Human echolocation

Article summary

Human echolocation is the ability of humans to detect objects in their environment by sensing echoes from those objects, by actively creating sounds: for example, by tapping their canes, lightly stomping their foot, clapping their hands, snapping their fingers, or making clicking noises with their mouths. People trained to orient by echolocation can interpret the sound waves reflected by nearby objects, accurately identifying their location, size and density. That is, the echoes allow detailed information about the object's location (where it is), dimension (size and shape), and density (solidity) to be identified. For example, they provide information about the location and nature of objects and their environment, such as walls, doorways, recesses, overhangs, pillars, ascending curbs and steps, fire hydrants, pedestrians, parked or moving vehicles, trees and other foliage. Some of them can perform tricks such as running, basketball, rollerblading, football and skateboarding, and can safely navigate wilderness areas by hiking or mountain biking.

Key claims

1. date of birth: 1992-01-26 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of death: 2009 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of birth is "1992-01-26". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of death is "2009". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1374879559