Male frogs of many species rely on mating calls to attract mates. However, even after the female has fallen for the male with the sexiest ribbit, true love faces an obstacle: how to find the velvet-voiced charmer in amongst the noise. Some species have arrived at a truly remarkable solution – lungs that cancel out unwanted sounds so the amphibious Juliet can find her way to her froggy Romeo.
As anyone who has wandered past a suitable pond can testify, things can get pretty loud when the time is right for breeding. These sounds can come from many different species, creating an epic “cocktail party problem”. So how does a female tune out all the other noise and hop her way to her handsome hero?