Can You Wiggle Your Ears?

Can you move your ears voluntarily? Most people cannot, but a surprising minority can wiggle one or both ears on command. In this video, Dr. David Zhang explores this unusual human ability and invites viewers to participate in a community survey by sharing whether they can or cannot wiggle their ears.

The Anatomy of Ear Wiggling

Ear wiggling is controlled by three muscles attached to the external ear. The anterior auricular muscle sits in front of the ear, the superior auricular muscle is above the ear, and the posterior auricular muscle is behind the ear. Together, these three muscles allow the external ear to be moved forward, upward, and backward.

In many mammals, these muscles are well-developed and play a critical role in survival. Cats, dogs, horses, and cows can all orient their ears toward sounds, helping them detect predators and locate prey. The ability to rotate the ears independently provides directional hearing that enhances their awareness of the environment.

Vestigial Muscles in Humans

In humans, these muscles are classified as vestigial, meaning they still exist anatomically but have lost most of their original function through evolution. As humans developed language and relied less on directional hearing for survival, the neural pathways controlling voluntary ear movement weakened over generations.

Despite being vestigial, the muscles are still functional in some individuals. Research suggests that approximately 10 to 20 percent of the population can wiggle their ears at will. The ability appears to have a genetic component, as it tends to run in families, but it can also be developed through deliberate practice.

Famous Ear Wigglers

Comedian Rowan Atkinson, best known for his role as Mr. Bean, is famous for his ability to move his ears as part of his physical comedy routines. The ability has been featured in talent shows, party tricks, and comedy acts throughout history.

Can You Learn to Wiggle Your Ears?

Yes, many people who cannot initially wiggle their ears can develop the ability through training. The process typically involves the following steps:

First, stand in front of a mirror and try different facial expressions. Raising your eyebrows strongly, smiling widely, or clenching your jaw may cause slight ear movement because these facial muscles share some neural pathways with the ear muscles.

Second, once you detect even the slightest ear movement, focus on isolating that specific sensation while gradually relaxing the other facial muscles. The goal is to activate the ear muscles independently of the surrounding facial muscles.

Third, practice consistently. Like any muscle training, the neural pathways strengthen with repeated activation. Over days or weeks of regular practice, the movements typically become larger and more controllable.

A Fun Community Experiment

Dr. Zhang invites every viewer to leave a comment stating whether they can or cannot wiggle their ears. By collecting responses from a large audience, the resulting data provides a rough estimate of the percentage of people with this ability, which can be compared against published research findings.

Even if you cannot wiggle your ears, your response is valuable because the percentage of non-wigglers is just as informative as the percentage of wigglers. The goal is to gather as broad a sample as possible.

For more fun and educational content from Dr. Zhang, check out Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and Dubrovnik, Croatia for travel-inspired explorations of the world’s wonders.

Whether you are born with the ability or train yourself to develop it, ear wiggling is a harmless, entertaining skill that makes for a great conversation starter. Please like and share this video to help grow the dataset.