LONDON, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 http://www.bionicearshow.org

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