The malleus, commonly known as the hammer, is one of the three small bones in the middle ear, collectively called the ossicles. It is shaped like a hammer and is responsible for transmitting sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The malleus connects to the eardrum on one end and to the incus, another ossicle, on the other. The malleus plays a crucial role in the process of hearing. When sound waves hit the eardrum, it vibrates, causing the malleus to move. This movement amplifies the sound vibrations, allowing them to be efficiently transferred to the incus and then to the stapes, the third ossicle, before reaching the cochlea in the inner ear.