Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Magnetism01:30

Magnetism

6.4K
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...
6.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Single-cell Multiomic and Spatiotemporal Dissection of the Liver Circadian Clock.

Genomics, proteomics & bioinformatics·2026
Same author

From skylight cues to magnetic fields: the toolkit of insect long-distance navigation.

Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology·2025
Same author

Single-Cell Multiomic Analysis of Circadian Rhythmicity in Mouse Liver.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

TRITHORAX-dependent arginine methylation of HSP68 mediates circadian repression by PERIOD in the monarch butterfly.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2022
Same author

Cryptochrome 1 mediates light-dependent inclination magnetosensing in monarch butterflies.

Nature communications·2021
Same author

Genome-wide discovery of the daily transcriptome, DNA regulatory elements and transcription factor occupancy in the monarch butterfly brain.

PLoS genetics·2019

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 30, 2025

A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila
09:27

A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila

Published on: November 21, 2008

11.4K

Insect magnetoreception: a Cry for mechanistic insights.

Christine Merlin1

  • 1Center for Biological Clock Research and Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77845, USA. cmerlin@bio.tamu.edu.

Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
|May 15, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Animal magnetoreception, the ability to sense Earth's magnetic field for navigation, is explored. Research focuses on insect cryptochromes, revealing insights into the molecular mechanisms of this magnetic sense.

Keywords:
CryptochromeInsectMagnetoreceptionMigrationRadical pair mechanism

More Related Videos

Electrophysiological Measurements from a Moth Olfactory System
06:16

Electrophysiological Measurements from a Moth Olfactory System

Published on: March 29, 2011

13.9K
A Behavioral Assay for Mechanosensation of MARCM-based Clones in Drosophila melanogaster
05:48

A Behavioral Assay for Mechanosensation of MARCM-based Clones in Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: December 30, 2015

10.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 30, 2025

A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila
09:27

A Magnetic Tether System to Investigate Visual and Olfactory Mediated Flight Control in Drosophila

Published on: November 21, 2008

11.4K
Electrophysiological Measurements from a Moth Olfactory System
06:16

Electrophysiological Measurements from a Moth Olfactory System

Published on: March 29, 2011

13.9K
A Behavioral Assay for Mechanosensation of MARCM-based Clones in Drosophila melanogaster
05:48

A Behavioral Assay for Mechanosensation of MARCM-based Clones in Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: December 30, 2015

10.3K

Area of Science:

  • Sensory Biology
  • Animal Navigation
  • Molecular Mechanisms

Background:

  • Migratory animals utilize Earth's magnetic field for long-distance orientation and navigation.
  • The precise mechanisms underlying animal magnetoreception remain a significant challenge in sensory biology.
  • Insects are key model organisms due to the feasibility of genetic studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review progress in understanding the molecular basis of animal magnetic sense.
  • To focus on insect species where genetic studies are possible.
  • To explore the role of cryptochromes in magnetoreception.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing scientific literature on animal magnetoreception.
  • Focus on genetic studies in insect models.
  • Analysis of the cryptochrome hypothesis for magnetoreception.

Main Results:

  • The central hypothesis involves magnetically sensitive radical pairs formed by cryptochrome photoexcitation.
  • Investigated the roles of both light-sensitive (Type I) and light-insensitive (Type II) insect cryptochromes.
  • Identified current knowledge gaps and areas for future research.

Conclusions:

  • Cryptochromes are central to the leading hypothesis of animal magnetoreception.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the molecular mechanisms of magnetoreception at the organismal level.
  • Understanding insect magnetoreception provides a foundation for broader biological insights.