How does a magnetic compass work? Well, it’s all down to basic physics and human ingenuity. The key component of a standard baseplate compass is its magnetized needle, which is allowed to spin freely ...

How can a tiny magnet help you if you're lost in the woods? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. If you're lost in the woods, your ...

Birds have a light-dependent compass in their eyes. This compass gives them information about the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. Researchers have now elucidated how this compass works at the ...

The magnetic compass that birds use for orientation is affected by polarized light. That is the finding of researchers in Sweden, who studied zebra finches navigating a simple maze and found that the ...

The magnetic compass of birds is light-dependent 9,10, and exhibits strong lateralization with input coming primarily from the right eye 11. However, the primary biophysical process underlying this ...

For three years, the experiment wouldn’t work, and Henrik Mouritsen couldn’t figure out why. He had captured European robins and placed them in funnel-shaped cage in a windowless room. The funnel was ...

Figure 1: Bilateral sectioning of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve does not affect magnetic compass orientation in European robins. The second alternative explanation is that cluster N ...