"Near the center of the elliptical Slyneid galaxy, the Molasses planet monotonously revolved around an unextraordinary star. Slightly less monotonous (but only slightly) was the training session that was taking place near the surface of the planet’s gooey exterior. Two young larvaluxi were trying their best to stay awake as the elder cochlean described the rules of the listentower in excruciating detail. If one of them fell asleep, they knew the grumpy elder would have it out on them. But it was exceedingly difficult to stay awake when the adult’s instructions were whispered so quietly. The elder cochlean had much more sensitive hearing than the younger larvaluxi and could not breach the surface of its planet for more than a few minutes at a time. In fact, adult cochleans had the most sensitive hearing of any sentient being in the universe. They received their common name due to their striking resemblance to the human cochlea, a small, spiral-shaped organ located in the inner ear. In humans, this organ contains billions of tiny hair cells, which bend in response to vibrations in the air caused by sound waves. Subsequently, the hair cells transmit nerve impulses to the brain, which then interprets the impulses as sounds, and that, in a nutshell (or perhaps more accurately, a cockle shell), is how humans hear. The bodies of adult cochleans functioned in much the same way, only they were much larger, approximately three to six meters in diameter, and contained many more hair cells of varying shapes and sizes. This allowed them to not only hear extremely faint sounds, but also to detect an extremely large range of pitches and to locate their sources. 

            "Such sensitive hearing was both a blessing and a curse for the elder. It was a blessing because she relied on sound waves to create her own nutrition through phonosynthesis in the same way that a plant relies on light for photosynthesis. That, and it was very easy to eavesdrop. Her curse was that her hearing was so sensitive that she had to spend most of her time submerged in the goo that comprised her planet – goo that had a similar consistency to the molasses after which it was named. The high viscosity of the goo was difficult for soundwaves to travel through, which made life bearable for her. Bearable, but not particularly enjoyable, which was why, like most other adult cochleans, she was almost always in a foul mood."