Like Marvel’s superhero Daredevil, a 7-year-old British boy, nicknamed “Batboy,” has learned how to “see with his ears.”
By clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth, Lucas Murray is able visualize his surroundings by using a form of sonar that reflects back the world around him. As a result, he is now able to play basketball and even go rock climbing.
The technique, called echolocation , is similar to that used by bats and dolphins. It allows him to know where objects are based on how the sound bounces back. Murray is also able to estimate the size of an object by the intensity of the echo, with a smaller object reflecting less of the sound wave.
Murray was taught the technique by Daniel Kish, founder of the World Access for the Blind charity, after his parents saw Kish on TV and asked him to work with their son.
Although it is rare for humans to use echolocation, experts say the basics can be learned in just a couple of weeks and the best thing? You don’t even need to be drenched in radio active waste!