Butterflies, whales, and pigeons share a perplexing trait—they all use Earth’s magnetic field to navigate and orient themselves in space. This ability, which scientists don’t fully understand, ...

The exact mechanisms animals use to sense the direction of Earth’s magnetic field have long remained a mystery. One leading theory suggests that this ability is tied to bundles of microscopic hair ...

Researchers have shown for the first time that an animal uses different directional sensors to achieve the highest possible navigational precision in different conditions. When the sun is high, dung ...

There are organisms that can use the magnetic field of the earth to navigate, including animals like honey bees and migratory birds, and some bacteria. Scientists have now learned more about how a ...

Each fall, millions of eastern North American monarch butterflies migrate up to 3,000 miles south to the mountains of central Mexico, then return to their northern range in the spring. These winged ...

The remarkable abilities of birds to navigate using Earth's minute magnetic field are now widely believed to depend on a biological quantum compass. Share on Facebook (opens in a new window) Share on ...

Navigating: problems and strategies -- When and where -- A matter of time -- Insect compasses -- Vertebrate compasses -- Piloting and inertial navigation -- The map sense -- Migration and the future: ...