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The ossicles, also known as the ear bones, are three tiny bones found in the middle ear of mammals. Their primary function is to transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. These bones are the malleus, the incus, and the stapes. The malleus, or hammer, is attached to the eardrum and receives the vibrations directly. It then passes these vibrations to the incus, or anvil, which acts as a bridge. The incus, in turn, transmits the vibrations to the stapes, or stirrup. The stapes is the smallest bone in the human body and its base fits into the oval window, an opening leading to the cochlea, the sensory organ of hearing in the inner ear.

The ossicles amplify the sound vibrations as they travel from the relatively large surface area of the eardrum to the much smaller oval window. This amplification is crucial for efficiently transferring sound energy into the fluid-filled cochlea. The precise arrangement and articulation of these bones allow for a mechanical advantage, ensuring that even faint sounds can be detected and processed by the brain. Damage or dysfunction of the ossicles can lead to conductive hearing loss, a condition where sound is not effectively conducted through the middle ear.