by MICHAEL ALLEN
Sensing direction: the zebra finch uses its eyes to sense magnetic fields
Long-lived spin coherence in proteins found in the eyes of migratory birds could explain how the creatures are able to navigate along the Earth’s magnetic field with extraordinary precision. This is the finding of researchers in the UK and Germany, who have created a new realistic model of cryptochrome proteins that is based on advanced simulations of nuclear and electron spins. The team also provides an explanation for how the avian magnetic compass has been optimized by evolution.
Every year, migratory birds navigate thousands of kilometres between their breeding and wintering grounds with remarkable accuracy. It has been known for a long time that this is, in part, due to their ability to detect the direction of the Earth’s magnetic field, with research showing that some birds can detect the direction of field lines with an error of 5° or less. However, scientists do not have a good understanding of the biological mechanisms that make this magnetic sense possible.
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