Jo Milne has been deaf since birth due to Usher syndrome, a rare and incurable genetic disorder that can cause hearing loss and visual impairment. Now, at age 40, her new cochlear implants are allowing her to hear for the first time.

Researchers in England have just published a list of the ten most annoying sounds in the whole entire universe, or, anyway, in the list of 74 sounds they played for participants as part of their study on the brain's reactions to unpleasant sound.

Sometimes, Slate Magazine's Explainer column tackles topics you've always wondered about ("Why are horses good for making glue?" They have a lot of collagen.) and answers questions pertinent to everyday life ("How do you win the claw game?" Scope out the scene for a few rounds, then work with a partner.).

Sex talk! Chewing tobacco! Cholesterol drugs! Womb psychology! Weight coaching! Baby abdomen! Kiwi heart! Medication erection! And hearing loss, say what? Haha. It's your Tuesday Health Watch, where we watch your health—age-appropriately!

Woman smells! Animal behavior! Old people brains! STD testing! Allergies forever! Oil cleanup health! Fat dogs! Fat surgery! From death to business! And other conventional wisdom! It's your Tuesday Health Watch, where we watch your health—with ulterior motives!

An illiterate deaf man who knows no sign language is being prosecuted in Pennsylvania. His linguistic deficit is either his biggest problem—particularly for participating in his defense—or the greatest loophole in his criminal career, depending who you ask.

Uh oh. A new study in the Journal of the AMA reveals that 19.5% of kids 12-19 have hearing loss, and 5.3% have noticeable loss, likely due to earbud use. Your teen isn't ignoring you. They just can't hear you.

A Chinese lady was kissing her boyfriend when "the kiss reduced the pressure in the mouth, pulled the eardrum out and caused the breakdown of the ear." She's now partially deaf. [BBC]