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Many Animals Have Magnetoreception, Now Science is Exploring Whether We Do Too
Humans appear to have the equipment, but can we use it?
Somehow, I’ve lived my entire life without knowing that magnetism is still a mystery. I mean, magnets are everywhere in modern life — they’re in our cell phones, computers, and most technology, as well as hanging on your fridge. Recently experts suggested using magnets to create the air astronauts would require for deep space travel. And yet, the phenomenon remains an enigma.
We know many animals — sea, land, and air — have a sense called magnetoreception, or the ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field and use it to navigate the planet. But how animals sense it is a matter of ongoing research.
The more I explored the topic, the more I realized how expansive a force magnetism is — not just in modern society but in the animal kingdom and even ancient cultures. Magnetoreception continues to intrigue us, especially since it’s one trait we seem to have missed out on. Or did we?
Earth’s Magnetic Field
I’m sure you know that Earth has a magnetic field that protects the planet from solar and cosmic radiation and prevents our lovely atmosphere from disintegrating. You might also know that this field is the result of enormous amounts of electrically charged molten iron churning near Earth’s core, which creates our planet’s magnetic poles. This planetary magnetic field is called the magnetosphere, and it’s super cool while maintaining a mysterious allure.
The motion of the Earth’s rotation churns the heavy metals in its core while the lighter metals are pushed toward the outer core. Science has a good idea of the ingredients required to create the magnetic field — some kind of conductive fluid, an energy source in constant motion, and something that ignites the magnetic field — but what that “something” is, how it generates a magnetic force, and its origin remains a mystery.
Since the source of Earth’s magnetic field stems from the planet’s core, it encompasses the Earth’s core, mantle, crust, oceans, ionosphere — located between 50 and 600 miles above the Earth’s surface — and the magnetosphere, the outer comet-shaped shield.
