Bird's-Eye View May Include Magnetic Fields

BoredStiff writes "Heard on NPR and reported in ScienceDaily: a study finding that migratory birds may be able to 'see' magnetic fields. The report comes from a current study by a research group from Oldenburg, Germany. They found that migratory birds use their visual system to perceive the reference compass direction of the geomagnetic field: 'Sensory systems process their particular stimuli along specific brain circuits. Thus, the identification of what sensory system is active during magnetic compass orientation, provides a way to recognize the sensory quality utilized during that specific behavior.'"

they're gunnin for ya

[User 956]

Heard on NPR and reported in ScienceDaily: a study finding that migratory birds may be able to 'see' magnetic fields.

How else do you think they're able to so accurately target your new car?

Wait one minute...

[penguin_dance]

They can see magnetic fields...

But they keep getting whacked by windmills....

Uh, okay.

Re:Does this mean birds aren't doomed after all?

[ScrewMaster]

I'm not arguing with you, but perhaps you should do what I'm about to do.

Have another drink.

Bats

[jeffkjo1]

And you thought it was cool to confuse bats by tossing stuff in the air, now I can crank up the magnetron when the canada geese fly overhead and throw them off so they settle for the winter in Iowa.

You crapped on my car for the last time birds.

Pshhhh...

[callinyouin]

Who gives a shit about being able to see magnetic fields? My eyes have x-ray vision. http://www.spy.th.com/goggles.html [th.com]

Re:So what happens if the magnetic field changes?

[icepick72]

As if I'm gonna' check out THAT link. I'll just blindly believe you instead.

Really?

[Wannabe Code Monkey]

noshitsherlock

Really? noshitsherlock... I suppose all of you just knew that birds were able to "see" magnetic fields. That's really impressive, I can't believe how smart you are, that you had this knowledge in the back of your brain like I've got the switches to ls memorized. Thank you so much for demonstrating your superior knowledge in the form of a slashdot story tag, that's really cool. Much better than publishing your findings in a science journal, you decided to save them up and use them in a condescending manner on a technology blog. Way to go... I guess when the article stated, "surprisingly little is known about the neuronal substrates underlying these navigational abilities" it actually meant, "a few slashdot readers know exactly how the neuronal substrates work, but won't tell anyone." Anyway, I'd just like to applaud your contributions to humanity.

Re:Wait one minute...

[Plutonite]

Let's just say they're single-threaded. It takes time to do electromagnetic integrals in your head while flapping your wings ya know. No wonder they shit so much.

Re:If you want to know what it feels like

[zeptobyte]

You understand, of course, that I very well may have to kill you for so grossly misusing the word hack, right?

Re:Does this mean birds aren't doomed after all?

[maxume]

When I become a scientist, I am going to make up words like thalamofugal.

Re:Does this mean birds aren't doomed after all?

[haakondahl]

However, given that the poles are due for a reversal

There's no way to tell when the next reversal will come along. We're certainly not 'due' for one.

((if a reversal happens when I post this, that would simply be irony. It wouldn't mean I'm wrong!))

Ferritic, anyway.