to say that every time you speak, you shout, you sing, or whatever you say, like, just take a moment to appreciate your larynx, and of course, to take care of it. So, thank you so much for tuning in, and I'll see you later. Now, I'll leave you with some parrots that are really cute. So cute! Bird, bird, bird. Bird, bird, bird, bird. I'm Gizmo. I got a love affair. Gizmary. Let the bird out. Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp. Ooh! Try to catch up, just like Ed and Eric. Ho, ho, ho.