The cochlea is, for all intents and purposes, the most important part of the aural process. This is where the ear converts sound vibrations into what we perceive as hearing. It is shaped like a spiral snail shell and is around five millimeters tall and nine millimeters wide at the base. The cochlea winds around the modiolus, a piece of spongy bone, as the cochlea is not able to support itself on its own due to its fleshy, boneless form.

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