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September 5, 2008 11:55:24 PM CDT

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'Magnet Molecule' May Guide Bird Migration

Posted May 5, 08 8:22 AM CDT in Science & Health 

(Newser) – Migrating birds may rely on a special molecule discovered in their eyes that allows them to  perceive the Earth’s magnetic field lines as a kind of road map, new research shows. The molecule may help birds navigate much the same way humans follow lines to stay on a highway lane, said the study in the journal Nature. 

It's not clear how the molecule functions—whether it affects sight or simply orientation. “It could be a bright or dark spot that would move around,” said the lead researcher. Another biophysicist theorized that a bird’s inner magnetic compass might make it feel the way airline passengers do during a drastic descent if it started flying off course.

Source Washington Post

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Early observers of migratory birds thought that one species somehow turned into another.   (Flickr)
Molecules might send a signal to the bird's brain, telling it which way to fly.   (Getty Images)
An inner magnetic compass might help birds see its latitude and stay on the migratory course.   (KRT Photos)
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birds  • scientific research  • migration  • chemistry  • magnetic field  • Journal Nature


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