Pigeons navigate using magnetic sensors in their livers
Researchers have discovered that pigeons navigate using iron-rich immune cells in their livers, which can sense the Earth's magnetic field. This finding reveals a previously unknown mechanism for magnetic perception in animals, suggesting a link between immunity and sensory perception. The study indicates that without these liver cells, pigeons struggle to find their way home, especially under overcast conditions.
- ▪Pigeons may sense the Earth's magnetic field using iron-rich immune cells in their livers.
- ▪Removing these iron-containing immune cells disrupted pigeons' navigation abilities.
- ▪The study suggests a new connection between the immune system and sensory perception in birds.
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Homepage Newsroom Research News Pigeons navigate using magnetic sensors in their livers Pigeons navigate using magnetic sensors in their livers Immune cells packed with iron could help birds detect Earth’s magnetic field function updateMastodonHref(event, link) { event.preventDefault(); let site = prompt("Enter the Mastodon server you're using (e.g., mastodon.social):"); if (site) { try { let inputUrl; if (site.startsWith('http')) { inputUrl = new URL(site); inputUrl.protocol = "https:" } else { inputUrl = new URL('https://' + site); } let hostname = inputUrl.hostname; let url = new URL(link.href); url.hostname = hostname; window.open(url.toString(), "_blank"); } catch (e) { console.error("Error updating Mastodon URL:", e); alert("Please enter a valid domain name"); } } return false; }…
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