Researchers discover first sensor of Earth's magnetic field in an animal.
20 replies, posted
[QUOTE][QUOTE][IMG]http://cdn.phys.org/newman/csz/news/800/2015/87-researchersd.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]A team of scientists and engineers at The University of Texas at Austin has identified the first sensor of the Earth's magnetic field in an animal, finding in the brain of a tiny worm a big clue to a long-held mystery about how animals' internal compasses work.
Animals as diverse as migrating geese, sea turtles and wolves are known to navigate using the Earth's magnetic field. But until now, no one has pinpointed quite how they do it. The sensor, found in worms called C. elegans, is a microscopic structure at the end of a neuron that other animals probably share, given similarities in brain structure across species. The sensor looks like a nano-scale TV antenna, and the worms use it to navigate underground.
"Chances are that the same molecules will be used by cuter animals like butterflies and birds," said Jon Pierce-Shimomura, assistant professor of neuroscience in the College of Natural Sciences and member of the research team. "This gives us a first foothold in understanding magnetosensation in other animals."
Source:
[url]http://phys.org/news/2015-06-sensor-earth-magnetic-field-animal.html[/url][/QUOTE]
this prompted me to do some research, and it turns out that in humans there are magnetically sensitive bones in the nose. ( [url]http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983Natur.301...78R[/url] )
I've always been able to feel a pull towards magnetic north in my nose, and my dad can feel the same thing, but we've both always attributed it to high iron levels, not to actual ferric deposits in the sinus area.
magnets are cool
[QUOTE=butre;47995278]this prompted me to do some research, and it turns out that in humans there are magnetically sensitive bones in the nose. ( [url]http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983Natur.301...78R[/url] )
I've always been able to feel a pull towards magnetic north in my nose, and my dad can feel the same thing, but we've both always attributed it to high iron levels, not to actual ferric deposits in the sinus area.
magnets are cool[/QUOTE]
wtf why don't I get a magic compass nose!?
[QUOTE=butre;47995278]this prompted me to do some research, and it turns out that in humans there are magnetically sensitive bones in the nose. ( [url]http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983Natur.301...78R[/url] )
I've always been able to feel a pull towards magnetic north in my nose, and my dad can feel the same thing, but we've both always attributed it to high iron levels, not to actual ferric deposits in the sinus area.
magnets are cool[/QUOTE]
I bet after reading that most people are sitting in their chair's trying to figure out north.
[QUOTE=butre;47995278]this prompted me to do some research, and it turns out that in humans there are magnetically sensitive bones in the nose. ( [url]http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983Natur.301...78R[/url] )
I've always been able to feel a pull towards magnetic north in my nose, and my dad can feel the same thing, but we've both always attributed it to high iron levels, not to actual ferric deposits in the sinus area.
magnets are cool[/QUOTE]
That may be the case with me - I've almost never felt the need to orient myself using external factors. Orientation has always seemed a sense that I guess I'd assumed others had not cultivated, but perhaps I just have a fat hunk of iron in my face.
[QUOTE=lifehole;47995288]wtf why don't I get a magic compass nose!?[/QUOTE]
install a magnet into your flesh
[QUOTE=FreakyMe;47995324]That may be the case with me - I've almost never felt the need to orient myself using external factors. Orientation has always seemed a sense that I guess I'd assumed others had not cultivated, but perhaps I just have a fat hunk of iron in my face.[/QUOTE]
I'm quite good outdoors.
In a city I am lost.
[QUOTE=Shadow801;47995319]I bet after reading that most people are sitting in their chair's trying to figure out north.[/QUOTE]
It's that way
*points to the left*
[editline]18th June 2015[/editline]
So bioaugmentations to allow us to feel magnetic fields hopefully, without having to implant magnets under our skin
[QUOTE=butre;47995278]this prompted me to do some research, and it turns out that in humans there are magnetically sensitive bones in the nose. ( [URL]http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983Natur.301...78R[/URL] )
I've always been able to feel a pull towards magnetic north in my nose, and my dad can feel the same thing, but we've both always attributed it to high iron levels, not to actual ferric deposits in the sinus area.
magnets are cool[/QUOTE]
Some people must be more sensitive than others, then. I know what way north is no matter where I am and have always been great with directions; however my girlfriend is completely directionally challenged and uses her GPS to drive to work every day or else she'll get lost.
