Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026
08:28
Using Pharmacological Manipulation and High-precision Radio Telemetry to Study the Spatial Cognition in Free-ranging Animals
Published on: November 6, 2016
Animal navigation: the evolution of magnetic orientation
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA. gould@princeton.edu
Current Biology : CB
|June 5, 2008
Summary
Animals possess specialized magnetic organs for navigation, aiding in both direction and location detection. Emerging research provides initial insights into the evolutionary pathways of these remarkable biological sensors.
Area of Science:
- Zoology
- Biophysics
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Animals utilize diverse magnetic sense organs for spatial orientation.
- These organs are often specialized for distinct navigational functions, such as determining direction or pinpointing location.
Discussion:
- Recent scientific findings are beginning to illuminate the evolutionary origins of animal magnetoreception.
- Understanding the development of these sensory systems offers insights into biological adaptation.
Key Insights:
- Magnetoreception in animals involves specialized organs.
- Evolutionary studies are starting to reveal how these complex senses developed.
Outlook:
- Further research will likely uncover more about the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying magnetoreception.
- Comparative studies across species will be crucial for reconstructing the evolutionary history of magnetic sense.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Magnetism
Magnets are commonly found in everyday objects, such as toys, hangers, elevators, doorbells, and computer devices. Experimentation on these magnets shows that all magnets have two poles: one is labeled north (N) and the other south (S). Magnetic poles repel if they are alike and attract if unlike. Moreover, both poles of a magnet attract unmagnetized pieces of iron.
An individual magnetic pole cannot be isolated. No matter how small, every piece of a magnet contains a north pole and a south...
An individual magnetic pole cannot be isolated. No matter how small, every piece of a magnet contains a north pole and a south...
01:27Magnetic Fields
A moving charge or a current creates a magnetic field in the surrounding space, in addition to its electric field. The magnetic field exerts a force on any other moving charge or current that is present in the field. Like an electric field, the magnetic field is also a vector field. At any position, the direction of the magnetic field is defined as the direction in which the north pole of a compass needle points.
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
01:18Other Unique Bacteria
Magnetic bacteria exhibit a directed movement called magnetotaxis, driven by structures called magnetosomes. These magnetosomes consist of chains of magnetic particles made of either magnetite (Fe₃O₄) or greigite (Fe₃S₄) and are organized in a linear conformation by a protein scaffold within invaginations of the cell membrane. The bacteria align along the north–south magnetic field lines, much like a compass needle. They are typically microaerophilic or anaerobic and are commonly found near the...
01:23Compass
The compass is a fundamental instrument that operates by aligning its magnetic needle with Earth's magnetic field. This alignment facilitates navigation and orientation, offering a means to determine direction relative to magnetic north. However, the magnetic needle points to magnetic north, which differs slightly from true geographic north due to magnetic declination, which is the angular deviation between these two points. Declination varies based on geographic location and shifts over time...
01:19Magnetic Declination
Magnetic declination is the angle between true north, which aligns with the Earth's rotational axis, and magnetic north, which follows the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. This discrepancy exists because the magnetic poles do not coincide with the geographic poles. The value of magnetic declination depends on the observer's location on Earth and is subject to changes over time due to the dynamic nature of the Earth's magnetic field.The declination is called eastern when magnetic north...
01:22Local Attraction
Local attraction refers to disturbances in compass readings caused by magnetic influences from nearby objects such as metal fences, buried pipes, vehicles, buildings, power lines, or natural iron ore deposits. Small items like wristwatches, steel tools, or belt buckles can also interfere with the compass by creating local magnetic fields that distort the Earth's natural magnetic field. These distortions lead to inaccurate readings, posing navigation and land surveying challenges.Local...