How do birds and other animals use natural magnetism for navigation? Introduction: When the seasons begin to change from summer to fall and the climate is steadily getting colder, birds begin to migrate south to warmer climates. This is a fact we learn at a young age, however, we tend to look past the logistics of it all. Just like most things in life, the concept of migration relates back to science, and in this case it is magnetism. Most are aware that birds search for warmer climates but how do they know where to go? They use a concept that dates back to before the world of GPS systems.
What is Earth's magnetic field? Much like a regular bar magnet, the Earth is polarized with a North and South Pole. These two poles are responsible for the magnetic field on Earth and, also like a bar magnet, the magnetic field around Earth is created by the movement of electrons. As you can see in the picture below, these electrons flow from the Southern Pole around and into the Northern Pole.
How do birds and Earth's magnetic field work together?
Birds are much like compasses in that they have a natural sense of magnetism and identifying where the North and South poles are. This ability allows birds to reasonably pinpoint their latitude and longitude (location on Earth) and then their natural instincts lead them South if they are in the Northern Hemisphere and North if they are in the Southern Hemisphere.
Do only birds use the magnetic field? No, in fact, a large variety of animals possess a magnetic sense in which they use to find their way around. Birds in specific use magnetic clues to find their way south before the cold weather hits. Also, salamanders, frogs, and other underwater creatures use the magnetic field for orientation to find the nearest shore quickly when they are sensing danger. Sea turtles possess exceptional navigation ability and that relies on detecting the earth's magnetic field. Many people wonder about how whales become beached when they are otherwise healthy, this also caused by magnetism and it is believed that military and other ships using sonar are the primary cause. When migrating especially but also while feeding, whales use their magnetic sense; however, their magnetic sense becomes skewed and distorted when in the field of these ships and the sonar waves they send out. Examples of animals using magnetism are everywhere and it is a truly remarkable, natural phenomenon!
Introduction:
When the seasons begin to change from summer to fall and the climate is steadily getting colder, birds begin to migrate south to warmer climates. This is a fact we learn at a young age, however, we tend to look past the logistics of it all. Just like most things in life, the concept of migration relates back to science, and in this case it is magnetism. Most are aware that birds search for warmer climates but how do they know where to go? They use a concept that dates back to before the world of GPS systems.
What is Earth's magnetic field?
Much like a regular bar magnet, the Earth is polarized with a North and South Pole. These two poles are responsible for the magnetic field on Earth and, also like a bar magnet, the magnetic field around Earth is created by the movement of electrons. As you can see in the picture below, these electrons flow from the Southern Pole around and into the Northern Pole.
How do birds and Earth's magnetic field work together?
Birds are much like compasses in that they have a natural sense of magnetism and identifying where the North and South poles are. This ability allows birds to reasonably pinpoint their latitude and longitude (location on Earth) and then their natural instincts lead them South if they are in the Northern Hemisphere and North if they are in the Southern Hemisphere.
Do only birds use the magnetic field?
No, in fact, a large variety of animals possess a magnetic sense in which they use to find their way around. Birds in specific use magnetic clues to find their way south before the cold weather hits. Also, salamanders, frogs, and other underwater creatures use the magnetic field for orientation to find the nearest shore quickly when they are sensing danger. Sea turtles possess exceptional navigation ability and that relies on detecting the earth's magnetic field. Many people wonder about how whales become beached when they are otherwise healthy, this also caused by magnetism and it is believed that military and other ships using sonar are the primary cause. When migrating especially but also while feeding, whales use their magnetic sense; however, their magnetic sense becomes skewed and distorted when in the field of these ships and the sonar waves they send out. Examples of animals using magnetism are everywhere and it is a truly remarkable, natural phenomenon!
Citations:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/magnetic-impact-on-animals.html
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005AGUFM.B31C1001K
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Animals-and-the-Magnetic-Field-of-the-Earth-81528.shtml
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/reve-drives.html
http://www.unc.edu/depts/oceanweb/turtles/geomag.html
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-do-whales-beach-themselves