Where Is the Smallest Bone in the Body Located?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 30, 2020

The smallest bone in the human body is the stape, and it is located in the middle ear. The stapes is one of three small bones in the middle ear that allow mammals to transmit sound waves through their eardrum and hear.

The stapes bone is also known as the “stirrup bone” because it is shaped like a stirrup. This is a movable bone that is connected to the malleus bone and the incus bone. All three of these small bones vibrate whenever sound waves enter the ear. They transmit their vibrations to the inner ear where the auditory nerve picks up the vibrations and travels to the brain. This allows all mammals, including humans, to hear.