Probably has something to do with Males being hunters/trackers during the early human days too, I'd guess.
[QUOTE=butre;47995278]this prompted me to do some research, and it turns out that in humans there are magnetically sensitive bones in the nose. ( [URL]http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983Natur.301...78R[/URL] )
I've always been able to feel a pull towards magnetic north in my nose, and my dad can feel the same thing, but we've both always attributed it to high iron levels, not to actual ferric deposits in the sinus area.
magnets are cool[/QUOTE]
[T]http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/8/89/299Nosepass.png[/T]
[QUOTE=lifehole;47995288]wtf why don't I get a magic compass nose!?[/QUOTE]
I sat really, really still and tried to feel it.
"hey I can feel it!"
Hopped onto google maps and checked my orientation, the direction I was 'feeling' was east-southeast :|
[QUOTE=J!NX;47995392]install a magnet into your flesh[/QUOTE]
You joke, but there's actually people who get small magnets put in the tip of their fingers. They top out at being barely able to pick up a paperclip. Strong enough that with how sensitive your fingers are, you can sense the EM fields around wires with current, and some people can even detect non trivial faults in welds and things like that.
[QUOTE=Zephyrs;47997744]You joke, but there's actually people who get small magnets put in the tip of their fingers. They top out at being barely able to pick up a paperclip. Strong enough that with how sensitive your fingers are, you can sense the EM fields around wires with current, and some people can even detect non trivial faults in welds and things like that.[/QUOTE]
I wasn't joking?
[editline]18th June 2015[/editline]
thats what I was refering to lol
Here's another photo of this asshole.
[t]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Adult_Caenorhabditis_elegans.jpg/1280px-Adult_Caenorhabditis_elegans.jpg[/t]
[editline]18th June 2015[/editline]
wait, this is better holy shit
[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/CrawlingCelegans.gif[/img]
[editline]18th June 2015[/editline]
about a 1 millimeter in length
[QUOTE=Bat-shit;47997895]Here's another photo of this asshole.
[t]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Adult_Caenorhabditis_elegans.jpg/1280px-Adult_Caenorhabditis_elegans.jpg[/t]
[editline]18th June 2015[/editline]
wait, this is better holy shit
[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/CrawlingCelegans.gif[/img]
[editline]18th June 2015[/editline]
about a 1 millimeter in length[/QUOTE]
pretty sure thats a worm not an asshole
[QUOTE=butre;47995278]this prompted me to do some research, and it turns out that in humans there are magnetically sensitive bones in the nose. ( [url]http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983Natur.301...78R[/url] )
I've always been able to feel a pull towards magnetic north in my nose, and my dad can feel the same thing, but we've both always attributed it to high iron levels, not to actual ferric deposits in the sinus area.
magnets are cool[/QUOTE]
awesome! i thought i was the only one.
i have this too
[QUOTE=butre;47995278]this prompted me to do some research, and it turns out that in humans there are magnetically sensitive bones in the nose. ( [url]http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983Natur.301...78R[/url] )
I've always been able to feel a pull towards magnetic north in my nose, and my dad can feel the same thing, but we've both always attributed it to high iron levels, not to actual ferric deposits in the sinus area.
magnets are cool[/QUOTE]
You are now a Pokemon, more precisely, Nosepass's evolution.
[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;47997924]pretty sure thats a worm not an asshole[/QUOTE]
pretty sure a worm is just an extruded asshole
Magnetosensation. Awesome, I want it.
"Chances are that the same molecules will be used by [B]cuter animals like butterflies and birds[/B],"
bit racist aint he??
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