Van Gogh's ear comes back to life - and it's listening

A “living” ear made with Van Gogh’s DNA is on exhibit at an art gallery in NYC. Go say hello, or play it a Don McLean song.

“Visitors don’t have to merely look at the ear—they can talk into it, too. On her website, Strebe writes that “the input sound is connected to a computer processor, using a software program to generate simulated nerve impulses from the sound signal in real time. They mimic sounds recorded from an electrode inserted into the auditory nerve, when firing.” Noam Chomsky was the first person to speak into the ear after it debuted in Germany last year.”

Yeah, it used to be a lot pinker and more lifelike. :frowning:

After reading the above, how can you not think of this famous hoax, supposedly from 1935?

Of course, the story of the event itself is likely a hoax, and it probably didn’t happen

Mad magazine remembered – they featured the “Van Gogo ear” in their 1970s parody of a TV show

Just because people can talk to this ear doesn’t mean there’s any listening occurring.

I can talk to my wall without leaving home/

If a tree falls in a forest, and only Van Gogh’s cloned ear is there to hear, does it make a noise?

From the OP title, I thought this would be about the Spanish rock/pop band Oreja de Van Gogh, very popular around 2000-2005, enjoying a recent comeback album and concert tour.

The actual subject matter is much more interesting! Reminds me of the Leader’s nose in Sleeper.

What did he say?

“Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.”

Either that, or “For some reason I’m craving a ham sandwich.”