World's Largest Ear Sounds MP3 Danger Message for National Science & Engineering Week (14-18 March)

LONDON, March 14, 2011 - During this year's National Science and Engineering Week (14-18 March),
Deafness Research UK will be putting on several free performances of its
Bionic Ear Show in communities across the country, culminating with two shows
in Wales.

Sponsored by BUPA and the BIG Lottery Fund, the Deafness Research UK
Bionic Ear Show aims to demonstrate how important and delicate people's
hearing is and to remind them of the risks they face to their hearing from
noise and loud music. The show includes a range of entertaining and
scientific activities that make it the perfect event for this year's Science
and Engineering Week and the focus on 'science events for everyone.'

Ever wondered what your ear wax can tell you about your genetics? Can
your ear shape convict you of a crime? All these questions and more,
including how your hearing system links to nuclear power and the Richter
scale, will be answered as the Deafness Research UK Bionic Ear Show journey's
into the intricacies of hearing for National Science and Engineering Week.
The charity hopes its key messages can be driven home - turn down the volume
on your MP3 player or risk irreversibly damaging your hearing.

"While the revolution in MP3 and phone technology has given us all the
benefit of music on the move, an unwelcome side effect is that we are
exposing our ears to music at higher volumes and for longer periods of time
than ever before," said Vivienne Michael, Chief Executive of Deafness
Research UK. "The fear is that many of us are playing music at such high
volume that we risk permanent deafness and tinnitus far earlier than would be
expected simply as a result of old age."

With free hearing tests, together with other interesting and informative
demonstrations about how to protect your hearing, the Deafness Research UK
Bionic Ear Show will be coming to a town or city near you. Call Laura Ganpot
on +44(0)20-7679-8951 or email bionicearshow@deafnessresearch.org.uk if you
would like the show to come to your school, community group or company. More
information is available on the website at www.bionicearshow.org

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