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

Compass01:23

Compass

10.3K
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...
10.3K
Depth Perception and Spatial Vision01:15

Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

2.3K
Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.
2.3K
Azimuths and Bearings01:19

Azimuths and Bearings

776
Azimuths and bearings are essential concepts in surveying, providing methods to express the direction of a line relative to a meridian. Azimuths refer to the clockwise angle measured from the north end of a reference meridian to the given line, ranging from zero to 360 degrees. This method gives a comprehensive directional reference within a full 360-degree circle, making it a straightforward way to communicate direction in various fields, including navigation, cartography, and...
776
Meridians01:28

Meridians

989
In surveying, meridians are vital reference lines to measure directions and establish accurate land orientations. Meridians run from the north to the south poles, providing a stable framework for angular measurements and mapping. Meridians are fundamental in survey design, with the primary types being astronomic, magnetic, and assumed meridians. Each type offers distinct benefits and limitations, selected based on the project's scale and precision needs.The astronomic meridian is aligned with...
989
Local Attraction01:22

Local Attraction

436
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...
436
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

3.2K
Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the...
3.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Conservation-focused mapping of avian migratory routes using a pan-European automated telemetry network.

Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·2025
Same author

Magnetic orientation of marsh warblers (Acrocephalus palustris) and spotted flycatchers (Muscicapa striata) after simulated crossing of the magnetic equator.

The Journal of experimental biology·2025
Same author

Migratory birds can extract positional information from magnetic inclination and magnetic declination alone.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2024
Same author

Circadian clock period length is not consistently linked to chronotype in a wild songbird.

The European journal of neuroscience·2024
Same author

Migratory birds are able to choose the appropriate migratory direction under dim yellow narrowband light.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2023
Same author

Access to the sky near the horizon and stars does not play a crucial role in compass calibration of European songbird migrants.

The Journal of experimental biology·2022

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Effects of Mind-Body-Movement Practices on Brain Function
06:17

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Effects of Mind-Body-Movement Practices on Brain Function

Published on: January 26, 2024

2.7K

A sense of direction.

Aleksandr Pakhomov1, Dmitry Kishkinev1

  • 1School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele, United Kingdom.

Elife
|March 2, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Migratory moths navigate long distances in the dark using a combination of magnetic and visual cues. This dual-cue system aids their remarkable long-distance journeys.

Area of Science:

  • Animal behavior
  • Sensory biology
  • Navigation

Background:

  • Long-distance migration in insects is a complex phenomenon.
  • Understanding the sensory mechanisms underlying animal navigation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the navigational strategies of migratory moths.
  • To determine the role of magnetic and visual cues in nocturnal navigation.

Main Methods:

  • Behavioral experiments with migratory moths under controlled conditions.
  • Manipulation of magnetic and visual stimuli during simulated flights.

Main Results:

  • Moths demonstrated orientation capabilities in complete darkness.
  • Both magnetic and visual cues were found to influence directional choices.
Keywords:
Spodoptera frugiperdaecologyfall armywormgeomagnetic cuesinsect migrationnocturnal navigation

More Related Videos

A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat
08:37

A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat

Published on: April 24, 2009

12.4K
Controlled Rotation of Human Observers in a Virtual Reality Environment
09:11

Controlled Rotation of Human Observers in a Virtual Reality Environment

Published on: April 21, 2022

3.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Effects of Mind-Body-Movement Practices on Brain Function
06:17

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Effects of Mind-Body-Movement Practices on Brain Function

Published on: January 26, 2024

2.7K
A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat
08:37

A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat

Published on: April 24, 2009

12.4K
Controlled Rotation of Human Observers in a Virtual Reality Environment
09:11

Controlled Rotation of Human Observers in a Virtual Reality Environment

Published on: April 21, 2022

3.1K
  • The absence of one cue type did not completely abolish navigation.

    • Conclusions:

    • Migratory moths employ a multimodal sensory system for navigation.
    • Magnetic and visual information are integrated for effective long-distance travel in the dark.