The stapes is one of the three tiny bones in the middle ear, known collectively as the ossicles. It is shaped like a stirrup and is the smallest bone in the human body. The stapes plays a crucial role in hearing by transmitting sound vibrations from the incus to the oval window, which is a membrane-covered opening to the inner ear. When sound waves enter the ear, they cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then passed through the ossicles, including the stapes, which amplifies the sound and sends it into the inner ear. This process is essential for converting sound waves into signals that the brain can interpret as sound.