How do birds and other animals use the world’s magnetic field to direct themselves?

We people are basically wandering around the world using five senses: vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch. In this context, we fall far below other animals, such as birds that can feel the magnetic field and use it to be on their flights.

Studies conducted by researchers from Oxford universities in the UK and Oldenburg, Germany, Night migrant birds have a certain protein that helps them feel magnetic fields on the retina. This “sensor” is used to survive later.

The interior of the birds “compass”

In ancient times, people used a compass so that they could find themselves during walking; More recently, this has been changed for GPS technology. But other animals, such as birds (and not just them), do the same more “intuitive”.

Scientists say that Some birds have extremely sophisticated interior mechanisms of geololization. Im I never thought that it would reach a point where we would begin to understand the quantum mechanism in a bird. We don’t know exactly what the bird sees because we can’t ask the bird. ” podcast Nature.

Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Siberia, a native of the species of the species of the species of the European lathes refers to a study. The reason for this is not only using the magnetic field of the world to visit these animals – They also see the space somehow.

Mouritsen, the way to explain this uses quantum physics. “We found cryptochrome in the eyes of the birds. The cryptochrome 4 of migratory birds is significantly more sensitive than the same molecule as a chicken. ”

Cryptochrome is the name given to a common protein in plants and animals that serve as photoreceptors – that is, light sensitive. What has not been known until recently is that in addition to regulating circadian rhythm, the protein can play another role in birds.

“The current working theory is this: When a light or photon particle reaches a bird cryptochrome, his energy can disrupt molecules in the protein. Catapult disorder, a pair of molecule for an unstable situation that can be affected. Biologist Katherine J. Wu from Harvard University.”

From the use of this protein, The retina of the eyes of the twides develops a mechanism that enables them to capture the magnetic areas around them, it functions as a kind of sensor. In all experiments, the researchers examined the isolated proteins in the laboratory and then applied more powerful magnetic fields than Earth’s magnetic field.

However, it is not yet known what is happening in the eyes of birds to achieve this unexpected result – there is still a lack of technical structure to realize this work. Nevertheless, researchers think that this discovery is quite relevant. “We think these results are very important, because for the first time, they show that a visual device of an immigrant bird is sensitive to magnetic fields.”

And other animals?

Other animals use the power of the magnetic field of the world, but much simpler. They contain turtles, salmon and even mammals such as foxes and jackals. And even our beautiful dogs can reflect this ability in their experiences.

In one paper Researchers in Prague, which was published in 2013, wrote the following: ız We have been inspired by our observations on other animals so far, watching spontaneous alignment in dogs during various activities and finally focused on excretion (including marking and urination), because this activity is more hope. It looked a donor.

Well, Dogs can use the biological sense of the field of biological geometic force. Supposedly, dogs are often failed to look at the north or south: “During the calm conditions of the magnetic field, there was a very important axial choice for north-south alignment during defecation.”

But no one knows how to say it for sure. If the researchers have yet consciously (that is, if they can “see the magnetic field like birds” or if they are really unconscious, they could not decipher them.

But it’s not just dogs that use this sensor a little. Apparently, cows have a mechanism that prefers north-south alignment as well as deer, pigs and even carp.

Even smart red foxes: While they are surprised to jump on their prey, they tend to use the northeast axis. “The hidden foxes tend to make their jump in the direction of compass in the northeast. The direction of the attacks was independent of the day, season, cloud cover and wind.” Supposedly, this makes them three times more likely to achieve their goals. Impressive, right?

Do you like this content? So follow visiting Tecmundo To stay on the cool news in the field of science. Until later!