Teens aren't known to be the greatest listeners, but a new study reveals that their hearing may be just

fine. While more and more adolescents are using headphones to listen to music, researchers at Harvard

Medical School found no significant increases in hearing loss among 12-to-19-year-olds since the 1990s.

The most obvious sources of noise exposure, the scientists found, were recreational--like loud

concerts--or occupational, like working around heavy machinery.

That still doesn't mean that teens' listening habits are safe for the sensitive cells in their ears that

translate sound energy into electrical impulses that can be interpreted by the brain. Damage to the cells

is cumulative, and the study did not track the teens into adulthood. In addition, when the Harvard team

analyzed their sample group by gender, they found that to the extent that there are detectable increases

in hearing loss, the problem is greater in girls, suggesting that gender equality now extends to the

ear-punishing activities that were once the province mostly of boys. The solution to the problem: earplugs

in high-noise environments, which can reduce exposure by 20 decibels.