Chickens have the amazing ability to restore their own hearing, and this trait is inspiring a nonprofit organization in their search for a cure for hearing loss in humans.

The secret to the chicken’s auditory magic is that supporting cells in its inner ear can replace hair cells that have been damaged by loud noises or other causes, Fox News reports.

And chickens aren’t the only animals that can restore their own damaged hearing. All vertebrates other than mammals can do the same. And preliminary research has shown that mice can regain some of their hearing using supporting cells that turn into hair cells—in the lab, at least.

Researchers discover new treatment for hearing loss induced by noise

Researchers supported by the Hearing Health Foundation hope to find a way to coax the supporting cells in the inner ears of people to transform into functional hair cells. 

To find a successful cure for hearing loss, researchers have plenty of work ahead of them—including identifying how supporting cells in the chicken's ear turn into hair cells, as well as finding potential compounds or drugs that can make this happen in people.

In his lab Ed Rubel, a professor of hearing science at the University of Washington and a member of the project team, is working on one piece of the puzzle that may one day lead to hair cell regeneration in people.