An ear is like an iceberg – much of it is out of sight. The only visible part is the auricle – the seashell shaped structure made of bendy cartilage, covered in skin. Its main role is to act as a trumpet, filtering and funnelling sound waves down into the middle, then the inner ear, where they are converted into our sense of hearing.

A medical ear examination usually involves an inspection of the canal, using an instrument called an otoscope. This is usually to investigate more common ear conditions – an infection, or a clog of wax.

But the auricle – also known as the external ear – can also tell tales about your health, family traits and even whether you play high contact sports.

The shape of every ear is unique as a fingerprint and each part has a name. The fleshy, dangly bit at the bottom is the lobule – or ear lobe. The folded top portion, which curves along the edge of the ear, is the helix – named for its shape – and the two prominent areas that sit next to the canal are the tragus and antitragus.

The word “tragus” is derived from the Greek for goat. This is because the tragus is usually covered in hairs, giving it a similar appearance to a billygoat’s chin. Have a feel for yourself – you may not have realised the hairs........

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